Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the deferred local elections which are expected to take place in May 2021 will be for (1) three, or (2) four, year terms of office.
Section 60(3) of the Coronavirus Act 2020 provides that for elected representatives whose elections scheduled for May 2020 were postponed, their term of office has been extended to May 2021; for those elected in 2021 as a result of the postponement, their term of office will be three years ending in 2024 rather than four years. This will maintain the pre-pandemic electoral cycles. By-elections postponed until May 2021 will be for the remaining term of office for that seat in May 2021.