Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 22 January to Question 107950 on Local Government: Elections, what will be the length of term of Thurrock councillors elected in 2022.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
In areas where elections are postponed, existing councillors will have their term of office extended for a short period to smooth the transition to new unitary councils. We expect elections then to take place at the earliest opportunity in 2027 to the new councils. A councillor can stand in elections for the new unitary authority at the same time as serving their term in the existing council.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of postponing the 2026 local elections on Thurrock council's ability to tackle its financial issues.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
On 22 January 2026, the Secretary of State announced his intention to bring forward legislation to postpone for one year the May 2026 elections. This legislation will apply to 30 councils, including Thurrock.
Separately, the Government accepts that Thurrock Council holds significant and exceptional unsupported debt, related to capital practices, that cannot be managed locally in their entirety. The government has committed to providing debt repayment support. Thurrock Council remains in intervention and continues to improve and deliver its recovery agenda.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the Co-operative Party has made representations on the Elections Act 2022 provisions on the banning of dual registration of political parties as third parties.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Our package of electoral reforms set out in our Strategy for Modern and Secure Elections has been informed by a wide variety of stakeholder recommendations and representations over time, including from political parties.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 21 November 2025 to Question 84633 on Electoral Commission, when he plans to issue the new Strategy and Policy Statement for the Electoral Commission to reflect this Government’s priorities for elections and the Commission’s increased roles and responsibilities.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government is committed to strengthening democracy and upholding the integrity of our elections. Robust and proportionate enforcement of political finance rules is an essential part of this. That is why, as announced on 17 July in the government’s Strategy for Elections, we committed to strengthening the Electoral Commission’s powers and extending its remit to ensure that it can effectively enforce the political finance framework.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Councils granted flexibility to finish reorganisation, published on 22 January 2026, whether he has received representations from residents of Basildon borough on postponing elections for Basildon Borough Council.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
As set out to Parliament on 22 January, in reaching his decisions the Secretary of State carefully considered all the representations made, including those relating to elections in Basildon. The Secretary of State did not meet with the Leader of Basildon Council on the topic of 2026 local elections prior to the announcement of 22 January.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he had discussions with the Leader of Basildon Council before announcing the delay to the 2026 local elections in Basildon.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
As set out to Parliament on 22 January, in reaching his decisions the Secretary of State carefully considered all the representations made, including those relating to elections in Basildon. The Secretary of State did not meet with the Leader of Basildon Council on the topic of 2026 local elections prior to the announcement of 22 January.
Asked by: Luke Taylor (Liberal Democrat - Sutton and Cheam)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of the cancellation of some local election on (a) communities and (b) local authorities.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
In reaching his decisions on 2026 elections, as set out to the House on 22 January 2026, the Secretary of State adopted a locally led approach and carefully considered all the representations made. He heard from councils across the country about the capacity challenges they face as they seek to deliver local government reorganisation and how postponement would release essential capacity.
Postponement will enable those councils to focus work on reorganisation, and setting up new councils ready to deliver public services from day one.
Where councils have asked for their elections to go ahead, those elections are going ahead. The vast majority of local elections will go ahead across England in May.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to his letter to Essex County Council leader Kevin Bentley, dated 19 January 2026, whether he has received correspondence from (a) any Essex County Councillor and (b) any borough council in Essex requesting a postponement of the Essex County Council elections.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
On 29 January 2026, the Secretary of State wrote to the Leader of Essex County Council to confirm that he would not be including the election to Essex County Council in legislation to postpone local elections. A copy of that letter was deposited in the House library. In reaching his decisions on 2026 elections, as set out to the House on 22 January 2026, the Secretary of State adopted a locally led approach and carefully considered all the representations made, including those from the Leader of Essex County Council and other councils in Essex.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to his letter to Essex County Council leader Kevin Bentley dated 19 January 2026, if he will make it his policy that elections for Essex County Council will proceed as scheduled if Essex County Council does not explicitly request a postponement.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
On 29 January 2026, the Secretary of State wrote to the Leader of Essex County Council to confirm that he would not be including the election to Essex County Council in legislation to postpone local elections. A copy of that letter was deposited in the House library. In reaching his decisions on 2026 elections, as set out to the House on 22 January 2026, the Secretary of State adopted a locally led approach and carefully considered all the representations made, including those from the Leader of Essex County Council and other councils in Essex.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Councils granted flexibility to finish reorganisation, published on 22 January 2026, whether he has received representations from Thurrock councillors on postponing elections to Thurrock Council.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
In reaching his decisions, as set out to Parliament on 22 January, the Secretary of State carefully considered all the representations made, including those relating to elections in Thurrock. The Secretary of State did not have meetings with the Leader of Thurrock Council on 2026 local elections, prior to the announcement of 22 January.