Devolution Priority Programme mayor elections delayed until 2028: Legal comment
The government has announced two-year delays to the inaugural mayoral elections for several areas of England.
Elections for new strategic authorities in Sussex and Brighton, Hampshire and the Solent, Norfolk and Suffolk, and Greater Essex that were due to take place in May 2026 will now be held in May 2028.
In a ministerial statement, Steve Reed, Secretary for Housing, Communities and Local Government said the delay would allow these areas to first complete the local government reorganisation process before mayors take office.
Commenting on the announcement, Dmitrije Sirovica, Partner in the government team at UK and Ireland law firm Browne Jacobson, said: “The government's simultaneous plans for local government reorganisation (LGR) and devolution were always ambitious and these delays are indicative of this.
“Delivering the intended extent of LGR alongside the proposed programme of devolution requires significant resource at both a local and national level. There is a significant amount of work required in establishing the unitary authorities and this will take time.
“While there will inevitably be suggestions of the delay favouring one or other political party, there is arguably a lot of sense in mayoral elections taking place following the completion of the LGR process.
“The £200m funding at least should be seen as a positive in reaffirming the commitment to the programme of devolution.”
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Dan Robinson
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Dan.Robinson@brownejacobson.com
+44 0330 045 1072
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