New mayoral elections to be delayed in four areas of England

The BBC has confirmed that the government is preparing to postpone elections for newly created mayors in four regions of England.

New mayoral positions in Greater Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk, Hampshire and the Solent, and Sussex and Brighton will be contested in 2028.

An official statement is expected to be made later today. The government will argue that the regions need more time to complete local government restructuring.

Opposition parties are calling for the election to go ahead as planned, while shadow local government secretary James Cleverly accuses Labor of “subverting democracy”.

These new positions were announced in February under an extension of the government’s devolution priority program (DPP), which promised local authorities “wide-ranging” powers to boost growth and said the new positions would be created “rapidly”.

Reform Britain’s Zia Yusuf claimed the government was trying to prevent his party’s “major victories” as Labor fell behind in the polls.

Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats’ local government spokeswoman Zoe Franklin said the party would work to ensure the vote takes place next May, adding: “Democracy delayed is democracy denied.”

The government announced the first election date in February, saying that six new regions would join the DPP.

He said the plans were “key to unlocking regional growth” and came after “political power has been hoarded in Whitehall for too long”.

But the body representing district councils warned the plans could trigger “unrest” and argued “mega councils” could undermine local decision-making.

Local mayors for Cumbria and the soon-to-be-merged Cheshire and Warrington tri-councils were due to be elected in May 2026 but both have been delayed by a year.

The first one was postponed bid to saveThe second was postponed due to concerns of local leaders.