Which parties run the councils where elections are no longer postponed?

Keir Starmer’s government has made another significant U-turn by abandoning its controversial proposal to postpone local elections planned for May.

Labor had initially planned to cancel polls in 30 areas, citing the need to free up “capacity” for a major overhaul of council structures; This was a move that would affect 4.5 million voters.

However, the Department of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) confirmed this had been reversed. A spokesman said: “Following legal advice, the government has withdrawn its original decision to postpone 30 local elections in May.”

“Giving councils certainty about their local elections is now paramount and all local elections will now be held in May 2026.”

To further humiliate the government, ministers agreed to pay Reform’s legal costs in relation to the party’s appeal.

Housing minister Steve Reed suggested in a letter to council leaders that the government could offer “practical support” to local authorities after reversing its decision to postpone elections, and could also allocate £62 million to authorities making structural changes.

Here is a list showing the current balance of power in 30 local authorities in England where elections are no longer postponed and will go ahead on Thursday 7 May 2026 as originally planned.

Where Labor has overall majority control:

Adur (district council)

Blackburn with Darwen (unitary authority)

Cannock Chase (region)

Chorley (district)

Crawley (district)

Exeter (district)

Hyndburn (district)

Ipswich (district)

Lincoln (district)

Preston (area)

Redditch (district)

Stevenage (district)

Tamworth (district)

Thurrock (unitary)

Worthing (district)

Where the Conservatives have overall majority control:

Harlow (district)

Norfolk (county council)

Suffolk (county)

West Sussex (county)

Where the Liberal Democrats have overall majority control:

Cheltenham (district)

Places where Independent-Liberal Democrats have joint governance:

Pendle (district)

Places where Independent-Liberal Democrats-Greens have joint governance:

Burnley (area)

Situations where Labor runs a minority government but no party has a majority:

Norwich (area)

Basildon (district)

Peterborough (unitary)

Rugby (region)

Welwyn Hatfield (district)

West Lancashire (district)

Where no party has a majority, the Conservatives lead a minority government:

East Sussex (county)

The Greens run a minority government where no party has a majority:

Hastings (district)