REDDITCH Borough Council today received a letter from Government confirming it intends to bring forward legislation to postpone the local elections scheduled for May 2026.
Redditch is among 29 councils which received the letter from the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government Rt Hon Steve Reed OBE MP.
He said: “This decision follows a comprehensive consideration of all the evidence available to me. I have listened to concerns regarding the resource pressures of running intensive elections for councils proposed for abolition shortly thereafter.
“By delaying these elections, I am confident that we will be releasing essential capacity within councils to allow your teams to focus their full energy on the complex reorganisation process, while also addressing concerns regarding the cost of holding elections for bodies that will soon cease to exist.”
The legislative process to postpone these elections will now commence.
Last week an extraordinary meeting was held to discuss the proposal, and Redditch residents came out to protest the matter.
Tempers flared during the meeting, with members of the public gallery heckling the councillors.
Coun Ian Woodall came under fire after he called someone a ‘Nazi’, and has this week referred himself to the councils standards board.
Redditch Borough Council Leader Sharon Harvey said: “I am pleased that the letter from the Minister shows that progress has been made.
“My priority is ensuring that Redditch Borough Council has the capacity to deliver the reorganisation of Local Government and is in the best position to enter a unitary council.”
