Statement on council's position on upcoming local elections

The letter regarding the potential cancellation of the 2026 local elections was only received from the government late on Thursday, and I have since been consulting my colleagues and some other groups on the council.

In February, the government will start its formal consultation on abolishing Three Rivers District Council in favour of a new unitary authority, with the intention of there being elections for this new unitary council in May 2027. As such there may be confusion as to why local elections would be held in May 2026, which will cost £80k to run.

However following conversations with my colleagues and some other groups, we do not feel those reasons are sufficient to cancel the upcoming democratic local elections, and as such believe it is right and proper that the planned elections should go ahead.

The final decision for this is up to the government. I will not be writing to ask that the local elections be postponed.