Citation, commencement, extent and interpretation

1.—(1) This Order may be cited as the Local Authorities (Changes to Years of Ordinary Elections) (England) Order 2026 and comes into force on 27th February 2026.

(2) This Order extends to England and Wales.

(3) In this Order—

“ the ordinary day of election of councillors ” has the same meaning as in section 37 of the Representation of the People Act 1983 ( 2 );

“ specified local authority ” means a local authority specified in the Schedule to this Order.

Changes to the years of ordinary elections for specified local authorities

2. The ordinary elections of councillors of a specified local authority that would, but for this Order, have taken place on the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2026 are instead to take place on the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2027.

Retirement of councillors of specified local authorities

3.—(1) A councillor of a specified local authority who would, but for this Order, have retired on the fourth day after the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2026 will retire instead on the fourth day after the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2027, unless the councillor resigns or the office otherwise becomes vacant before that day.

(2) Paragraph (3) applies to East Sussex County Council, Norfolk County Council, Suffolk County Council and West Sussex County Council.

(3) A councillor of a local authority to which this paragraph applies who is elected on the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2027—

(a)comes into office on the fourth day after the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2027, and

(b)retires on the fourth day after the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2029, unless the councillor resigns or the office otherwise becomes vacant before that day.

(4) A councillor of a specified local authority other than those to which paragraph (3) applies, or Thurrock Council, who is elected on the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2027—

(a)comes into office on the fourth day after the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2027, and

(b)retires on the fourth day after the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2030, unless the councillor resigns or the office otherwise becomes vacant before that day.

(5) Section 243(1) of the Local Government Act 1972(3) applies for the purposes of this article as if it were a provision of that Act.

Consequential modifications: existing casual vacancies

4.—(1) This article applies where—

(a)before the coming into force of this Order a casual vacancy occurs in the office of councillor of a specified local authority, and

(b)but for this Order, that vacancy would have been filled at the ordinary election of councillors in 2026 in accordance with section 89(3) of the Local Government Act 1972.

(2) Where this article applies, section 89(1) of the Local Government Act 1972(4) applies in respect of that vacancy as if, in paragraphs (a) and (b), for the words from “thirty-five days” to the end there were substituted “the period beginning with 27th February 2026 and ending with 7th May 2026”.

(3) Section 90 of the Local Government Act 1972(5) applies in respect of a person elected to fill a casual vacancy to which this article applies as if for the words from “date” to “retired” there were substituted “fourth day after the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2027”.

Consequential amendments

5.—(1) In article 1(3)(b) of the following Orders, for “2026” substitute “2027”—

(a)the Norfolk (Electoral Changes) Order 2021(6);

(b)the Suffolk (Electoral Changes) Order 2022(7);

(c)the Wealden (Electoral Changes) Order 2024(8);

(d)the Thurrock (Electoral Changes) Order 2025(9).

(2) In the West Suffolk (Electoral Changes) Order 2023(10), in article 1(4)(b), for “2026” substitute “2027”.

(3) In the Cheltenham (Electoral Changes) Order 2023(11), in article 4(3)(a), for “2026” substitute “2027”.

(4) Paragraph (5) applies to the following Orders—

(a)the Stevenage (Electoral Changes) Order 2023(12);

(b)the Redditch (Electoral Changes) Order 2023(13).

(c)the Basildon (Electoral Changes) Order 2023(14);

(d)the Harlow (Electoral Changes) Order 2023(15);

(e)the Cannock Chase (Electoral Changes) Order 2023(16);

(5) In article 4 of the Orders to which this paragraph applies—

(a)in paragraph (3)—

(i)omit sub-paragraph (a);

(ii)in sub-paragraph (b), for “one is” substitute “two are”;

(b)for paragraph (4), substitute—

“(4) Of the councillors elected for a ward in 2024, the councillors to retire under paragraph (3)(b) are to be the councillors elected by the smallest number of votes and the next smallest number of votes.”.

(c)after paragraph (4), insert—

“(4A) Of the councillors elected for a ward in 2027—

(a)one is to retire on the fourth day after the ordinary day of election of councillors in England in 2030; and

(b)one is to retire on the fourth day after the ordinary day of election of councillors in England in 2031.

(4B) Of the councillors elected for a ward in 2027, the first councillor for each ward to retire is to be the councillor elected by the smaller number of votes.”.

(d)in paragraph (7), after “paragraph (3)” insert “or paragraph (4A)”.

(6) In the West Lancashire (Electoral Changes) Order 2022(17), in article 4—

(a)in paragraph (3)—

(i)omit sub-paragraph (b);

(ii)in sub-paragraph (c), for “one is” substitute “two are”;

(b)omit paragraph (4)(b);

(c)after paragraph (4), insert—

“(4A) Of the councillors elected for a ward in 2027—

(a)one is to retire on the fourth day after the ordinary day of election of councillors in England in 2030; and

(b)one is to retire on the fourth day after the ordinary day of election of councillors in England in 2031.

(4B) Of the councillors elected for a ward in 2027 the first councillor for each ward to retire is to be the councillor elected by the smaller number of votes.”.

(d)in paragraph (7), after “paragraph (3)” insert “or paragraph (4A)”.

(7) In the Borough of Thurrock (Scheme of Elections) Order 2024(18), in article 2(2), (3) and (4), for “2026” substitute “2027”.

Article 2

Schedule Specified local authorities