Full Council votes for local elections to go ahead as planned in May 2026

January 14, 2026

Full Council has voted unanimously that it wishes for local elections to take place as planned in May 2026.

This outcome was agreed following a vote on a motion at an Extraordinary Council Meeting held on Monday 12th January 2026.

The meeting followed the submission of a Notice of Motion to the Mayor, who agreed to call the Extraordinary Meeting last night.

The Government has previously asked 63 local authorities across the country who are on the Devolution Priority Programme to indicate to the Secretary of State by 15 January 2026 whether they wish to seek postponement of their 2026 local elections.

Cllr Daniel Cowan, Leader of the Council, said: "Local elections will go ahead in Southend, and this has always been our position.

“LGR is the most significant change to local government in a generation, and we are committed to supporting the five-unitary authority model because it protects local identity, strengthens democratic accountability, and delivers sustainable public services.

“This will require significant effort from officers and resources will be stretched but we are keen as an administration to stand on our record, and we look forward to continuing our work to build a city we can all be proud of."