This May’s country council elections in Essex will now not go ahead.
This is because Essex County Council has applied along with Thurrock and Southend City Councils to join the government’s ‘Devolution Priority Programme.’
Under the programme, which seeks to simply the number of local authorities nationally, there are instead to be elections for the position of Mayor for Essex in May 2026.
Under the local government reforms Essex County Council could cease to exist, making the election for county councillors this spring unnecessary.
Councillors to remain in post
The Local Authorities (Changes to Years of Ordinary Elections) (England) Order 2025 will come into force on 4 March 2025.
The Order postpones elections to East Sussex, West Sussex, Essex, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Norfolk, Suffolk, Surrey, and Thurrock, for one year and extends the terms of incumbent councillors accordingly.
You can find out more about the local government reorganisation on GOV.UK.
Devolution Priority Programme
Read a press release from Essex County Council about the elections and the government’s Devolution Priority Programme.
Essex councils accepted onto Devolution Priority Programme on essex.gov.uk