Local election to be postponed

The decision follows a request to government, from Cheltenham Borough Council, for the 2026 local elections to be postponed.

The news is welcomed by leader, Councillor Rowena Hay, who said:

‘’The decision to postpone Cheltenham’s election to next year is the right one. Due to ward boundary changes, all 40 of our councillors were elected in 2024, so we are only two years into a four-year term. Because of our recent election, this was never about stopping democracy or an attempt to extend our term beyond 4 years like other councils. For Cheltenham, this is about common sense.  Elections are incredibly resource-intensive, and it does not seem responsible, in my view, to conduct an election when those elected are lame-ducks from day one and will not serve any more than 12 months before their mandate gets removed.

‘’We can now focus on the transitional arrangements brought about by government’s agenda for local reorganisation across the county and prioritising residents and the services they rightly expect.’’

The term for a local government councillor is four years.  All 40 of Cheltenham's councillors were elected in 2024 due to ward boundary changes within the borough.  Cheltenham Borough Council is amongst 2% of the country which elects in halves.

The council chose to continue to hold elections every other year, meaning that in 2024 only, the candidate polling in second place, would only serve a two year term instead of the usual four year term.

Cheltenham Borough Council will continue to have parish elections in May, where contested.