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Local elections 2026
More potholes in the road to local government reorginisation?
STRATEGY
James McHugh
Senior Consultant, Campbell Tickell
James McHugh
Senior Consultant, Campbell Tickell
Issue 84 | June 2026
May’s local elections in England were never going to be just another set of elections. Taking place two years into the current UK parliament and set against a backdrop of ongoing economic turbulence and popular dissatisfaction with the two traditional political parties, they were always going to shape the conditions in which local government reorganisation (LGR) occurs.
What the elections have delivered is a far more complex and uneven political landscape. Across much of England, the results reveal not a smooth road for LGR, but one increasingly riddled with potholes caused by political fragmentation, weakened mandates and a sharp rise in councils under No Overall Control (NOC). For LGR, which arguably depends on sustained political agreement and stability, these obstacles risk slowing momentum, knocking established plans off course and forcing a reassessment of current timelines and approach. So, where can local authorities go from here?
A new and more complex political reality
The LGR agenda is wide-ranging and ambitious, replacing two-tier systems with unitary authorities and aligning these with expanded devolution arrangements. Prior to the elections, the emergence of LGR options depended on a delicate balance, requiring councils to agree proposals, plan for transition and maintain service delivery.
The latest elections have made that balancing act significantly harder. The results themselves indicate a seismic shift in local government, following heavy losses for Labour and the Conservatives and major gains for Reform UK and the Greens.
At the same time, 64 councils are now under NOC – an increase of nearly 60% on the previous election and more than double the number held by Labour.
This combination of political fragmentation and organisational transformation will inevitably create a much more uncertain environment for LGR.
The fragmentation of party politics
One of the clearest messages from the elections is the collapse of two-party dominance. The results point towards a five-way split in voter support, with the traditional two-party system being replaced by a more fluid, multi-party electoral landscape, albeit one which remains constrained by a voting system which fails to accommodate such fluidity.
For LGR, this matters because structural reform depends on political legitimacy. Councils are now being asked to take long-term decisions about the abolition and merger of authorities, new governance models and integration of large and complex services across expanded geographies (sometimes including the break-up of districts themselves).
Yet many of the councillors making these decisions have been elected on relatively small vote shares, often in highly competitive multi-party contests and/or with explicit opposition to the emergence of LGR plans. The result is a weaker and more contested mandate for change, particularly where proposals are locally sensitive.
The rise of NOC and coalition politics
If fragmentation is the headline, the growth of NOC is the new day-to-day reality for many. Across England, an increasing number of councils now require either minority administrations, multi-party coalitions, or informal cross-party agreements. This matters hugely for LGR as it requires councils to take decisive, and often controversial, decisions over a sustained period, typically several years.
Under NOC, decision-making is likely to become slower and more contested, political agreements may be short-lived or issue-specific and leadership stability is harder to maintain. These elections will also bring large numbers of new and inexperienced councillors into a system already under strain, while simultaneously managing LGR and devolution pressures.
“Under NOC, decision-making is likely to become slower and more contested.”
Ideological divergence and contested reform models
The elections have not only fragmented control they have also widened ideological differences within local government. The rise of Reform UK and the Greens reflects broader political realignment, with Reform UK drawing support in post-industrial and provincial towns and Greens advancing in urban areas and among younger electorates.
For LGR, this has the potential to create a more fractious policy environment. Different administrations may now have fundamentally different views on the purpose and scale of local government, the balance between efficiency and local identity, planning and environmental priorities, and the role of public services. Such competing visions will shape the form and function of new authorities which emerge via LGR.
Capacity pressures and transformation
Alongside political change, the elections create a practical challenge for delivery capacity. LGR is already being pursued in a context of financial strain, rising demand pressures (e.g. temporary accommodation, social care and SEND) and limited workforce capacity. Added to this are significant numbers of new councillors requiring induction, potential turnover in senior officers and possible leadership changes.
In practice, many councils will find themselves delivering business as usual, managing instability and progressing LGR simultaneously. Something surely has got to give.
Timing and the risk to momentum
The intended LGR timetable is already ambitious, with proposals being finalised during 2026 and most new unitary authorities expected to be operational from 2028.
The results introduce uncertainty into that timeline. In particular, areas may struggle to reach agreement on preferred options, revisiting previously submitted proposals and more fractious negotiations could significantly extend decision-making timelines.
There is also a potential tension between local mandates and central government delivery. While councils may now require more time to build consensus, central government will be reluctant to slow its programme if it risks becoming undeliverable within this Parliament.
What does this mean for the sector?
For councils and their partners, the implications are likely to be as follows:
- Politics will shape pace as existing LGR proposals may no longer drive change and building political consensus will be central to progress.
- Governance matters more than ever to accommodate more fragmented political control and less reliance on stable majorities.
- Engagement must broaden to cross parties and reach wider communities and stakeholders to secure greater consensus and legitimacy.
- Capacity is critical as councils will need support to manage both the demands of transformation and increasing pressures on day-to-day service delivery.
- Flexibility will be essential as LGR programmes will need to adapt to new political realities rather than assume a clear and simple pathway.
Bumpy road ahead
In the run up to these elections, the public placed the state of roads as the issue of most concern to them locally.
Just as councils must navigate the visible deterioration of their roads with limited resources, so too must they now steer LGR through a series of less visible but equally challenging political potholes.
The task ahead will not simply be to maintain momentum, but to find creative ways of navigating and, where possible, repairing the potholes that now define the route to LGR.
“Just as councils must navigate the visible deterioration of their roads with limited resources, so too must they now steer LGR through a series of less visible but equally challenging political potholes.”
