Elections should go ahead - unanimous agreement
Winchester City Council's Leader, Councillor Martin Tod, has written to the Minister of State for Local Government and Homelessness, Alison McGovern MP, confirming that Winchester City Council does not support the postonement of Elections:
Dear Minister,
Winchester City Council does not support postponement of the elections scheduled for May 7, 2026.
Further to your letter of 18 December 2025 regarding the elections scheduled for 7 May 2026, I am writing to confirm that Winchester City Council does not support the postponement of our local elections this May. We do not believe that we have any reason for postponement.
Indeed, we believe that elections should only be delayed in the most exceptional circumstances. To the best of our knowledge, in recent times, the City Council has only delayed elections during the two World Wars and during the pandemic. Winchester City Council held elections in 1972 despite the scheduled Local Government Reorganisation planned for 1974.
This Council also has absolute confidence in our officers’ ability to deliver well-run elections for our residents, whether for county, city or parish, alongside the preparations for local government reorganisation – reinforcing our belief that there is no need for election delay.The views I have expressed in this letter were unanimously endorsed by all councillors present at a Full Council meeting on January 14 on a cross-party basis.
Yours sincerely,
Cllr Martin Tod Leader, Winchester City Council