Thurrock Council’s Cabinet has approved recommendations to commit to the Government’s priority programme for devolution and as a consequence request that elections in May 2025 are postponed.
If the other top tier authorities in Essex are agreed we will write a joint letter to the Secretary of State on Friday 10 January.
The recommendations approved by Thurrock Council’s Cabinet on Tuesday 7 January are:
- To commit to the Government’s Priority Programme for Devolution, enabling the council to focus on working with neighbouring authorities to develop the devolved strategic authority alongside local government reorganisation
- To agree that as a consequence of participation in the Government Devolution Priority Programme the Leader and Chief Executive approve a letter to the Secretary of State asking to postpone local elections to be held on 1 May 2025
- If the above is agreed, where there is agreement between the council and one or more partner authorities to submit a joint letter to the Secretary of State
- To set up a cross party working group to help advise Cabinet on devolution and local government reform if the Council’s application to the Secretary of State is approved
The request (should it go ahead) follows the letter from the Secretary of State which says: "To help manage these demands, alongside our objectives on devolution, and subject to meeting the timetable outlined in this letter, I am minded-to lay secondary legislation to postpone local council elections from May 2025 to May 2026. However, I will only do this where this will help the area to deliver both reorganisation and devolution to the most ambitious timeframe – either through the Devolution Priority Programme or where reorganisation is necessary to unlock devolution or open up new devolution options."
The papers that went to Cabinet are available on our website.