– Episode 32:
EMERGENCY PODCAST!
Host: Richard Freeman
Guest: Martin Webb, independent candidate for Mayor of Sussex & Brighton
The government is set to delay the first elections for newly created regional mayors in four areas - Greater Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk, Hampshire and the Solent, and Sussex and Brighton. The BBC reports that ballots originally scheduled for May 2026 will now be held in 2028, with a formal announcement expected shortly.
These mayoralties are the political centrepiece of the government's drive to devolve power and fast-track regional growth. Mayors will chair new strategic authorities with powers over transport, housing, skills and, in some areas, policing.
Pushing the polls back delays who will set priorities, who will bid for investment, and who will hold authority over major local programmes - just as unitary council reorganisation is being completed.
The official explanation is that more time is needed to finish local government reorganisation so new authorities are properly set up before voters choose mayors.
Those following the Sussex And The City project since May will recognise this as a familiar concern.
But others think the move is politically charged.
The Conservatives' James Cleverly has already accused the administration of "subverting democracy". Reform UK's Zia Yusuf suggested ministers were trying to blunt his party's chances, while the Liberal Democrats' Zoe Franklin warned "democracy delayed is democracy denied."
Campaigns and candidates: The delay gives parties more time to select and prep candidates, but it also creates a longer campaign window and uncertainty for would-be contenders and local parties. It would not be a surprise if some of the announced candidates change over the next two years.
Policy and delivery: With mayoral powers on hold, strategic decisions that require a regional political voice - major transport projects, strategic housing plans, and coordinated skills investment - may be deferred or handled piecemeal by existing councils.
Local reorganisation: The stated reason - finishing unitary reorganisation - underscores how tightly linked the mayoral timetable is to structural changes at council level; Sussex's new mayoralty depended on those legal and administrative building blocks being in place.
Political arithmetic: A later election could shift the advantage depending on national polling and local campaigning; opponents argue the delay will change the political landscape.
Formal announcement and rationale: The government's statement will be important for the detail; whether the delay is purely administrative or also strategic.
Local reaction: Councils, business groups, civic organisations and candidates will respond; look for joint statements calling for clarity on timelines and transitional arrangements.
Practical continuity: How will work on devolution, bids for investment and partnership arrangements be sustained during the gap? Who will be accountable for interim decisions?
Election mechanics: Will the delay change the electoral system, timing with other polls, or the way the new authorities transition in 2027–28?
The postponement is a big procedural and political shift. If ministers are right that more time is needed for a lawful, orderly handover from two-tier councils to new unitaries, the delay may be sensible.
But it will only be accepted by local voters if the extra time is used to finish the structural work and to show, with practical, visible plans, that the mayoralty will deliver better services and clearer local leadership.
So, this was always a possibility, but is big news we didn't expect today.
You tell us - would you like us to continue this project until the elections take place, or do you think we need to pause until nearer the time?
Host: Richard Freeman
Sound design / editing / original music: Chris Thorpe-Tracey
Production management: Letitia McConalogue
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