Adur Green Party accuses Labour of 'running scared' after council leaders suggest postponing local elections

Adur Green Party said it ‘strongly opposes’ the decision of Labour-led Adur Council to seek postponement of district elections in May 2026.

The party said it ‘rejects the arguments’ for postponement and believes that there should be ‘business as usual’ and that the residents of Adur should have the opportunity to choose their local representatives.

Julian Shinn, leader of the Green group on the council said: “These elections are part of the normal election cycle in Adur and allow people to approve or change their ward representatives.

"These elections are held routinely and run by an experienced team. This is as much a role of the council as clearing bins or making planning decisions. The bottom line is that we’re all losing the right to vote – a right for which people fought and died.”

Green Party co-ordinator and former district councillor Gabe Crisp, highlighted the view that the decision has been made with ‘political motives’.

She added: “Labour are doing very poorly in the polls and there is public dissatisfaction with our national leaders.

"They’re running scared of voters and want to avoid damaging losses in mid-term elections. This will come back to haunt them when the public next gets the opportunity to vote.”

Jeremy Gardner, leader of Adur District Council, has argued that postponing the election could free up essential resources, needed for local government reorganisation (LGR). Worthing Borough Council leader Sophie Cox made the same argument.

Mr Gardner said: “The government asked if postponing local elections in 2026 would free up resources needed for local government reorganisation. All councils in Sussex with scheduled elections have said postponement would help with this. These councils are led by Conservatives, Labour and the Green Party councillors.

"New councils are to be created, replacing districts such as Adur. This is a once in 50 years opportunity to reshape and improve local government. A lot of work is involved and with elections to the new council next year, it's important that we have enough resources to get this right.”

Adur Green Party said it ‘disapproves in equal measure’ the decision of the Conservative administration, at West Sussex County Council, to seek further postponement – ‘effectively cancelling county council elections’.

In December, Alison McGovern – the Minister of State for Local Government and Homelessness – wrote to all local authorities in England which are involved in the biggest change to local government in 50 years. This will see councils across the country reorganised, in a bid to improve services and increase efficiency.

The minister invited the leaders of Worthing Borough Council and Adur District Council to set out their views on the potential postponement of local elections in their areas, and if they believed it would enable LGR to progress more effectively, with a deadline of midnight on Thursday, January 15.