The government has reversed a decision about this year’s elections at Pendle BC, which until today were expected to go ahead. Communities secretary Steve Reed last week said the council would not be included in legislation to postpone local elections due for May 2026. Pendle was the only Lancashire district in which local elections had been due to go ahead this May. Mr Reed also wrote to Essex CC leader Kevin Bentley (Con) about further representations sent by the county ahead of the decision. Mr Reed said elections in Essex will go ahead “has not made a clear and unambiguous case for postponement through its formal representations”.