Local election results reshape councils and open the door for rural priorities
The CLA’s Peter Fage examines the fallout from the latest local election results and explains how it could be an opportunity for rural communities in England
The recent local elections have redrawn the map of local power. After years of political and economic shocks, voters are increasingly moving away from the traditional two-party system.
Labour suffered a painful defeat. It lost 38 councils, and a further 26 fell into no overall control. Reform UK and the Green Party were the two biggest winners. Together, they secured 19 councils. Reform’s gains were particularly striking. It picked up authorities including Derbyshire, Essex and Suffolk, as well as a number of former Labour strongholds.
‘A clear opening for the countryside’
The two big political beasts, Labour and the Conservatives, are not just losing ground in cities and towns, as widely reported. Change is visible in rural areas too. The West Yorkshire borough of Calderdale moved from Labour to Reform. The Conservatives lost both Suffolk and Essex. Essex is often seen as more built-up, but 72% of it is rural.
The result is a more complex local picture. Not all councils and mayors are elected at the same time. The system itself is changing, with some councils being merged, others abolished, and new mayoralties being introduced.
Many councils will now be led by people with little or no experience of running local authorities. Many will be learning on the job, often without the party structures that usually support councils. They will be under pressure to show they can deliver, and to do so quickly. Most will be looking for early wins. That creates a clear opening for the countryside.
CLA lobbying
The CLA is already reaching out to new councils to make sure rural needs are understood from the start. We will work with them on the practical issues that matter to rural businesses and communities, including planning, housing and local growth.
This means delivering the right homes in rural areas, making it easier for farms to diversify and ensuring planning rules work as they should. Councils shape all these areas, and early decisions will matter.
There was also a significant shift in Wales. Plaid Cymru is now the largest party with 43 seats, but without a majority. It will need to work with others to pass laws and budgets. CLA Cymru will focus on building relationships and making sure rural issues are part of those conversations.
The picture will become clearer in the coming weeks. Our task now is to stay close to what’s happening on the ground and make sure the CLA is shaping decisions so that they deliver for rural businesses and communities.