Moving the date of local elections in England in 2014

The 2014 European Parliamentary elections were due to take place in June 2014, but have been moved to late May. As a result, the UK Government has brought forward provisions to move the local elections, usually held on the first Thursday in May, to 22 May 2014. The Draft Local Elections (Ordinary Day of Elections in 2014) Order was laid on 26 June 2013 and is awaiting consideration by the Seventh Delegated Legislation Committee. The House of Lords considered the draft Order on 24 July 2013 and approved it on 30 July 2013.

This Note sets out why the date of the 2014 European Parliamentary elections has been changed and gives details of the consultation about moving the date of the local elections in England. It also includes a list of those local authorities which are holding elections in 2014. There are no local council elections for councils in Wales and Scotland in 2014.

In 2004 and 2009 the date of the local elections was also changed so that the polls could be combined with those of the European Parliamentary elections in the United Kingdom. Before 2004 local and European elections were not combined.