Norfolk and Suffolk Hold Final Local Elections Before Council Abolition

Voters across Norfolk and Suffolk went to the polls on Thursday, May 7, 2026, in local elections that mark the final contests for several councils before they are abolished under UK government restructuring plans. In Norfolk, all 84 divisions of the Norfolk County Council and 14 wards of the Norwich City Council were contested. In Suffolk, all 70 seats of the Suffolk County Council and a third of the 48 seats on Ipswich Borough Council were up for election, alongside a by-election in West Suffolk's Abbeygate ward. The Conservative Party entered election day holding control of both county councils — Kay Mason Billig leading Norfolk and 44 of 70 seats in Suffolk — while Labour led both Ipswich and Norwich, where Mike Stonard serves as council leader. The Green Party mounted challenges in Norwich. Suffolk voters were required to present photo ID, with free Voter Authority Certificates available for those lacking acceptable identification. Results were expected throughout Friday, May 8. The elections carry outsized significance because the UK government plans to replace Norfolk and Suffolk's current two-tier council systems with three new unitary authorities in each county, scheduled to go live in April 2028. Shadow authorities are expected to be established following elections in 2027. The contests formed part of a broader 2026 local election cycle that saw more than 5,000 council seats contested across 136 English authorities, alongside mayoral races in six areas.