A council has voted to ask the government to postpone the local elections in May and fast track the county for devolution. A government Devolution White Paper, published in December, outlined plans to scrap two-tier councils and replace them with strategic authorities - and an overseeing mayor.

Sue Maki has been elected president of the Hamilton County Council, replacing Amy Massillamany, and will serve alongside co-Vice Presidents Brad Beaver and Steve Nation.

Derbyshire County Council leaders will ask the government to allow it to postpone its elections in May as part of plans to reshape local councils. The authority wants to be considered among the prioritised early tranche of councils that could be merged as part of plans to reorganise local government in England.

Leicestershire County Council has asked the government to postpone the elections it is due to hold in May as part of plans for a major overhaul of local councils. The authority said delaying the vote would give it time to draw up detailed proposals in response to the government's plans to reorganise local government so every region of England has a mayor.

Kent County Council has voted to press on with sweeping local government reforms which will include a directly elected mayor

Gloucestershire County Council's cabinet met on Thursday afternoon to discuss the prospect of delaying the election until 2026 following the Government's plans to abolish district councils. The Conservatives have been in power at the county council for two decades, and have pushed for the delay to save time and money.

At least 12 out of 21 county councils due to hold elections in May are poised to ask ministers to delay the ballots to explore options set out in a major redesign of local government announced in December.

The meeting, which took place on Thursday afternoon, discussed the plans and went in favour of the government's Devolution White Paper. The government announced in December it would would like to reorganise how local government works and do away with district and county councils in favour of unitary authorities,

A senior county councillor has left his role after a vote that saw elections postponed. Conservative Bill Borrett, who was responsible for public health at Norfolk County Council, announced he had left the cabinet on Friday.