LGA publishes short guide to publicity during pre-election period

The guide covers:

• Introduction
• Local government elections 2026
• The Code of Recommended Practice on Local Authority Publicity 2011
• Legal basis and official guidance
• What this means in practice
• Constituent councils having elections within an MCA which is not having elections
• Further guidance
• Frequently asked questions

A template letter for sending to councillors ahead of local government elections in England is provided in an appendix.

The LGA said the guide had been produced in response to requests from council communications teams.

It stressed that the guide should be “read in conjunction with any guidance produced by your own Returning Officer or Monitoring Officer, which provides specific advice depending on your local circumstances”.

The LGA added: “It is important to note that pre-election rules restrict activity wider than just publicity. Use of council facilities and resources; the member’s code of conduct, developing new policies and holding of events (including some meetings) featuring elected officials should all be carefully considered during a period of heightened sensitivity.”