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Institute for Government
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Institute for Government

Non-partisan UK governance think tank, analysing Parliament, Whitehall, and public administration.

In its 19 May 2026 governance brief, the Institute for Government counted a record 61 councils under No Overall Control after the May elections and recommended abolishing election-by-thirds.

Last refreshed: 24 July 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic

Key Question

What does the IfG's record 61 NOC councils finding mean for British democracy?

Timeline for Institute for Government

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Flagged that LGR continuity under a Burnham government is unresolved

UK Local Elections 2026: Suffolk fights on over council shake-up
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Background

The Institute for Government is an independent, non-partisan think tank based in Westminster, founded in 2008 and funded primarily by the Gatsby Charitable Foundation. It publishes research on government effectiveness and provides rapid analysis of major policy decisions, its non-partisan reputation making its critical characterisations difficult for ministers to dismiss as opposition research.

During the 2026 election cycle it served as the primary source for the 4,851 English council seat figure, deliberately excluding 162 Surrey shadow council seats on the grounds those councillors were being elected to authorities not yet legally constituted, and characterised MHCLG's handling of local election postponements as "a government fiasco". Its 19 May governance brief found a record 61 councils under No Overall Control and that 22% of English social-care councils were balancing budgets only via Exceptional Financial Support.

Commenting on Suffolk County Council's 29 June vote to continue its judicial review of Local Government Reorganisation, the IfG noted an incoming Burnham government's stance on the wider LGR programme remained unresolved.

Common Questions
Why did the IfG call the Surrey shadow councils situation a fiasco?
The IfG criticised MHCLG for allowing elections to Surrey's shadow unitary councils while those councils had no legal existence yet, and for the series of ministerial reversals on local election postponements. It excluded the 162 Surrey shadow councillors from its headline 4,851-seat count on principled grounds.Source: event
What is 'election by thirds' in UK council elections?
Election by thirds means one third of council seats are contested each year over three years, with a fallow year for county elections. The IfG recommended abolishing this system in May 2026, arguing the constant electoral cycle prevents effective local governance.Source: event
What does No Overall Control mean and how many councils have it?
No Overall Control (NOC) means no single party holds a majority of seats on a council. After the 7 May 2026 elections, the IfG counted 61 NOC councils in England, the highest figure on record, making Coalition or minority administration the norm across a significant share of English local government.Source: UK Elections 2026 coverage
What did the IfG say about the 2026 local elections?
The Institute for Government counted 61 councils under No Overall Control after 7 May 2026, a record high. It reframed the results as local dress rehearsals for multi-party Westminster arithmetic and recommended abolishing election-by-thirds in council elections.Source: UK Elections 2026 coverage
What does the Institute for Government do?
The IfG is an independent think tank that analyses UK central government effectiveness, tracks ministerial performance, and publishes rapid policy analysis. It is funded by the Gatsby Charitable Foundation and is considered non-partisan.
What did the IfG say about the government's handling of election postponements?
The Institute for Government characterised the MHCLG's management of the local election postponement and subsequent reversal as "a government fiasco", tracking the full sequence of ministerial decisions and reversals in one place. The characterisation influenced parliamentary debate on government competence.Source: UK Elections 2026 coverage
Why does the IfG seat count differ from the Democracy Club figure?
The IfG counts 4,851 English council seats in 2026, excluding the 162 Surrey shadow council seats on the grounds those councillors were being elected to authorities not yet legally constituted. Democracy Club counts 5,013 across 136 authorities. The 162-seat gap is exactly the Surrey shadow total.Source: UK Elections 2026 coverage
When was the Institute for Government founded?
2008. Based in Westminster, primarily funded by the Gatsby Charitable Foundation.
How many English councils have no overall control after the 2026 elections?
The Institute for Government counted 61 English councils under No Overall Control after the 7 May 2026 elections, the highest figure on record. The IfG described this as evidence that British local government is increasingly experiencing the multi-party arithmetic that Westminster is heading towards.Source: event
Source Material
Institute for GovernmentInstitute for Government — Wikipedia