# English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026, Section 17: Members of legislatures disqualified for being a mayor of a strategic authority

Extent: E+W

(1) In Schedule 5B to LDEDCA 2009 (mayors for combined authority areas: further provision about elections), after paragraph 9A insert—
“9B (1) A person is disqualified for holding office as the mayor for the area of a combined authority if the person is an elected member of a legislature in the United Kingdom.
(2) If a person—
(a) is elected as the mayor for the area of a combined authority, and
(b) is, on the first day of the mayoral term, an elected member of a legislature in the United Kingdom,
the person is not disqualified under this paragraph for holding office as the mayor at any time in the period of eight days beginning with the first day of the mayoral term.
(3) If a person—
(a) becomes an elected member of a legislature in the United Kingdom, and
(b) is, when the person becomes the elected member, the mayor for the area of a combined authority,
the person is not disqualified under this paragraph for holding office as the mayor at any time in the period of eight days beginning with the day on which the person becomes the elected member of the legislature.
(4) In this paragraph—
“elected member of a legislature in the United Kingdom” means a member of—
(a) the House of Commons;
(b) the Scottish Parliament;
(c) Senedd Cymru;
(d) the Northern Ireland Assembly;
“first day of the mayoral term”, in relation to a person who is elected as the mayor for the area of a combined authority, means the day that would be the first day of the person’s term as the mayor if it is assumed that the person is not disqualified under this paragraph.”
(2) In Schedule 5C to that Act (mayors for combined authority areas: PCC functions), in paragraph 9 (disqualification)—
(a) in sub-paragraph (1), for “sections 64 to 68” substitute “sections 64 to 66 and section 68”;
(b) in sub-paragraph (2), for “and 9A” substitute “, 9A and 9B”.
(3) In Schedule 2 to LURA 2023 (mayors for combined county authority areas: further provisions about elections), after paragraph 9 insert—
“9A (1) A person is disqualified for holding office as the mayor for the area of a CCA if the person is an elected member of a legislature in the United Kingdom.
(2) If a person—
(a) is elected as the mayor for the area of a CCA, and
(b) is, on the first day of the mayoral term, an elected member of a legislature in the United Kingdom,
the person is not disqualified under this paragraph for holding office as the mayor at any time in the period of eight days beginning with the first day of the mayoral term.
(3) If a person—
(a) becomes an elected member of a legislature in the United Kingdom, and
(b) is, when the person becomes the elected member, the mayor for the area of a CCA,
the person is not disqualified under this paragraph for holding office as the mayor at any time in the period of eight days beginning with the day on which the person becomes the elected member of the legislature.
(4) In this paragraph—
“elected member of a legislature in the United Kingdom” means a member of—
(a) the House of Commons;
(b) the Scottish Parliament;
(c) Senedd Cymru;
(d) the Northern Ireland Assembly;
“first day of the mayoral term”, in relation to a person who is elected as the mayor for the area of a CCA, means the day that would be the first day of the person’s term as the mayor if it is assumed that the person is not disqualified under this paragraph.”
(4) In Schedule 3 to that Act (mayors for combined county authority areas: PCC functions), in paragraph 10 (disqualification)—
(a) in sub-paragraph (1), for “sections 64 to 68” substitute “sections 64 to 66 and section 68”;
(b) in sub-paragraph (2), for “and 9” substitute “, 9 and 9A”.
(5) In the GLAA 1999, after section 21A insert—
“Disqualification from being the Mayor: members of legislatures
21B (1) A person is disqualified from being the Mayor if the person is an elected member of a legislature in the United Kingdom.
(2) If a person—
(a) is elected as the Mayor, and
(b) is, on the first day of the Mayoral term, an elected member of a legislature in the United Kingdom,
the person is not disqualified under this section from being the Mayor at any time in the period of eight days beginning with the first day of the Mayoral term.
(3) If a person—
(a) becomes an elected member of a legislature in the United Kingdom, and
(b) is, when the person becomes the elected member, the Mayor,
the person is not disqualified under this section from being the Mayor at any time in the period of eight days beginning with the day on which the person becomes the elected member of the legislature.
(4) In this section—
“elected member of a legislature in the United Kingdom” means a member of—
(a) the House of Commons;
(b) the Scottish Parliament;
(c) Senedd Cymru;
(d) the Northern Ireland Assembly;
“first day of the Mayoral term”, in relation to a person who is elected as the Mayor, means the day that would be the first day of the person’s term as the Mayor if it is assumed that the person is not disqualified under this section.”

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2026/23/section/17 (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/english-devolution-and-community-empowerment-act-2026/section-17
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.