The government’s rejig of local government will replace the two-tier system of district and county councils that exists in many parts of England with new ‘unitary’ councils responsible for delivering all councils services in their area.
It means some of the councils up for election this year will be folded into new unitary councils in 2027 or 2028, so councillors could only be in office for a year.
The BBC contacted the 63 councils who could request a delay to their May elections to ask for their decision.
Among those to say they will ask for a postponement are East and West Sussex County Councils, Suffolk County Council, Exeter City Council, Preston City Council and Peterborough City Council.
Other smaller councils to request a delay include Cheltenham, Hastings, Nuneaton and Bedworth, Ipswich, and Redditch Borough Councils.
Most wanting a delay are Labour-led, but three are Conservative-led and one is Liberal Democrat led. Some of the councils that have asked for a delay are run by more than one party, or independents.