London local elections 2024 – what NOC means and what happens when it’s in place

Results are coming in from local elections across the country after voters cast their ballots yesterday (Thursday, May 2). London is having to wait for the time being, as decelerations for the mayoralty and Assembly are expected tomorrow.

But, if you’re keeping an eye on what is happening elsewhere, you will be reading or hearing some jargon. Police and crime commissioners, other regional mayors and councillors have been picked.

Local authorities come in different forms, such as unitary and two-tiered councils. The former covers a whole county, part of a county or a large town or city.

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Examples include Leicester City Council, Cheshire East Council and Wokingham Borough Council. Others are separated into different layers with different responsibilities.

Nottinghamshire County Council, for example, works with district councils, such as the one in Gedling. Who leads these authorities depends on whether they have a majority of councillors, who represent sections of the are called wards.

If there is not a clear majority – this varies depending on the authority – the council is designated as being under ‘no overall control’ (NOC).

So far today, 16 councils have found themselves in this position, including Norwich. This means like-minded councillors will have to work together to ensure that decisions are made and enacted.

What’s happening in London?

Residents chose who they want as the capital’s mayor, as well as who they would like to represent them on the London Assembly, yesterday. The latter is made up of 25 people and is separate from the mayor’s office.

Its function is to hold the city’s leader to account.

Declarations of constituency Assembly Members will take place during Saturday at the count venues. The declaration of mayoral and London-wide Assembly Member results will take place at City Hall on Saturday evening.

Read our full exclusive interview with the current Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, ahead of May 2 here. You can also read MyLondon’s interview with the Tory candidate, Susan Hall, here.

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