Local government reorganisation: Policy and programme updates
News updates and supporting documents relating to the government鈥檚 ambitious programme of local government reorganisation in England.
皇冠体育app English Devolution White Paper (published on 16 December 2024) set out the government鈥檚 vision for simpler local government structures. Simpler structures can lead to better outcomes for residents, improved local accountability and savings which can then be reinvested in public services. Alongside the publication of the English Devolution White Paper on the 16 December, the Minister of State for Local Government and English Devolution, Jim McMahon OBE MP, wrote to all councils in remaining two-tier areas and neighbouring small unitaries to set out plans for a joint programme of devolution and local government reorganisation.
On the 5 February 2025, the Deputy Prime Minister provided an鈥痑s well as a list of places that had chosen to join the government鈥檚 Devolution Priority Programme. At the same time, the Minister of State for Local Government and English Devolution issued a statutory invitation to all councils in two-tier areas and small neighbouring unitary authorities to develop proposals for unitary local government. 皇冠体育appse will bring together lower and upper tier local government services in new unitary councils to deliver Local Government Reorganisation. This invitation requested that councils produce interim plans and submit these to government by Friday 21 March, setting out their progress on developing proposals in line with the criteria and guidance.
On 24 March 2025, a鈥痺as聽 made to Parliament.鈥疶his set out that government received responses from all 21 areas invited.鈥使谔逵齛pp statement sets out that officials will follow up with areas to discuss their interim plans, provide feedback and understand the collaboration and information sharing arrangements.聽
It also announced that 拢7.6 million will be made available in the form of Local Government Reorganisation Proposal Development Contributions, to be split across these 21 areas. This is the first time that capacity funding has been made available for reorganisation proposals, recognising the priority that this government attaches to this.聽聽
On 3 June 2025, a was made to Parliament. This set out how the Proposal Development Contributions would be allocated, the amount that each area would receive, and method for that payment.聽聽
皇冠体育app statement also confirmed that each area has now received feedback on their interim plans and that a summary of that feedback has been published.聽聽
On Tuesday 17 June a was made to Parliament about the statutory consultation on proposals for unitary local government in Surrey.
Useful documents, including letters to councils, announcements and news items on the local government reorganisation programme will appear on this page.
Documents
Correspondence
Local reorganisation areas
Updates to this page
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Added Local government reorganisation areas section.
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Added: Proposal development contributions: area allocations; Local government reorganisation: summary of feedback on interim plans.
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This page has been updated following the Minister of State for Local Government and Devolution's written statement on 24 March 2025.
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First published.