2024–present structural changes to local government in England

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Proposed structural changes to local government in England were set out in the English devolution white paper published by the UK government on 16 December 2024. The white paper announced that where possible, there was a desire for existing two-tier area—where services are provided by both county councils and district councils—to be reorganised into a smaller number of unitary authorities, where local services are provided by a single authority^[1][2] for at least 500,000 people.^[3][4]

A round of local government reorganisation took place in England between 2019 and 2023 during the Conservative governments of Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak. Here several large unitary authorities were created between either by abolition of district councils, (in Somerset, Dorset, Buckinghamshire and North Yorkshire), or by the abolition of county councils and grouping of districts into new unitaries, (e.g. in Cumbria and Northamptonshire).

The Labour Party returned to power following a landslide victory in the 2024 general election, and in her Autumn budget statement, Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves outlined that a forthcoming English Devolution Bill would include plans for "working with councils to move to simpler structures that make sense for their local areas", suggesting that a new round of local government reorganisation could be likely.^[5][6]

In February 2025, the government announced that six areas had been selected to join the 'devolution priority programme', which would include the establishment of mayoral combined authorities in each area and local government reorganisation, if necessary, to remove two-tier local government.^[7]

In November 2024, it was reported that Kent, Essex, Hertfordshire, Surrey, Norfolk and Suffolk would be included in the first wave of local authority reorganisation with the two-tier system of county councils and district councils being replaced by unitary authorities;^[8][9] however, this turned out to be incorrect.^[7]

In February 2025, the government announced the six areas that would join the devolution priority programme:

• Cumbria
• Cheshire & Warrington
• Norfolk & Suffolk
• Greater Essex
• Sussex & Brighton
• Hampshire & Solent^[7]

Two of these, Cumbria and Cheshire & Warrington, were reformed in earlier changes and will gain mayoral combined authorities. Greater Essex, Norfork & Suffolk, Sussex & Brighton, and Hampshire & Solent will also involve local authority restructuring.^[10]

Cumbria is divided into two unitary authority areas: Cumberland to the north west and Westmorland and Furness to the south east. The proposals for Cumbria are to establish a combined authority between the two unitary councils.^[11]

Greater Essex, continguous with the cermonial county of is Essex, is at present split into a non-metropolitan county of the same name, administered by Essex County Council, and two unitary authorities. Essex County Council shares governance with twelve non-metropolitan districts in a two-tier system of local government.

The full list of districts and unitary authority areas within the devolution priority area are:

1. Uttlesford
2. Braintree
3. Colchester
4. Tendring
5. Harlow
6. Epping Forest
7. Chelmsford
8. Maldon
9. Brentwood
10. Basildon
11. Rochford
12. Castle Point
13. Southend-on-Sea (unitary)
14. Thurrock (unitary)

In early December 2024, Basildon councillors proposed a five unitary authority model for the county: West Essex (Basildon and Thurrock), South East Essex (Southend-on-Sea, Castle Point and Rochford), Mid Essex (Chelmsford, Brentwood and Maldon), North West Essex (Epping Forest, Harlow and Uttlesford) and North East Essex (Braintree, Colchester and Tendring).^[12]

Later in December 2024, it was reported that the government would reorganise Essex into two or three local authorities with over 500,000 people each. The unitary authorities of Thurrock and Southend-on-Sea will be abolished and merged with other areas of the county, with local elections likely postponed until 2026.^[13] Essex County Council leader Kevin Bentley confirmed that his council would ask the government to postpone local elections for the unitary and two-tier authorities of Essex to prepare for the county's reorganisation.^[14]

The ceremonial county was accepted on to the priority programme as 'Greater Essex' in February 2025.^[15] The proposals for Greater Essex are to establish a mayoral combined county authority; Essex County Council, Southend on Sea City Council and Thurrock Council would be the constituent councils of the proposed MCCA.^[16]

After the establishment of the MCCA, it is planned that the ceremonial county would be reorganised into unitary authorities of at least 500,000 inhabitants at some point in the future, albeit there may be scope for a reduced population in each unitary area.^[17]

Hampshire and Solent is formed of the cermonial counties of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. The area is split between the non-metropolitan county of Hampshire, administered by Hampshire County Council and eleven district councils, and three unitary authorities, one of which covers the Isle of Wight. The remainder are:

1. Test Valley
2. Basingstoke and Deane
3. Hart
4. Rushmoor
5. City of Winchester
6. East Hampshire
7. New Forest
8. Southampton (unitary)
9. Eastleigh
10. Fareham
11. Gosport
12. Portsmouth (unitary)
13. Havant

The proposals for Hampshire and Solent are to establish a mayoral combined county authority. The constituent councils of the combined county authority would be Hampshire County Council, Isle of Wight Council, Portsmouth City Council and Southampton City Council.^[18]

On the topic of local government reorganisation, the Hampshire County Council leader has said that it is unlikely that the unitarisation of the county would follow current district boundaries.^[19] The interim proposal submitted by district councils on 21 March 2025 stated that the Isle of Wight should remain its own council rather than being merged with mainland authorities. It also set out analysis for the mainland authorities to be based on the economic geographies of Basingstoke, Winchester, Southampton, Portsmouth, without making a decision has been made on the number of unitaries. ^[20]

Norfolk and Suffolk were announced as part of the priority programme on 5 February 2025.

Norfolk is administered by Norfolk County Council and seven non-metropolitan districts.

1. Norwich
2. South Norfolk
3. Great Yarmouth
4. Broadland
5. North Norfolk
6. King's Lynn and West Norfolk
7. Breckland

Suffolk is administered by Suffolk County Council and five non-metropolitan districts:

1. Ipswich
2. East Suffolk
3. Mid Suffolk
4. Babergh
5. West Suffolk

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Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire are ceremonial counties in the Thames Valley area. Berkshire and Buckinghamshire are currently organised into unitary authorities: Berkshire is divided into six authorities, Buckinghamshire is organised into two. Oxfordshire, on the other hand, is a two-tier local government area, with Oxfordshire County Council governing the non-metropolitan county as a whole and district councils governing five districts.

The unitary authority of West Berkshire and the districts of Vale of White Horse and South Oxfordshire have proposed to merge into a new unitary authority, preliminarily called the 'Ridgeway Council'. Under these proposals, Oxford, West Oxfordshire and Cherwell would merge into a separate unitary authority area, and the remainder of Berkshire would be unaffected.^[21] The leader of Reading Borough Council and the MP for Reading West and Mid Berkshire separately wrote to the Government to argue that residents of Reading's urban area who live within West Berkshire's boundaries, in suburbs such as Tilehurst, would be better served by becoming part of Reading Council rather than a council with Oxfordshire districts.^[22] The Councillor for Chieveley and Cold Ash disagreed, saying West Berkshire residents would be 'dominated' by Reading and Wokingham if it became part of a council with them.^[23] The leader of RBC's proposals did not propose or mention the inclusion of West Berkshire outside of Reading suburbs nor the Borough of Wokingham.^[22]

Present arrangements

Cambridgeshire is administered by Cambridgeshire County Council, five non-metropolitan districts and one unitary authority:

1. City of Peterborough (unitary)
2. Fenland
3. Huntingdonshire
4. East Cambridgeshire
5. South Cambridgeshire
6. City of Cambridge

Proposals

In November 2024, the former leader of Fenland District Council, and the leader of the Liberal Democrat group on East Cambridgeshire District Council urged that Cambridgeshire be included in the next round of local government reorganisation.^[24]

Hertfordshire did not bid to become part of the priority programme.^[25]

Present arrangements

Hertfordshire is administered by Hertfordshire County Council and ten non-metropolitan districts:

1. North Hertfordshire
2. Stevenage
3. East Hertfordshire
4. Dacorum
5. City of St Albans
6. Welwyn Hatfield
7. Broxbourne
8. Three Rivers
9. Watford
10. Hertsmere

Present arrangements

Kent is administered by Kent County Council, twelve non-metropolitan districts and one unitary authority:

1. Sevenoaks
2. Dartford
3. Gravesham
4. Tonbridge and Malling
5. Medway (unitary)
6. Maidstone
7. Tunbridge Wells
8. Swale
9. Ashford
10. City of Canterbury
11. Folkestone and Hythe
12. Thanet
13. Dover

Proposals

Kent County Council and Medway Council applied for a devolution deal in January 2025 which would include a Mayor of Kent above several unitary authorities.^[26] In February 2025 it was announced that Kent would not be part of the priority programme.^[27]

Present arrangements

Lancashire is administered by Lancashire County Council, eleven non-metropolitan districts and two unitary authorities:

1. Lancaster
2. Wyre
3. Blackpool (unitary)
4. Fylde
5. Preston
6. Ribble Valley
7. South Ribble
8. Hyndburn
9. Burnley
10. Pendle
11. West Lancashire
12. Chorley
13. Blackburn with Darwen (unitary)
14. Rossendale

Proposals

In November 2024, a group of Lancashire MPs called for the replacement of the current two-tier system with a smaller number of unitary authorities. Three and four authority models were proposed.^[28][29] In December 2024, the leaders of South Ribble Council and Chorley Council proposed forming a unitary authority together with West Lancashire Council.^[30]

Present arrangements

Leicestershire is administered by Leicestershire County Council, seven non-metropolitan districts and one unitary authority:

1. North West Leicestershire
2. Charnwood
3. Melton
4. Harborough
5. Oadby and Wigston
6. Blaby
7. Hinckley and Bosworth
8. Leicester (unitary)

Proposals

Two rival plans emerged for Leicestershire in February 2025. Leicestershire County Council is proposing a "doughnut" model with a large unitary authority covering the entire area currently served by the county council. Leicestershire districts are proposing two smaller unitary authorities; "North Leicestershire and Rutland Council" serving the area presently covered by Charnwood borough, North West Leicestershire district council, Melton borough council, and Rutland county council; and a "South Leicestershire Council" serving the areas currently covered by Blaby district council, Harborough district council, Hinckley and Bosworth borough council and Oadby and Wigston borough council. Neither plan seeks to change the status or boundaries of the existing Leicester City Council unitary authority.^[31]

Present arrangements

Lincolnshire is administered by Lincolnshire County Council, seven non-metropolitan districts and two unitary authorities:

1. Lincoln
2. North Kesteven
3. South Kesteven
4. South Holland
5. Boston
6. East Lindsey
7. West Lindsey
8. North Lincolnshire (unitary)
9. North East Lincolnshire (unitary)

Proposals

In March 2025 three separate proposals for the future governance of Lincolnshire were published, Option One would see a single council for the area that currently makes up Lincolnshire County Council and a merger of the current two unitary authorities of North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire in the north of the county to make a single council however the proposed northern council would not be within the governments preferred minimum population quota of 500,000. Option Two would see Lincolnshire split into two separate unitary authorities on a north/south basis with North Lincolnshire, North East Lincolnshire, East and West Lindsey making up the northern council area whilst Lincoln, North and South Kesteven, Boston and South Holland making up the southern council area with both proposed areas falling within the governments preferred minimum population quota of 500,000. Option Three would see Lincolnshire split up into three council areas, one covering Lincoln, West Lindsey, North Kesteven and South Kesteven, the second covering East Lindsey, Boston and South Holland and the third covering North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire although it is stated that this option is unlikely to proceed because none of the proposed areas would be within the minimum population quota.^[32]

Present arrangements

Surrey is administered by Surrey County Council and eleven non-metropolitan districts:

1. Spelthorne
2. Runnymede
3. Surrey Heath
4. Woking
5. Elmbridge
6. Guildford
7. Waverley
8. Mole Valley
9. Epsom and Ewell
10. Reigate and Banstead
11. Tandridge