The Local Councils’ Network has welcomed today’s government decision on the future structure of local government in six county areas, saying it presents a significant opportunity to strengthen “genuinely local” decision‑making.
The announcement from the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government, delivered by Housing, Communities and Local Government Secretary Steve Reed, sets out how district and county councils will be reorganised in the largest shake‑up of English local government in half a century.
Once complete, the process will affect the lives of more than 20 million people, resulting in the abolition of 164 district councils and 21 county councils.
The government has broadly endorsed a model championed for years by the LCN and its predecessor, the District Councils’ Network. This approach retains a significant number of councils, each focused on the needs of a defined geographic area.
Crucially, the government has stepped back from its earlier expectation that new unitary councils should serve at least 500,000 residents. Instead, most new councils will be significantly below this threshold, aligning closely with LCN’s long‑held view that smaller, more place‑based councils are better positioned to understand and respond to local priorities.
LCN said that keeping councils embedded within their communities will help preserve local identity, improve accountability, and support more responsive service delivery.
The network confirmed that most LCN member councils support the move towards smaller unitary authorities, believing they strike a balance between efficiency and localism. However, it acknowledged that not all councils affected agree with the specific model set for their area.
In his statement, LCN Chair Cllr Richard Wright said:
“The Government has listened to local people’s views and retained the ‘local’ in local government. We strongly welcome the decisions in Essex, Hampshire, Norfolk and Suffolk.
“In just about every consultation that’s ever taken place on local government reorganisation, local people have backed councils that remain close to communities.
“We have long campaigned for councils to be as close to communities as possible to ensure that every resident’s voice is heard and high-quality frontline services can be tailored to meet the specific needs of each place.
“The evidence shows that smaller unitary councils are just as likely to perform well and to be financially sustainable as larger ones. The best way to ensure a strong focus on local growth and prevention – which will bring enduring economic and health benefits – is to have councils that are genuinely local.
“Most of the new councils announced today will have populations significantly below 500,000 – and we believe this should set a precedent for the transformation of local government in all the 14 remaining areas.
“It’s vital that we capitalise on this opportunity to make structural change part of a more ambitious approach to reforming, integrating and modernising local public services.
“Now that decisions have been taken, the Local Councils Network will work closely with all councils and central government to ensure that all new councils are implemented safely and effectively. This is a once in a generation opportunity to transform local services, which we must fully embrace.”
Reorganisation plans for the six county regions are expected to progress over the coming months, with the government aiming to modernise local structures while maintaining strong local representation.
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