Local government reorganisation decisions expected this week for remaining 14 areas

The Government is expected to announce its decisions this week on the remaining 14 local government reorganisation (LGR) proposals, marking a significant milestone in its programme to replace two-tier local government across England with new unitary authorities. The announcements are anticipated ahead of Parliament rising for the summer recess, following repeated ministerial commitments that decisions would be made during July.

The outstanding decisions relate to proposals submitted in November 2025 covering:

• Cambridgeshire and Peterborough
• Derbyshire and Derby
• Devon, Plymouth and Torbay
• Gloucestershire
• Hertfordshire
• Kent and Medway
• Lancashire, Blackpool and Blackburn with Darwen
• Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland
• Lincolnshire, North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire
• Nottinghamshire and Nottingham
• Oxfordshire
• Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent
• Warwickshire
• Worcestershire.

The proposals have been subject to statutory consultation since February 2026, with ministers now considering the responses before determining the preferred structure for each area. The decisions will complete the next phase of the Government’s reorganisation programme, following earlier announcements affecting Surrey, Essex, Hampshire and the Solent, Norfolk and Suffolk. Modified proposals for Sussex have also been undergoing separate consideration.

The anticipated announcements follow comments by Housing Secretary Steve Reed, who recently reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to completing local government reorganisation within this Parliament while ensuring continuity of local services during the transition.

The decisions will be closely watched by licensing authorities, as the creation of new unitary councils will ultimately transfer responsibility for functions including alcohol and entertainment licensing, taxi and private hire licensing, gambling licensing and a range of other regulatory services to the successor authorities.

The Institute of Licensing has established a dedicated Local Government Reorganisation and Devolution Hub to support licensing professionals throughout the reorganisation process. The hub brings together Government announcements, Institute updates and practical resources relating to LGR and devolution. It has also recently been expanded with the publication of the Institute’s comprehensive guidance for licensing professionals, which considers the practical implications of local government reorganisation and provides advice to assist licensing teams in preparing for transition.