Pedro Sismeiro

Author: Pedro Sismeiro

Posted on: 21 November 2025
Nov212025

Devolution priority areas have launched public consultations on reorganisation, as the government prepares to evaluate final proposals.

Earlier this week, the Minister of State for Local Government and Homelessness, Alison McGovern, announced the launch of public consultations on all proposals submitted in September by the devolution priority areas. These proposals are as follows:

 

đź“ŤEast Sussex and Brighton and Hove

  • Eastbourne Borough Council, East Sussex County Council, Hastings Borough Council, Lewes District Council and Rother District Council submitted a proposal for one unitary council.
  • Brighton and Hove City Council submitted a proposal for five unitary councils.

 

đź“ŤEssex, Southend-on-Sea and Thurrock

  • Braintree District Council, Essex County Council and Epping Forest District Council submitted a proposal for three unitary councils.
  • Thurrock Council submitted a proposal for four unitary councils.
  • Rochford District Council submitted a proposal for four unitary councils.
  • Basildon Borough Council, Brentwood Borough Council, Castle Point Borough Council, Chelmsford City Council, Colchester City Council, Harlow District Council, Maldon District Council, Southend-on-Sea City Council, Tendring District Council and Uttlesford District Council submitted a proposal for five unitary councils.

 

đź“ŤHampshire, Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton

  • East Hampshire District Council and Hampshire County Council submitted a proposal for four unitary councils.
  • Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, New Forest District Council and Test Valley Borough Council submitted a proposal for five unitary councils.
  • Winchester City Council submitted a separate proposal for five unitary councils.
  • Eastleigh Borough Council, Fareham Borough Council, Hart District Council, Havant Borough Council, Portsmouth City Council, Rushmoor Borough Council and Southampton City Council also submitted a proposal for five unitary councils.

 

đź“ŤNorfolk

  • Norfolk County Council submitted a proposal for one unitary council.
  • South Norfolk District Council submitted a proposal for two unitary councils.
  • Breckland District Council, Broadland District Council, Great Yarmouth Borough Council, King’s Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council, North Norfolk District Council, and Norwich City Council submitted a proposal for three unitary councils.

 

đź“ŤSuffolk

  • Suffolk County Council submitted a proposal for one unitary council.
  • Babergh District Council, East Suffolk District Council, Ipswich Borough Council, Mid Suffolk District Council and West Suffolk District Council submitted a proposal for three unitary councils.

 

đź“ŤWest Sussex

  • West Sussex County Council submitted a proposal for one unitary council.
  • Arun District Council, Adur District Council, Chichester District Council, Crawley Borough Council, Horsham District Council, Mid-Sussex District Council and Worthing Borough Council submitted a proposal for two unitary councils.

 

All consultations will run for seven weeks until January 11, 2026. Once the consultations have concluded, the government will evaluate the proposals and decide which ones to implement, with or without modification.

 

Soundbites

Cllr Matthew Hicks, chairman at County Councils Network: “County councils have worked hard to put forward positive proposals that will improve services and deliver fewer, leaner councils, in line with the started criteria that new councils should have a population above 500,000 and minimise the fragmentation of vital care services.”

“CCN remains concerned that some of the proposals put out to consultation propose unprecedented boundary changes that will alter the landscape of our historic counties and risk splitting high performing care services into smaller councils well below the government’s stated criteria, while promising hundreds of millions of in savings to adult and children’s services with little supporting evidence.”

Cllr Richard Wright, chair at District Councils’ Network: “The views of local people, who know their area best, should be absolutely central to determining the future of local government, rather than Whitehall imposing structures which pay no heed to local identity.”

“We firmly expect local people to endorse proposals to keep councils close to communities, rather than impose mega councils, has they have recently in Surrey and in countless previous reorganisations. It’s essential they’re listened to, whatever they say.”