Consultation: Local Government Reorganisation

The government has opened its consultation on proposals for LGR in Gloucestershire, yesterday, Thursday 5 February. This will be open for seven weeks. As you know, it follows the submission of three proposals to the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) last November.

What will the consultation cover?

The consultation will ask for views on all three proposals submitted:

• One single county-wide unitary council
• Two unitary councils (east/west split)
• Two unitary councils (Greater Gloucester and Gloucestershire Unitary)

Respondents will be asked to what extent the proposals:

• Are based on sensible geographies and economic areas
• Will deliver the outcomes described in the proposals
• Are the right size to be efficient, improve capacity, and withstand financial shocks
• Will deliver high quality, sustainable public services
• Have been informed by local views and will meet local needs
• Will support devolution arrangements
• Will enable stronger community engagement and give the opportunity for neighbourhood empowerment

Additionally, there will be a question in relation to the Greater Gloucester and Gloucestershire unitaries proposal, asking to what extent consultees agree or disagree that it sets out a strong public services and financial sustainability justification for boundary change.

Consultees will also be able to leave free text to explain or expand on the answers they provide or leave general comments.

How will people be able to take part and get more information?

The consultation will be via an online survey. Additionally, SDC are arranging for hard copies to be made available in all council-owned user centres (i.e libraries, area centres, offices etc).

MHCLG has made provision for consultation responses to be made by post and email. Details are on the consultation page, linked below.

A link to the consultation is here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/local-government-reorganisation-in-gloucestershire

Details on all three proposals are available at the Future Gloucestershire  web site.

SDC also have dedicated pages here Local Government Reorganisation and Devolution

Who will be consulted?

In notifying councils that the consultation will start, MHCLG confirmed the list of stakeholders that it will be consulting directly. SDC have added those organisations or contacts that MHCLG will not consult with directly to a local list, to ensure we leave no stone unturned in reaching out to every corner of the community over the coming seven weeks.

Although this is a government consultation, SDC are activating a thorough communications and engagement plan to ensure they reach as many stakeholders and residents as possible, and encourage them to share their views. To achieve this, SDC will be engaging town and parish councils, community organisations and partners across the county, sharing materials that they can use to promote the consultation, while leveraging SDC's online and offline channels.

What happens after the consultation closes?

As a recap, feedback from the consultation will help the government assess which option best meets its criteria for effective local government.

A decision is expected in summer 2026, with elections for the new unitary authority or authorities planned for May 2027.

Any new structure will come into effect no earlier than April 2028.