“A government, led by a new Prime Minister, presents an opportunity to revisit some of the practicalities of the current Local Government Reorganisation programme."
Cllr Eamonn O’Brien, new Chair of the Local Government Association, which represents councils across England and is holding its Annual Conference in Bournemouth this week, said:
“A government, led by a new Prime Minister, presents an opportunity to revisit some of the practicalities of the current Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) programme. For the potential that this government is seeking to achieve through LGR to be realised, the expert view of councils needs to be embedded in the decision-making to help solve real challenges such as timing, resources and workforce capacity. It needs a commitment from government to adjust the approach, including where necessary the timetable, where there is local agreement that it is needed to align with the scale of change.
“The LGR programme is extremely complex, affecting more than 200 councils and the services they deliver to millions of residents. The LGA is supporting councils as they navigate this unprecedented change to use it as a platform for future transformation.
“While we have not previously taken a position on LGR decisions, we are hearing from some of our councils involved about real delivery concerns. A combination of tight timescales and the unprecedented scale of disaggregation pose significant risks to statutory services and core local delivery, including support for vulnerable residents and people who rely on councils for care, safeguarding and support, as well as critical functions such as planning, housing, infrastructure and economic growth. For any future local authorities to be in a position to meet the aspirations and challenges of their local communities, the delivery concerns of existing councils need to be heard and acted on.
“The Government has chosen the LGR destination for many areas. It is now critical that delivery builds a future system of local government that is stronger, more resilient, and better equipped to meet the challenges facing our local areas.”
Notes to Editors
1. The LGA, which represents councils across England, has set out the six key concerns being raised by councils around the LGR programme.
- Timelines - there is an enormous amount to deliver in a very short time. Some areas may be ready; others will not be. Government should open an honest dialogue with councils about the timetable and where there is local agreement, be willing to adjust it.
- Resourcing - the proposed £900,000 per new unitary authority falls well short of the costs seen in previous reforms. There must be a clear commitment to meet the full, actual costs of implementation.
- Workforce - Capacity is constrained, with role uncertainty and rising demands. Government should provide a dedicated LGR workforce package covering retention risks, senior recruitment, and industrial relations.
- Service continuity - The unprecedented scale of disaggregation poses significant risks, particularly for adult social care and children’s services. A transparent and jointly owned central–local risk register with mitigation plans should be maintained, with all partners aligned on risk before go-live.
- Concurrent reforms - LGR coincides with major national reforms reliant on stable local delivery risking overload, and employment law changes creating barriers. Government should review cross-departmental demands and, where agreed with areas, pause, sequence, adapt, or resource them.
- Devolution uncertainty - Lack of clarity on future devolution creates uncertainty for areas going through LGR. By Autumn 2026, following consultation, government should confirm strategic authority footprints so they can inform LGR.
The LGA’s flagship Annual Conference takes place in Bournemouth this week (7-9 July). Confirmed speakers include Baroness Casey, Housing Secretary Steve Reed, Shadow Housing Secretary James Cleverley, Reform UK Education lead Suella Braverman and Green Party Leader Zack Polanski. To book a media place, please contact [email protected] for a media promotion code which you can use to obtain a complimentary pass.