Will the Local Government Reorganisation scheme progress under new administration?
Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government Angela Rayner has released a statement confirming that the Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) scheme is to be halted for the counties: Essex, Hampshire, Norfolk and Suffolk[1]. Further to this, the scheme is currently under review for the following areas:
- Derby and Derbyshire,
- Devon, Plymouth and Torbay
- East Sussex and Brighton
- Gloucestershire
- Hertfordshire
- Kent and Medway
- Lancashire, Blackburn with Darwen and Blackpool
- Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland
- Lincolnshire, North Lincolnshire and North-East Lincolnshire
- Nottingham and Nottinghamshire
- Oxfordshire and West Berkshire
- Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent
- Warwickshire
- Worcestershire
- Cambridgeshire, Peterborough
Rayner has cited that the cause for the disruption is to ensure that the LGR scheme falls in line with Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s administration. The scheme was brought under former Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s administration, with the government inviting councils to take part in the scheme on 5th February 2026[2].
Rayner stated “[..] In that context, in light of legal advice, I want to satisfy myself firstly that the right process is in place, that it is robust, and of course complies with the law. And secondly, I want to fully test whether our proposals for local government reorganisation meet the priorities of a new administration and the new Prime Minister and any additional considerations.”[3]
The disruption has received mixed responses. A spokesperson for the Local Government Association has stated:
“there is no excuse for the government’s mishandling of this process”.
As it stands, councils have been instructed to no longer implement the initial changes made through the LGR scheme.
Chair-elect of the County Councils Network Sean Matthews responded positively to the review, stating “Where reorganisation is desired, this review must ensure a robust, legally compliment process in line with the original criteria.”
Councillors have taken a mixed approach to the review, with some seeing it as a step forward and vice versa. Teignbridge District Council in Devon has taken a positive approach to the review, with the leader of the Teignbridge District Council Richard Keeling stating that:
“The proposals announced in July would have split Teignbridge between three different councils. We believe council boundaries should reflect real communities and support simple, effective services for residents.”[4]
As it stands, Devon is currently one of the fifteen counties under review.
Horsham District Council has expressed frustration with the LGR review, citing the uncertainty it has brought:
“We urge the Government to finalise the details on the LGR programme so we can finally know when this will be happening and what the decision is for the future of local Government in West Sussex.”[5]
Rayner has responded to the criticisms recently, stating “If I’m making a decision that is highly likely to be in legal challenge, I want to make sure I’ve dotted my i’s and crossed my t’s,”’
There have been calls for the costs incurred from the LGR scheme to be reimbursed. Devon County Council is to write to the Secretary of State requesting that they are reimbursed for reasonable costs incurred from preparing for the initial implementation[6].
Rayner has recently commented on the costs, stating “On the costs so far, I recognise that a lot of work has gone into the financial commitments that have been made… this work is not wasted, and the government have committed to providing transitional funding.”
Will this affect social care?
BFT Consult has previously published an article noting the initial changes brought in the LGR scheme, for more information you can access this article here.
As addressed previously, one of the primary concerns with the LGR scheme was the complexity in coordination for both social care practitioners and council staff that would come from transitioning from a two-tier system to a single-tier system. This does bring the possibility that this issue may be addressed during the review. We will continue to monitor any developments in the LGR scheme.
[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/local-government-reorganisation-policy-and-programme-updates?
[2] https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/local-government-reorganisation-policy-and-programme-updates?
[3] https://www.gov.uk/government/news/review-of-local-government-reorganisation-launched
[4] https://news.teignbridge.gov.uk/lgrreview/
[5] https://www.horsham.gov.uk/news/2026/09/lgr-update-statement-september-2026
[6] https://www.devon.gov.uk/news/council-calls-government-reimburse-devon-reorganisation-costs/
