Amber Valley Borough Council
District council for Amber Valley in Derbyshire.
Amber Valley Borough Council has sent the Government a pre-action letter over a 16 July 2026 decision that would split the borough between two new Derbyshire councils; ministers paused that decision on 7 September without withdrawing it.
Last refreshed: 7 October 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
Will Amber Valley sue to avoid being split between two new councils?
Timeline for Amber Valley Borough Council
Sent a pre-action letter
UK Local Elections 2026: McMahon drops four mergers on legal adviceBackground
Amber Valley Borough Council is the district council for Amber Valley in Derbyshire, working beneath Derbyshire County Council in a two-tier system. Its leader is Councillor Chris Emmas-Williams.
The Government's local government reorganisation programme would abolish both tiers in Derbyshire. Its 16 July 2026 decision chose a north/south split that would divide Amber Valley's parishes between two new unitary councils from April 2028, the option that drew the least support in the borough's own 2025 consultation.
The council has responded with a pre-action letter. Ministers paused, but did not cancel, the July decisions on 7 September, which keeps the three-month window for a judicial review running to around 16 October.
Amber Valley prepares a legal challenge
On 16 July 2026, the Government chose a north/south split for Derbyshire that would divide Amber Valley between two new unitary councils from April 2028, with 21 of its parishes going north and 14 south. Council leader Chris Emmas-Williams said the council was disappointed, because that option had received the lowest level of support in its June 2025 consultation.
The council has since sent the Government a pre-action letter, the formal first step towards a judicial review. On 7 September ministers paused the July decisions for 14 counties, including Derbyshire, but did not withdraw them. Councils wanting to protect their position therefore face a Deadline of about 16 October to bring a claim.
Is Amber Valley being split under the Derbyshire council shake-up?
Why is Amber Valley Borough Council challenging the government?
