Lincolnshire County Council
Reform UK-run upper-tier council for Lincolnshire, led by Sean Matthews since May 2025.
Lincolnshire County Council sent the Housing Secretary a pre-action letter on 26 August 2026 over the July plan to split the county into two unitary councils; ministers paused that plan for a rapid review on 7 September.
Last refreshed: 7 October 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
Will Lincolnshire turn its pre-action letter into a judicial review?
Timeline for Lincolnshire County Council
Sent a pre-action letter
UK Local Elections 2026: McMahon drops four mergers on legal adviceBackground
Lincolnshire County Council is the upper-tier authority for Lincolnshire. It sits above seven district councils: Boston, Lincoln, East Lindsey, North Kesteven, South Holland, South Kesteven and West Lindsey. Its area excludes North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire, which run their own services.
Reform UK won control in May 2025 with 42 of the 70 seats, and Sean Matthews has led the council since 23 May 2025.
In July 2026 ministers chose two new unitary councils for Lincolnshire under the English reorganisation programme, then paused that decision for review on 7 September 2026. Council elections in reorganising areas in May 2027 will use existing boundaries.
The council keeps a legal challenge open
In July 2026 the Government chose a model with two new unitary councils for Lincolnshire, leaving North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire unchanged. On 26 August the county council sent the Housing Secretary a pre-action protocol letter, the formal first step before a judicial review. It asked how competing proposals had been assessed and how consultation responses had been weighed, and said it had not started proceedings or decided to.
On 7 September ministers paused the July decisions for a rapid review with no end date, without withdrawing them, so the decision affecting Lincolnshire still stands in law. Lincolnshire is one of several councils, with Amber Valley and Devon, to have sent such letters. May 2027 council elections in reorganising areas will run on existing boundaries.
Is Lincolnshire County Council challenging the council shake-up?
What is the government's plan for Lincolnshire councils?
Who runs Lincolnshire County Council?
