Local Government Reorganisation (LGR)
2024-2026 English reform programme replacing two-tier councils with unitary authorities.
Last refreshed: 10 April 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
Which English county councils are being abolished under Local Government Reorganisation?
Latest on Local Government Reorganisation (LGR)
- What is Local Government Reorganisation in England?
- A government programme abolishing two-tier council structures (county councils above district councils) and replacing them with single-tier unitary authorities across 21 areas of England.
- Which areas are affected by Local Government Reorganisation 2026?
- 21 areas including Surrey, Essex, Southend, Thurrock, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Portsmouth, Southampton, Norfolk and Suffolk, with structural decisions announced March 2026.
- Why are some mayoral elections postponed in 2026?
- Six Devolution Priority Programme mayoral contests (including Cheshire, Cumbria, Essex and Sussex) are postponed to 2027 or 2028 because Local Government Reorganisation in those areas is not yet complete.
- How much money did the government give councils for local government reorganisation elections?
- £63 million was announced in February 2026 to support the 21 LGR areas when the government reversed its policy of postponing 30 local elections.
- What is the difference between a unitary authority and a county council?
- A unitary authority combines the functions of a county council and district councils into one tier. A county council sits above district, borough or city councils, creating two layers of local government for the same area.
Background
Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) is the programme launched by the Labour government in 2024 to abolish two-tier local government structures — county councils sitting above district, borough and city councils — and replace them with single-tier unitary authorities covering the same areas. The formal programme covers 21 areas across England. MHCLG announced structural decisions on 25 March 2026 for four clusters: Essex, Southend and Thurrock (5 new unitaries); Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton (5 unitaries); Norfolk (3 unitaries); and Suffolk (3 unitaries). Surrey was separated into East Surrey and West Surrey by the Structural Changes Order signed 9 March 2026.
LGR explains the most constitutionally unusual features of the 7 May 2026 elections. Surrey voters elect shadow councillors to authorities not yet legally constituted. In Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk, county councils hold full elections while knowing they are scheduled for abolition — and with no elected combined-authority mayor above them for the period of transition. Six Devolution Priority Programme mayoral contests have been postponed (to 2027 or 2028) precisely because LGR is not yet complete. The government announced £63 million to support the 21 reorganisation areas when it reversed its election postponement policy in February 2026.
LGR is the reason the 7 May 2026 English local elections are structurally unlike any in recent memory. Voters are simultaneously choosing their current councillors and, in several counties, electing the last iteration of institutions that will not survive to the next election cycle. The results will shape transition committees tasked with merging councils whose staff, budgets, and services are still separate organisations.