North Norfolk District Council
District council for North Norfolk, based in Cromer; Liberal Democrat majority since 2019.
On 7 September 2026, ministers withdrew the decision to replace Norfolk's councils with three unitaries, leaving North Norfolk District Council in place; the area's MP told the Commons the district had been "made to waste £600,000" on the scheme.
Last refreshed: 7 October 2026
How did North Norfolk spend £600,000 on a merger ministers dropped?
Timeline for North Norfolk District Council
Mentioned in: McMahon drops four mergers on legal advice
UK Local Elections 2026Background
North Norfolk District Council is the district council for North Norfolk, beneath Norfolk County Council in a two-tier system. It sits at the Council Offices on Holt Road in Cromer.
The Liberal Democrats have held a majority since 2019, and Tim Adams has led the council since February 2022.
The district was due to be abolished under the government's March 2026 plan for three unitary councils in Norfolk. Ministers withdrew that decision on 7 September, so the council remains in place for now and its area votes on existing boundaries in May 2027.
North Norfolk remains in place
In March 2026 the government decided to replace Norfolk's two-tier system with three unitary councils, which would have abolished the district. On 7 September local government minister Jim McMahon withdrew that decision on legal advice, and wrote that council elections in May 2027 would go ahead on existing boundaries.
The district's spending on the scheme came up in the Commons the same day. Steff Aquarone, the Liberal Democrat MP for North Norfolk, told Angela Rayner that the council had been "made to waste £600,000". Rayner rejected the claim that the money was wasted, and refused to publish the legal advice behind the withdrawal.