On 14 October 2025, the LGA hosted a webinar titled ‘Local Government Reorganisation Support: Transitional Leadership Plans’.
Watch the webinar recording (YouTube)
Please note: Unfortunately, the sound quality was impacted from around 00:08:00. A transcript of the session is available.
LGR: Governance through transition, Dr Justin Ives (PPT presentation)
The session, chaired by Claire Hogan, Assistant Director for Regional Improvement and Support at the LGA, brought together two leaders with experience of working on LGR. Dr Justin Ives, Chief Executive of South Derbyshire Council and Liz Elliott, Deputy Chief Executive of Harborough District Council, shared their lessons learnt from working on several processes of local government reorganisation (LGR).
Governance through transition
Dr Justin Ives, who has now experienced LGR three times – at Durham City Council (2010), at Hambleton District Council (2023), and currently at South Derbyshire Council – offered a deep dive into governance models and decision-making structures during transition.
Key models of reorganisation
Two primary models for LGR were explained, each with their own opportunities and challenges.
- Continuing authority model: One existing council is selected to continue, absorbing staff and systems from others. This model reduces TUPE costs and retains existing policies and procedures, but may struggle with cultural integration
- New authority model: A completely new council is created, allowing for a fresh culture and cherry-picking of best practices, but with higher complexity and cost.
Governance structures
Using the current Derbyshire plans as an example, a possible multi-tiered governance structure was outlined:
- Strategic leaders board: Governing body overseeing reorganisation, prior to the establishment of one or more shadow authorities
- Chief executives’ group: Coordination and decision-making
- Day one readiness and transformation group: Focused on operational and strategic transformation
- Programme management office (PMO): Supporting workstreams and ensuring delivery.
- Workstreams: Service workstreams, focused on individual service areas, and support service workstreams, responsible for both their own transformation and enabling others.
Each workstream includes a lead (a district CEO or county Executive Director), subject matter experts from each constituent council, a finance lead, and a legal lead, as well as PMO officers.
Decision-making and workstream dynamics
Justin emphasised the importance of decision logs and clear escalation routes. Before shadow elections, decisions were made by workstreams and reviewed by the chief executives' group. Post-election, some decisions transitioned to the shadow cabinet and council.
There were three levels of workstream focus:
- Safe and legal: Minimum viable setup for vesting day (Workstream)
- Safe and legal plus: Enhanced setup with some transformation (Workstream / CEO group)
- Transformation: Full redesign requiring significant resources and political buy-in (CEO group/cabinet/council).
Challenges and lessons learnt
Justin shared the importance of balancing maintenance of ‘business as usual’ in existing councils, whilst building new ones. Staff retention was a major issue, with many moving to neighbouring unitary councils. He stressed the importance of:
- Retaining key staff and sector-led expertise to build the new council
- Avoiding over-reliance on consultants
- Using the time between bid submission and ministerial decision effectively and collaboratively
- Not underestimating the amount of time or resources that LGR would take
- Planning sufficient workshopping days for the workstreams.
The Northamptonshire experience
Liz Elliott offered her perspective, having been chief executive in a borough council during the reorganisation of Northamptonshire in 2021 following intervention by commissioners. Liz had also been the Interim Head of Paid Service at North Northamptonshire Council in its shadow year.
Context and timeline
The Northamptonshire reorganisation was triggered by two Section 114 notices and a best value inspection report. Because this reorganisation was a ‘new authority’ model, rather than a continuing authority, this contributed positively to cultural change.
Key timeline milestones included:
- August 2018: LGR proposal submitted to government
- February 2020: Structural Changes Order issued
- April 2021: Vesting day
- Context: As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, shadow elections were postponed until after vesting day and the shadow authority included all councillors from predecessor councils.
Governance and leadership structures
Liz emphasised the importance of:
- Early planning and programme setup
- Auditing services and assets early on
- Engaging councillors in shaping the new council, considering what does a ‘good’ council look like?
- Establishing interim officers and executive arrangements early
- Early communication with the workforce to ensure continuity.
Transition timeline overview
A possible transition timeline was outlined, including the following seven phases:
- Pre-shadow (-24 to -12 months): Early planning and programme set-up – proposals agreed, early decisions made about code of conduct and member allowances, implementation begins, baseline audits, programme design
- Shadow establishment (-12 to -9 months): Governance set-up – shadow elections, leadership, constitution, shadow budget, office functions
- Design (-9 to -6 months): Operating model design – draft MTFS, stakeholder engagement, vision agreed, programme structure
- Implementation (-6 to -3 months): Finalising and commissioning – HR, ICT, finance integration, programme structure and governance
- Vesting readiness (-3 to 0 months): Final testing and communications – readiness dashboard, day 1 plan
- Go live (0 to +6 months): Launch and stabilisation – fully operational council
- Post vesting live (+6 to +12 months): Harmonise and rationalise – one council, foundations for transformation.
Statutory and constitutional basis
The need to begin the legal and constitutional processes as early as possible was emphasised. These included:
- Structural Changes Order: defines the shadow authority and establishes legal and operational foundations
- Draft shadow authority constitution and code of conduct: outlines shadow authority's structure, powers and membership
- Decisions to be made: Creation of leader and cabinet model, the appointment of key officers, councillor allowances and scrutiny arrangements
- Executive arrangements: The executive will need to take decisions surrounding council tax harmonisation, implementation monitoring, corporate plans, vision and values.
Establishing strong governance protocols, as well as recording decisions and how they have been made, will set up councils to go through LGR well.
Leadership and culture
Liz highlighted the emotional complexity of ending legacy councils while building new ones. It was important not to give the impression of a ‘takeover’ from one authority, a continuing authority model applied.
Key leadership principles included:
- Inclusive decision-making: Involving new councillors, for example, through scrutiny and task-and-finish groups
- Visible leadership: Building trust and confidence, including appointing senior roles early
- Collaborative working: Joint arrangements for services like IT
- Early change management: Training and coaching to manage anxiety
- Harmonisation of policies: Work with unions and try to harmonise policies early on
- Frequent, aligned, and clear communication: Making sure that messaging is consistent across different organisations about LGR.
It was emphasised that councils should prioritise a safe and legal transfer of services, before focusing on transformation.
Logistical considerations
Logistical and symbolic considerations were often underestimated, but gave important signals about the direction of travel, for example:
- Where will the headquarters be?
- What will the logo be?
- Do all employees have lanyards and access to new buildings?
Q&A highlights
- Pre-decision activities: Liz described how Northamptonshire began implementation planning early, using distributed leadership to lay good foundations for the future. During this time period, they focused on harmonising policies, where possible, and getting data ready to be shared and used, whilst focusing on the question: what is the legacy that we want to leave behind?
- Harmonising terms and conditions: Speakers shared that harmonisation is a complex process – in Durham it took five years, and other councils are still working on it. The importance of ensuring compliance with equal pay legislation was highlighted.
- Setting up the PMO: Funding models varied: In North Yorkshire, the former county council funded the PMO, while in Derbyshire, they are currently exploring using a per capita formula to allow councils to pay a certain amount of money into a pot, to pay for the PMO. In Northamptonshire funds from the business rate pool was used. Both speakers emphasised the importance of shared time and capacity, not just financial contributions. Change advocates and voluntary staff involvement were also used to support transformation.
- Shadow authority decision-making: The speakers explained that in their experience, shadow authorities had to ratify many earlier decisions which had been made during the joint committee stage and recorded in a decision log. These decisions related to areas such as the code of conduct and member allowances. Some areas were reserved for the shadow authority, such as council tax, the constitutions, and appointments, but much of the groundwork had to be done pre-shadow to enable early decision-making.
- Working across locations: Physical collaboration between the shadow authority was enabled through roaming meetings and shared venues. In the case of Northamptonshire, COVID and large member numbers posed logistical challenges, requiring flexible arrangements.
- Asset mapping: Early asset mapping was considered essential, especially in non-continuing authority models. It supports operational readiness and long-term transformation. Speakers stressed the importance of understanding asset distribution, balance sheet implications, and service delivery impact. They emphasised that decisions such as about the location of the headquarters could become emotive and symbolic for the workforce.
Key takeaways
- Start planning early - even before ministerial decisions
- Build inclusive leadership and transparent decision-making to ensure a positive culture from the beginning
- Don’t underestimate the emotional and cultural dimensions of change
- Keep communicating the whole time, with the workforce, councillors, residents, and stakeholders.
Resources and next steps
- Visit the Devolution and LGR Hub for FAQs, slides, and recordings, including lessons learned from LGR.
- Sign up for the Devolution and LGR bulletin to stay updated.
- Contact [email protected] to contribute to future sessions or share your experience.