This session, aimed at supporting newly elected and returning councillors as they navigate the complexities of Local Government Reorganisation (LGR), offered practical insights, lived experiences, and strategic guidance from those who’ve been through it.
On 15 July 2025, the Local Government Association (LGA) hosted a webinar aimed at supporting newly elected and returning councillors as they navigate the complexities of Local Government Reorganisation (LGR). The session offered practical insights, lived experiences, and strategic guidance from those who’ve been through it.
Watch the webinar recording (YouTube)
LGR for new councillors (ppt presentation)
LGA LGR in Somerset Cllr Leyshon July 2025 (ppt presentation)
Welcome and Introduction – Cllr Jim Hakewill
Cllr Jim Hakewill, Independent councillor and Chair of Corporate Scrutiny Committee in North Northamptonshire, opened the session with reflections on his own LGR journey:
Reflections on Northamptonshire’s LGR Experience:
- The reorganisation was triggered by a financial crisis, leading to the enforced merger of boroughs and districts into two new unitaries.
- The process was further complicated by the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure services remained “safe and legal”, with over 120 councillors involved in the shadow authority.
- Challenges emerged on how the existing joint debt was split across the two new authorities. Something which was not finalised until late 2024.
Key Themes Introduced:
- The importance of maintaining “safe and legal” services during transition.
- The need for councillors to understand the implications of LGR on governance, finance, and service delivery.
- Encouragement for open dialogue: “There are no dumb questions.”
LGR Explainer Presentation
Colleagues at the LGA provided a structured overview of the LGR process, covering definitions, timelines, and strategic considerations.
LGR definition:
LGR involves replacing two-tier systems (county and district councils) with single-tier unitary authorities.
Government Objectives for LGR:
- improve democratic accountability
- eliminate duplication and fragmentation
- enhance service outcomes and financial resilience.
Political Context:
The English Devolution White Paper underpins the current wave of LGR, with strong ministerial backing and a clear message: reorganisation is happening, and councils must prepare.
Who’s Involved?:
Scale of Change: 21 counties, 164 districts, and 25 unitaries are affected.
Key Timelines:
- Surrey: On a fast track and has submitted final proposals; expected to go live in May 2027.
- Devolution Priority Areas (Norfolk, Suffolk, East & West Sussex, Essex, Hampshire). Final proposals due September 2025; go live May 2028.
- Other Areas: Final proposals due November 2025; go live May 2028.
- No Delays Expected: The minister has firmly ruled out timeline extensions, even in light of election turnover.
Key Concepts:
- Structural Changes Order (SCO): A legal document that defines the new council’s structure, name, election dates, and transitional arrangements.
- Shadow Councils: Transitional bodies responsible for preparing the new authority to be “safe and legal” on Vesting Day. They do not replace existing councils but work alongside them.
- Vesting Day: The official launch date of the new council, when predecessor councils cease to exist.
Strategic Advice:
- Start Early: The workload is immense—early planning is essential.
- Leadership & Governance: Clear decision-making structures and strong leadership are critical.
- Data & IT: Harmonising systems and sharing data across councils is one of the biggest technical challenges.
- Workforce Management: Staff morale and retention are key—some will embrace change, others may struggle.
- Relationships Matter: Collaboration across councils and with partners is vital, especially when proposals differ.
- Balance Business-as-Usual: LGR can’t come at the cost of core service delivery.
- Use Available Support: The LGA and partners offer extensive resources, including toolkits, peer support, and a dedicated LGR & Devolution Hub.
Lessons from Somerset – Cllr Liz Leyshon
Cllr Liz Leyshon, Deputy Leader of Somerset Council, shared an overview of her experience in Somerset’s LGR journey.
Background:
- Political Journey: Liz entered politics to support the arts and then went on to become a leading politician in Somerset through LGR and a financial emergency.
- Timeline: Somerset became a unitary authority in April 2023. By November, it had declared a financial emergency due to inflation, interest rates, and a historically low council tax base.
What Worked:
- 11-Month Lead-In: Elections before vesting gave time to plan and build relationships.
- Implementation Board & Scrutiny: Cross-party structures helped manage the transition.
- Continuing Authority: Somerset County Council became the legal base for the new unitary, simplifying some processes.
- Council Tax Harmonisation: Achieved early, avoiding long-term disparities.
- Waste Services: Continued smoothly due to an existing partnership model.
- Constitutional Planning: Borrowed from Buckinghamshire’s model to draft a new constitution.
Challenges:
- Loss of Experience: Over 430 years of combined officer experience lost during transition.
- Capital Programme Conflicts: Different districts had conflicting priorities and borrowing plans.
- Software Fragmentation: Multiple incompatible systems created inefficiencies.
- Section 24 Powers: Lead member had to approve all spending over £5 million pre-vesting, impacting working relationships across constituent councils.
- No Suitable Chamber: Meetings had to be held in hired venues, adding cost and complexity.
- Outsourced Services: Legacy contracts (e.g. IT contract) complicated integration.
Key Lessons:
- Avoid New Systems on Vesting Day: Somerset launched a new finance system on Day 1—highly stressful and risky.
- Appoint Multiple Deputy S151 Officers: A S151 and deputies would have assisted in managing the workload.
- Understand Council Tax History: Legacy decisions on tax rates and bases can have long-term impacts.
- Track Establishment Costs: Many councils lacked accurate staffing cost data.
- Plan for Local Devolution: Towns and parishes need legal and financial support to take on assets and services.
Q&A Highlights
Meeting Space & Representation
- Somerset: Uses a hired conference hall; layout is adversarial and costly.
- North Northamptonshire: Initially met in a theatre; now has a more suitable chamber after reducing councillor numbers.
- Engagement: Group briefings and informal sessions (e.g. “Sunday homework clubs”) helped maintain councillor involvement
Town & Parish Councils
- Expectations vs Reality: Many expected to inherit assets like car parks; financial constraints limited this.
- Communication is Key: Explaining the cost of statutory services helped manage expectations.
- Support Fund: Somerset set aside £600k to help towns and parishes with legal and staffing costs for devolution.
Shared Services
- Northamptonshire: Used hosted/shared services post-split (e.g. libraries, public health).
- Somerset: Still disentangling from a shared IT contract with other authorities.
Local Decision-Making
- Area Planning Committees: Somerset retained four area-based planning committees to preserve local knowledge.
- Licensing Hearings: Now held virtually to reduce travel and improve accessibility.
- Representation: Larger wards mean councillors cover more ground—engagement with town/parish councils is essential.
Data Disaggregation
- Somerset: Benefited from existing area-based service delivery models.
- Northamptonshire: Focused more on splitting county-wide services than disaggregating to district level.
Final Thoughts:
The session was wrapped up with a call to action:
- Stay Informed: Use the LGR Hub and sign up for bulletins.
- Get Involved: Share your experiences and contribute to future sessions.
- Be Prepared: “No surprises” should be your guiding principle.
- “We all want to serve our communities. If today’s session helped you anticipate even one challenge, it’s been a success.”
Resources & Next Steps
- Visit the LGR & Devolution Hub for FAQs, slides, and recordings.
- Sign up for the LGR bulletin to stay updated.
- Contact [email protected] to contribute to future sessions or share your experience.