By Local Democracy Reporter Simon Finlay
The government has dramatically paused plans for the biggest shake-up to local councils in more than half a century.
A review of the process of local government reorganisation will be announced by the local government secretary of state Angela Rayner this afternoon (September 7).
She will say the pause is to ensure the process is robust and aligns with the new government’s plans “to rewire the state”.
Although Kent is not mentioned by name in a government statement, it is among those affected.
Kent was due to abolish all 14 of its councils and replace them with four large unitary authorities which shadow elections due in May 2027.
Following updated and privileged legal advice, ministers will review plans for Local Government Reorganisation.
It will include decisions on Essex, Hampshire, Norfolk and Suffolk, which have been withdrawn in light of new legal advice.
A statement said: “Plans for 14 other areas, along with Cambridgeshire & Peterborough and West Sussex, will also be reviewed and paused while this is carried out.
“To reassure local leaders and communities while this review takes place, the government will confirm that local elections in May 2027 will go ahead on existing council boundaries and remains committed to effective and sustainable local government and simplifying these structures.”
Thanet council leader Rick Everritt said: “This is very disappointing news. It means that Kent will fall further behind other parts of England in terms of having modern local government with powers devolved to a more local level. It also creates an extended period of uncertainty for residents, council staff and councillors.
“Next year’s elections would have shaped the future of East Kent until 2032. Now no one can say how long the councils elected in them will last. That makes it very difficult to plan.
“The present structure, in which responsibilities are split between district and county, is confusing for residents and inefficient in terms of decision making.
“East Kent needs a unitary council and the whole county needs devolution from Westminster. The government had the right idea in bringing reorganisation forward, but the way it has been handled centrally is a mess and I cannot defend that.”
‘Legal advice’
Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government Angela Rayner is expected to tell Parliament today: “As we are now more determined than ever to devolve power closer to the people we represent, it’s only right that as a new Secretary of State I make sure that everything we do is working towards that plan to change Britain, without delay.
“The Prime Minister told the House last week, he was ‘prepared to look at local government reorganisation’ and he asked me as his Communities Secretary to ‘do that’.
“In that context, in light of legal advice, I want to satisfy myself firstly that the right process is in place, that it is robust, and of course complies with the law. And secondly, I want to fully test whether our proposals for local government reorganisation meet the priorities of a new administration and a new Prime Minister and any additional considerations.
“I do not take this lightly. I recognise the huge amount of work that has already gone into progressing reorganisation in each of these areas, and I am very grateful for it.”
