Plans to reorganise local government in several parts of England have been paused or withdrawn after the government launched a review following new legal advice.
Proposals to merge smaller councils into larger authorities in Essex, Hampshire, Norfolk and Suffolk have been withdrawn. Reorganisation plans in 14 other areas have also been paused while they are reviewed.
The areas affected by the pause are:
- Derby and Derbyshire - Devon, Plymouth and Torbay - East Sussex and Brighton - Gloucestershire - Hertfordshire - Kent and Medway - Lancashire, Blackburn with Darwen and Blackpool - Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland - Lincolnshire, North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire - Nottingham and Nottinghamshire - Oxfordshire and West Berkshire - Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent - Warwickshire - Worcestershire
The government said no decisions had yet been taken on Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, or West Sussex. These areas will be considered as part of the wider review.
Reorganisation in Surrey, where councillors for two new unitary authorities were elected in May, will not be affected. The government also confirmed that local elections in May 2027 will take place on the existing council boundaries.
Communities Secretary Angela Rayner is due to announce the review in Parliament. She is expected to say that the government wants to ensure the process is robust and complies with the law, while also testing whether the proposals meet the priorities of the new administration and prime minister.
