Multiple English Counties Seek Public Input on Local Government Reorganisation Plans

The UK government is pursuing a major reorganization of local government, aiming to replace the current two-tier system with larger unitary councils across several regions including Oxfordshire, Lancashire, Portsmouth, Peterborough, and Cambridgeshire. In Oxfordshire, councils propose a new authority tentatively named Oxford and Shires, with public consultation underway to shape the final plans. Lancashire's councils remain divided on the preferred number of new authorities, with business leaders favoring three new councils, highlighting ongoing debates about population thresholds and service delivery. Portsmouth City Council is actively seeking resident input via a survey on whether it should be merged into a larger council due to its smaller population size, despite its current financial stability. In Peterborough and Cambridgeshire, consultations are also underway, with several options for merging councils being considered to create simpler unitary authorities, and public engagement is prioritized to understand community connections and service expectations. This comprehensive restructuring, described as the biggest shake-up of local government since the 1970s, reflects government efforts to streamline governance and improve service delivery, but local authorities and communities are still shaping how these changes will be implemented.