Blog: Friday 5th December - Capsticks, Corporate Partner

Update on Local Government Reorganisation and changes to the standards and conduct framework for local authorities

Updates to Local Government Reorganisation

On 19^th November 2025, Government launched statutory consultations on proposals for local government reorganisation in the four devolution priority programme areas following receipt of the final proposals from councils across six areas on 26 September 2025.

All 17 proposals are being consulted upon covering East Sussex and Brighton and Hove, and West Sussex, (ii) Essex, Southend-on-Sea and Thurrock, (iii) Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton and (iv) Norfolk and Suffolk. Although no changes have been proposed for the Isle of Wight, which is an existing unitary council.

In her ministerial statement, the Minster of State for Local Government and Homelessness has stated that “With single councils in charge over sensible geographies, we will see quicker decisions to build homes, grow our towns and cities and connect people to jobs. Cities such as Colchester, Portsmouth and Norwich can drive growth at the national scale, but we need to make sure the structures around them support, rather than hinder, their ambitions.”

The consultations are due to close on 11 January 2026. All councils which fall within the areas and neighbouring councils are being invited to respond to the consultations.

Where boundary changes have been requested, Government will also consult the Boundary Commission.

On Friday last week (28 November), the remaining 14 areas submitted their proposals to Government for local government reorganisation. In total 52 proposals were submitted, some of which include complex boundary changes. These are now with Government to decide which ones meet the criteria set out in the Invitation letter and should be taken forward to consultation.

• Cambridgeshire and Peterborough – 5 proposals submitted – two and three unitary models
• Derbyshire – 5 proposals submitted – a county wide unitary and various configurations for two unitaries
• Devon – 5 proposals submitted – two, three and four unitary models
• Gloucestershire – 3 proposals submitted – a single county unitary and two unitary models
• Hertfordshire – 4 proposals submitted – two, three and four unitary models
• Kent – 5 proposals submitted – a single county unitary and three, four and five unitary models
• Leicestershire and Rutland – 3 proposals submitted - two and three unitary models
• Lancashire - 5 proposals submitted – two, three, four and five unitary models
• Lincolnshire - 4 proposals submitted – two, three or four unitary models
• Nottinghamshire – 3 proposals submitted – two unitaries but three different configurations submitted
• Oxfordshire – 3 proposals submitted – a county wide unitary and two and three unitary models
• Staffordshire - 3 proposals submitted – two and three unitary models
• Warwickshire – 2 proposals submitted – a single county wide unitary and two unitary model
• Worcestershire – 2 proposals submitted – a single county wide unitary and two unitary model

Given the number of proposals submitted for consideration together with the boundary changes proposed within these, it will be interesting to see if Government can meet the timescales they set earlier this year for the consultation to be launched in the New Year with final decisions being announced before the summer recess.

Standards and Conduct Framework

Whilst progress for Local Government Reorganisation continues, Government published the long awaited outcome on its consultation on strengthening the standards and conduct framework for Local Authorities in England on 11 November.

The consultation ran at the start of the year following the publication of the English Devolution White Paper and closed on 25 February.

Government has announced that they intend to legislate for a whole system reform of the current regime as set out in Localism Act 2011.

Government has proposed various measures to help ensure misconduct can be dealt with swiftly and fairly in every type and tier of local government. It believes that elected members embodying the highest standard of conduct is the key to delivering devolution and that those who do not meet the high standards of public office expected should be held to account and appropriately sanctioned.

The proposed measures will include:

• a mandatory code of conduct;
• a requirement that all principal authorities convene formal standard committees
• requirement that all principal authorities offer individual support during any code of conduct investigations;
• the introduction of the ‘right to review’ for both complainant and the subject-elected member to have the case re-assessed;
• powers for authorities to suspend elected members for a maximum of 6 months for serious code of conduct breaches,
• in response to the most serious allegations, the introduction of powers to suspend elected members on an interim basis for an initial period of 3 months;
• a new disqualification criterion for any elected member subject to the maximum period of suspension more than once within 5 year; and
• the creation of a new national appeals function.

Generally, commentators are supportive of Government’s objectives and the proposed reforms but the key now is how quickly they will bring forward and implement these proposals.

Calls for more training being provided to Councillors, members and officers on the standards regime continues so local authorities can be confident that they are best placed to investigate and deal with serious misconduct.

On 4th December, the Ministry confirmed the Investment Funds which will be available to the six new combined and combined county authorities under the Devolution Priority Programme, a share of almost £200 million every year for three decades. At the same time, they also announced that they are considering postponing the mayoral elections for the four areas in the DPP which are also subject to local government reorganisation (these being Greater Essex, Hampshire and the Solent, Norfolk and Suffolk and Sussex and Brighton) from May 2026 to May 2028. Their reason for this being to enable the new unitary councils to be established first and to make "sure strong foundations are in place ahead of devolution". The mayoral elections in Cheshire and Warrington and Cumbria, who already have unitary councils in place, will proceed in May 2027 as planned.

How Capsticks can help

We regularly support local authorities and combined authorities with their governance arrangements, including advising on member conduct, reviewing constitutions and strengthening decision-making frameworks.

Our Local Government team works closely with authorities and their senior officers to ensure robust decision making processes and governance arrangements are in place.  We also deliver tailored training for officers and members. If you have any queries or would like to discuss how these changes may affect your authority, please get in touch with Tiffany Cloynes to find out more about how Capsticks can help.