Devolution and Local Government Reorganisation (LGR)
Local Government Reorganisation
Devolution and Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) are different.
Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) simplifies and reduces the number of councils across the country. The Government have set out plans to move away from the current two-tier system of district and county councils in England and believes reorganising and simplifying councils can help grow the economy while delivering better public services.
This means all 15 councils in Essex would be replaced with a number of larger unitary councils. These new councils will be responsible for providing all local government services in their areas. The change will not affect police and fire and rescue services, NHS services or the work of very local Town and Parish councils.
At present, there are 15 councils in the Essex area:
- Essex County Council
- Southend-on-Sea City Council, a unitary council
- Thurrock Council, a unitary council
- 12 city, borough and district councils, which are currently in a 'two-tier' arrangement with Essex County Council.
Reorganisation would restructure the 15 councils into a smaller number of unitary authorities. These would be responsible for all local services in their area.
The Greater Essex LGR Hub website is the best place to get the most up-to-date information and updates on Local Government Reorganisation in Greater Essex.
Visit the Greater Essex LGR Hub website
Local Government Association (LGA) Devolution Hub
Visit the LGA Devolution Hub to find further information and resources. This includes a list of regularly updated devolution and local government reorganisation FAQ.
On Thursday 4 December 2025, the Government announced that the Greater Essex Mayoral election, originally planned for may 2026, will now take place in May 2028. The delay is intended to allow more time for councils to establish new Mayoral Strategic Authorities and work together before the first mayoral elections. This announcement does not impact local elections, and further clarification is expected in due course. Councils across Greater Essex remain committed to delivering devolution, which offers significant opportunities to drive growth, attract investment, and create prosperity for our communities.
What is the council doing now?
The initial interim proposals for LGR were submitted to Government in March. You can read the feedback that has been provided by government on these interim proposals.
Four unitary proposals for what LGR could look like for Greater Essex were submitted to Government in September. Information on the proposals can be found on the Greater Essex LGR Hub.
We have shown support for the 5 unitary council proposal. There are other proposals for 3 and 4 unitary councils. Under the 5-council model, Colchester would form a unitary with Braintree and Tendring, alongside Essex.
The government is now consulting on the four proposals and you can have your say online. The consultation closes Sunday 11 January 2026.
At this stage, there is no confirmation of how many councils there will be in the future. It will be for the Government to decide on the final future council structures in Greater Essex.
The results of the consultation will help inform the government to decide a preferred option on how local government is structured in Greater Essex, which is expected in Spring 2026. New unitary councils are planned to go live in April 2028.
During the process our focus remains on delivering essential services across the whole of the Colchester district.
Read the interim plan for local government reorganisation in Greater Essex.
Keep up to date
Keep in touch with our latest news and service updates.
- Government launches consultation on the future of local government in Greater Essex | Essex Local Government Reorganisation Hub – 19 November 2025
- Greater Essex councils submit proposals for new unitary councils to the Government | Essex Local Government Reorganisation Hub – 26 September 2025
- Greater Essex councils launch new website to support Local Government Reorganisation | Essex Local Government Reorganisation Hub – 14 August 2025
- Research explores residents’ priorities for Local Government Reorganisation in Greater Essex | Essex Local Government Reorganisation Hub – 13 August 2025
- Residents’ views sought to shape future of local government in Greater Essex | Essex Local Government Reorganisation Hub – 19 June 2025
- Devolution proposals a ‘huge opportunity’ to give power to Essex residents - 9 April 2025
- Greater Essex Councils progress plans for Local Government Reorganisation | Essex Local Government Reorganisation Hub – 24 March 2025
- Initial vision for the future shape of local government in Greater Essex is published | Essex Local Government Reorganisation Hub – 7 March 2025
- Greater Essex devolution consultation now live - 17 February 2025
- Essex councils accepted onto Devolution Priority Programme - 5 February 2025
Where can I find out more?
Keep up to date
Page last reviewed: 15 December 2025