February 2025

On this date, the UK Government wrote to Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Leaders, and along with another 21 areas across the UK, asked us to submit proposals on what new unitary councils could look like in Nottinghamshire.  In other words, how we would split up our area to meet the Government’s LGR criteria.  The proposal guidance is below:

The Government states that proposals should seek to achieve, for the whole of the area concerned, unitary authorities which, in summary: 

• Are the right size to achieve efficiencies, improve capacity and withstand financial shocks. As a guiding principle, new councils should aim for a population of 500,000 or more.
• Prioritise the delivery of high quality and sustainable public services to citizens. Proposals should show how new structures will improve local government and service delivery and should avoid unnecessary fragmentation of services. Opportunities to deliver public service reform should be identified, including where they will lead to better value for money. Consideration should be given to the impacts for crucial services such as social care, children's services, SEND and homelessness, and for wider public services including for public safety.
• Demonstrate how local councils have sought to work together in coming to a view that best meets local needs and is informed by local views.
• Support devolution arrangements.
• Enable stronger community engagement and deliver genuine opportunity for neighbourhood empowerment.