City council leaders call on Government to accelerate local government reorganisation

In a letter published in the Financial Times, the leaders said there is a "hunger in cities across England to break out of old boundaries and make decisions on housing, infrastructure and growth that benefit the wider urban area".

Noting that the 2020 “vesting day” is “not that distant”, they added: "We would urge the government to accelerate its remaining decisions so that every part of local government — cities and counties alike — can get on with the work required to deliver reorganisation in a way that realises the full potential of the government’s intended strategy.

"Delay does not create space for better preparation; it simply compresses the time available for the implementation that will determine whether reform succeeds or falls short of its ambitions."

All of the signatories, bar Reading Borough Council, are currently awaiting a Government response to consultations on reorganisation in their areas.

The consultations launched in February and ended last month. The current timeline should see elections for shadow authorities take place next year, with the new councils launching in April 2028.

The letter was signed by:

• Cllr Susan Brown (Labour) Leader of Oxford City Council
• Cllr Philip Bialyk (Labour) Leader of Exeter City Council
• Cllr Jeremy Hilton (Lib Dem) Leader of Gloucester City Council
• Cllr Naomi Tweddle (Labour) Leader of Lincoln City Council
• Cllr Liz Terry (Labour) Leader of Reading Borough Council
• Cllr Shabina Qayyum (Labour) Leader of Peterborough City Council
• Cllr Cameron Holloway (Labour) Leader of Cambridge City Council

Adam Carey