Local Government Reorganisation
Local government faces biggest shake-up in over 50 years
Ribble Valley Borough Council could be abolished in the biggest shake-up of local government in over 50 years.
The Government has asked Lancashire authorities to draw up plans for a substantial reduction in the number of councils in the county.
The shake-up will see Lancashire County Council, unitary authorities in Blackpool and Blackburn with Darwen and the county’s 12 district authorities, among them Ribble Valley, scrapped.
They will be replaced by a handful of unitary authorities covering larger areas of about 500,000 residents each and delivering all council services on their patch.
Lancashire councils have until November 28 to submit a proposal on how the new councils might shape up.
The proposal must demonstrate:
- Stronger local leadership
- Improved service delivery and outcomes
- Value for money and financial sustainability
- Economic growth and prosperity
- Community identity and effective local partnerships
A range of options for the creation of two to five unitary councils are being considered and the proposal must be submitted to the Government by November 28.
The Government is then expected to lead a public consultation on the proposal early next year, with a preferred option selected in the summer.
New elections for the shadow authorities could take place in May 2027 with the new councils taking over all services on April 1 2028.
Ribble Valley Borough Council leader Simon Hore said:
“The council believes that our residents are best served by the current system of local government in Lancashire, but they can be assured that we will be fighting for the best outcome for the borough if reorganisation goes ahead.”
If you want to keep tabs on local government reorganisation, these are the key dates:
Early 2026 – Government-led public consultation starts
May 2027 – Elections take place for the new (shadow) councils
April 2028 – The new unitary councils officially launch and existing councils cease to exist
Further information on how the new Lancashire unitary authorities might look and how you can have your say are available below.