Unitary Councils
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Written Statement of 25 March 2026 on Local Government Reorganisation, HCWS1455, what discussions he had with (a) the Chancellor of the Exchequer and (b) the Secretary of State for Education on the proposed new unitary sizes and composition.
Answered by Alison McGovern
The 500,000 population figure has always been a guiding principle, not a fixed threshold. There may need to be exceptions to ensure new structures make sense for an area, including to support devolution, and that decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis. The population size of proposed new unitary councils therefore varies between areas.
Where any new council is below 500,000, the Secretary of State is satisfied that it is appropriate on the basis it produces the most coherent and effective outcome for that area.
As standard, the Secretary of State had discussions on new unitary councils with relevant colleagues in Government and decisions were collectively agreed through the normal and well-established processes.
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