Devolution and Local Government Reorganisation

Norfolk has been accepted onto the Government’s Devolution Priority Programme (DPP). We have received the formal letter from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) inviting local Leaders to work collaboratively and proactively to develop proposals for local government reorganisation in Norfolk. This letter also provides more clarity on the criteria for unitary proposals.

As a result of being accepted onto the DPP, the Government will work with the council towards an election for the Mayor of the Strategic Authority in May 2026. To manage this, local County Council elections planned for May 2025 will be postponed until May 2026.

Currently, services in Norfolk are split between the county council and seven borough, city and district councils. In a process known as Local Government Reorganisation (LGR), the Government also wants to replace all of Norfolk's eight councils with ‘unitary councils’, which would deliver all council services, and has asked the existing authorities to make proposals for what future services could look like.

Council Leaders and Officers from across the district councils in Norfolk have been working on Local Government Reorganisation proposals for Norfolk. All District and County Councils that have been accepted onto the DPP were asked to submit LGR proposals by 21 March 2025, with full proposals by 26 September 2025.

Future Norfolk - our proposal for the future of local government

A partnership of six local councils has published a shared proposal which, if implemented, would see the creation of three new unitary authorities in Norfolk — Greater Norwich, East Norfolk and West Norfolk, replacing the existing district, borough, city and county councils. The proposal aims to ensure decisions about local services are taken closer to communities and tailored to local needs.

Working together as ‘Future Norfolk’, the councils - Breckland Council, Broadland District Council, Great Yarmouth Borough Council, the Borough Council of King’s Lynn and West Norfolk, North Norfolk District Council and Norwich City Council - have worked together to develop a single, evidence-based final submission which supports thriving communities, attracts investment and delivers for the long term.

This follows months of careful planning and has been informed by the findings of a public survey (see below) focused on people’s priorities for the future. The submission sets out how three unitaries would deliver clearer local accountability, more responsive services and better value for money while remaining large enough to operate efficiently across all council services.

The proposal is built across three key themes: People, Place, and Progress:

• People - Decisions made nearer to residents, with clear accountability and genuine dialogue, deliver services that work and achieve better results over time. Norfolk can thrive as services can be shaped and tailored to the strengths and needs of each area and delivered efficiently to meet local priorities
• Place - Three councils aligned to sensible geographies and local identity will reflect different needs across the coast, countryside and city while keeping delivery efficient — Greater Norwich, East Norfolk and West Norfolk.
• Progress – Financial resilience is central. The submission includes an eight-year financial business case designed to ensure all three councils are viable from day one, with benefits maturing through transformation and recurring savings building from Year 4.

Find out more and read a summary of the Future Norfolk proposal at www.futurenorfolk.com

Next steps

Councillors across the six authorities will scrutinise, debate and vote on the proposal before it is submitted to Government on 26 September 2025. West Norfolk’s Full Council will discuss the proposal on 18 September. The agenda for this meeting is available to view. A Government-led public consultation is expected in November, giving everyone further opportunities to take part before any decisions are made.

Future Norfolk survey (closed)

The Future Norfolk survey closed on 1 August 2025. We are incredibly grateful to everyone across the county who took the time to share their views on the future of local government in Norfolk.

Your feedback will play a vital role in shaping how services are delivered, how decisions are made, and how we work together to meet the needs of Norfolk’s communities both now and in the years to come.

Devolution consultation (closed)

The Government held a public consultation on proposed devolution in Norfolk and Suffolk, specifically on the proposal to form a Strategic Authority headed by a mayor. This consultation closed on 13 April 2025. The public feedback and the Government’s response have just been published. There were 3,115 responses which you can read a summary of on the GOV.UK website.

Subject to the assessment on the statutory tests, the Government says it continue to work with the Norfolk and Suffolk county councils to establish the Mayoral Combined County Authority. If the councils consent, the necessary secondary legislation will be laid in Parliament. If approved by Parliament, the Combined County Authority would be established in time for the first mayoral election to take place in May 2026.

Criteria for unitary local government

• A proposal should seek to achieve better outcomes and local service delivery for the whole area
• Unitary local government must be the right size to achieve efficiencies, improve capacity and withstand financial challenges
• Unitary structures must prioritise the delivery of high quality and sustainable public services to residents
• Proposals should show how councils in the area have sought to work together in coming to a view that meets local needs and is informed by local views
• New unitary structures must support devolution arrangements
• New unitary structures should enable stronger community engagement and deliver genuine opportunity for neighbourhood empowerment

When developing proposals for unitary local government, the following matters should be considered:

• Boundary changes
  • Existing district areas should be considered as building blocks
  • If any boundary changes proposed there needs to be strong public services and financial sustainability related justification
• Engagement and consultation on reorganisation
  • Local Leaders to work collaboratively and proactively
  • Engage Members of Parliament
  • Engage local partners, stakeholders, residents, workforce & their representatives and businesses
  • Engage with the Integrated Care Board, Police and Crime Commissioner, Fire & Rescue, Local Higher Education & Further Education providers, National Parks, voluntary & third sector organisations.

The Government has fully committed to supporting councils through this stage and has acknowledged the need for us to continue to deliver our business-as-usual, alongside the work outlined above.

Timelines and next steps - summary

*Shadow unitary authorities will be temporarily formed until the new unitary authority is formally established.

Further information

Further information about devolution and local government reorganisation in Norfolk can be found in the links below:

• English Devolution White Paper - GOV.UK
• Devolution revolution: six areas to elect Mayors for first time - GOV.UK
• Letter: Norfolk - GOV.UK