Issue - meetings

Council considered the latest update relating to Local Government Reorganisation presented jointly by Councillor Ritchie Portfolio Holder for Devolution and the Interim Director of Planning, Devolution and Corporate Policy.

Councillor Ritchie confirmed that agreement had been reached and submissions made by the eight boroughs and districts and Derby City Council agreed on the submission to Government with four different proposals namely:

·       Proposal A - by Amber Valley Borough Council to join the Northern Unitary as a whole authority as led by their public consultation.

·       Proposal - A1 to split Amber Valley Borough Council between the Northern and Southern Unitaries with Belper, Denby and Kilburn remaining in the North.

·       Proposal B - Amber Valley Borough Council joining the Southern Unitary as a whole authority.

·       Proposal B1 - Amber Valley Borough Council being split between the Northern and Southern Unitary Authorities with Belper, Denby and Kilburn in the Southern Unitary.

Stage 3 Statutory Consultations had started and was anticipated to run until the end of December 2025.  Stage 4 was for Ministers to decide on a proposal with or without modification as splitting Amber Valley would require modifications to boundaries.  It was anticipated that a decision would not be made until Summer 2026.  Stage 5 was to make Secondary Legislation for Parliamentary approval namely the Structural Changes Order (SCO).  The SCO will specify arrangements for the first elections for the new Unitaries.  Derby City Council has decided they want 94 councillors not 74 as previously indicated. 

The SCO will identify the elections for the Unitaries, number of councillors and the function of the new Council during the transition and establish suitable governance arrangements which could take six to nine months to go through the parliamentary process.  Councillors can stand for the new Unitary as well as being a councillor in their existing council.  The order will also state whether the existing council would be extended or not and the transition arrangements until the existing councils were abolished. 

Stage 6 was the transition period with existing councils continuing to deliver services whilst preparing for ‘Go live’ day (Vesting Day) when all services, functions, assets and staff would be transferred to the new Unitary. The transition body will be responsible for all arrangements and decisions relating to the new authority to ensure it was safe and legal from Day One.  An implementation plan was required by Government to include Council tax harmonisation plan and the aggregation or disaggregation of services.

Stage 7 the new Unitary goes ‘live’ on vesting day and the process continue.

The Interim Director of Planning, Devolution and Corporate Policy informed Council of the next steps:

·       Stage 3 Statutory Consultation, it was anticipated this would commence in Spring 2026 with stakeholders. 

·       The Derby and Derbyshire Consultation Co-ordination Group met weekly and would be looking at putting together an implementation plan to maintain momentum.  Working Groups would continue and several new groups focussed on specialisms would be established eg People, Finance, Legal, Technology, Assets data, Communication, Governance arrangements, Social Services, Environmental Health,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 57

The Chief Executive updated Council and outlined the activities and decisions that would be needed over the next two months.  Work was ongoing at pace across the whole county with many meetings with Leaders, Chief Executives and a large number of staff working on the various workstreams.  The proposals would be formed around two Unitary Authorities, one in the North and one in the South.  However, agreement had not been reached as to where the boundary between North and South would be drawn with separate options still under discussion.

If an agreement could not be reached on the boundary before the submission date then it was proposed that a single proposal would be submitted highlighting different options for where the boundary.

It was proposed that a single report would be submitted by all the District and Borough Councils on 24^th October 2025 for consideration at their Council and Executive meetings.  Two member briefings for Bolsover councillors were proposed for 29^th October 2025, one via Teams and another in person event starting at 4pm.  The report and appendices will also be considered at Extraordinary Council on 5^th November 2025.

Advice has been received from Government and Counsel confirming this was an Executive decision.  An Extraordinary Executive had been arranged to take place at the rising of Extraordinary Council on 5^th November 2025 to formally take the decision on the proposal.

Government has advised that they would be reviewing the submissions and likely to respond before the Summer recess in 2026.  This time will be used to review the implementation arrangements and activities needed to prepare for the elections of the Shadow Unitary Authority in 2027.