Devolution and Local Government Reorganisation

This page is a hub for information about the Devolution and Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) programmes.

Please do check back for information, and use the links on the side of this page for additional details too.

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What is Devolution?

What is Local Government Reorganisation?

What is the expected timeline?

What is the Tendring position?

What does this mean for me as an employee of Tendring District Council?

What does this mean for me as a Member of the council?

LGR Related News

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What is Devolution?

Devolution involves setting up a new “combined authority” (CA) for Greater Essex. The CA would be led by representatives of Essex County Council and the unitary councils of Thurrock and Southend.

One option for new combined authorities is to also include a new directly elected Mayor. The CA (with the Mayor, if there is one) takes on powers and budget ‘devolved’ to it by central government, for example over skills funding.

The Combined Authority may also be referred to as a Strategic Authority.

What is Local Government Reorganisation (LGR)?

Local Government Reorganisation - sometimes referred to as Local Government Reform (LGR) or unitarisation - means replacing the current two-tier system (county and district councils) with single-tier authorities; single councils responsible for all local government statutory duties in the area.

In Essex, this would mean setting up new unitary councils, which would have the responsibilities of both Essex County Council and the district councils (like Tendring) in one authority - though some duties and powers may be moved to the Combined Authority as part of Devolution (see the section on Devolution). Examples of existing unitary councils are Thurrock and Southend.

Why now, and what is the expected timeline?

The government published a White Paper – a piece of policy – on English Devolution on 16 December 2024, setting out its proposals.

It sets out an ambition for all areas of England to have a Strategic Authority, and an expectation that all two tier areas (such as ours) develop proposals for LGR. Essex is in the Priority Programme for Devolution and LGR.

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Local Government Reorganisation timeline

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What is the Tendring position?

We broadly welcome Devolution as bringing powers and funding to a more local level.

On LGR our organisational position is that we want to make sure Tendring – as a district and as a council with all of the staff and services that entails – is in the strongest possible place for whatever may happen. We will prepare for all eventualities.

We have committed to working particularly closely with Colchester City Council – the only council we share a border with, and so we would be paired with for LGR – and also Braintree District Council and Essex County Council on preparations.

Our preferred proposal is for the five-unitary model (that is to say, the proposal which has five new unitaries created across Greater Essex, and which puts us with Braintree and Colchester), because this best meets our key criteria (localism, sense of place, existing partnerships, high-quality service delivery and financial sustainability). We also believe that bigger isn't always better.

However, whatever the Government’s decision on configuration, we will work with all councils across Greater Essex to put our residents' needs first.

In the meantime we must continue to deliver our usual high quality services and projects. We will also need to factor in the time and capacity Devolution and LGR will take up on staff and councillors, and so some things may need to be re-prioritised.

What does this mean for me as an employee of Tendring District Council?

We understand that this period of uncertainty can be unsettling for everyone, and further support is available through our Employee Assistance Programme.

While we may not have all the answers right now, please be assured that this is a long-term process.

Whatever happens there will still be a need for local government staff to provide essential services to residents; and the vast majority of staff will simply transfer across to any new authority in line with TUPE (Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment)) regulations.

In the meantime, please keep delivering your usual top services to our residents; and look to put yourself in the best possible position for new opportunities from any new council. Work with your manager to look at training and development opportunities.

What does this mean for me as a Member of the council?

Tendring District Council has no decision-making powers in this, though we can seek to influence decisions and shape future direction.

You of course have political considerations and positions to follow, and you can continue to do so as normal.

In terms of defined council position, the recommendations made by the Chief Executive in his report on 21 January 2025 were unanimously backed (the report can be found on the quick links section).

Meanwhile, at an Extraordinary meeting of Full Council on 11 March 2025, the Chief Executive provided a further update, and the recommendations (found in the report, also linked in the side panel) were again unanimously backed:

In September 2025 TDC's Cabinet set out its preference for the proposed five-unitary model, because this best meets the Council's key criteria for localism, delivering a strong sense of place, supporting existing partnerships, high-quality service delivery and financial sustainability.

Whatever position you may take, we would ask you to be considerate of staff, who may find this period unsettling – particularly in the early stages when there are a lot of unknowns.

We will continue to keep you updated; and you will also have a key role in keeping your residents, town and parish councils updated too.

I want to campaign for/against Devolution and/or LGR, can I do so?

You are of course free to campaign either way on each issue as you choose to do so. If doing so, please make it clear it is your personal (or party political) position, and not a council policy position. We would also ask that you respect staff, who may find this period unsettling.

Updated on

March 9, 2026

Will the scheduled district elections go ahead in May 2027?

At this stage we have to work on the basis that they will do. However, if LGR goes ahead, then it may be that in May 2027 we will see elections to the shadow, new unitary authority; while terms of office for TDC councillors would be extended by a year to see out the transition period until ‘vesting day’ (when a new unitary authority takes over).

Parish and town council elections scheduled for May 2027 may continue as planned (with their terms also potentially extended by a year to align with the next new unitary elections).

Updated on

March 9, 2026

Are staff being considered by councillors as they debate the proposals?

Yes; at the Extraordinary Meeting of Full Council in March 2025, a number of councillors from across the political parties represented on Tendring District Council spoke about the support for staff; with employees being one of the council's greatest assets.

Updated on

March 9, 2026

Do I continue with projects I am working on?

The short answer is, for now, yes; work goes on. We will need to consider our capacity to deliver new projects while also preparing for future eventualities, and in deciding whether to go ahead we will need to consider the implications of Devolution and LGR. But, fundamentally, our work continues, and will not simply come to a halt whenever a new unitary comes into being.

Updated on

March 9, 2026

I’m being asked about this by external partners we work with, what can I tell them?

We appreciate there are many factors and technical details to work through. In any new authority, our existing relationships with partners will be vital – possibly even more so than they are now.

Just as we continue to deliver high quality services, we will continue to work closely with partners – and hope to do so under any new authority too. Please reassure them of this, and continue to work with them.

Updated on

March 9, 2026

What happens to the debts some councils have?

This is something that is being discussed across Greater Essex councils – so far the government have confirmed there would be no write off of debt from central government and it would be for the new unitaries to deal with.

Updated on

March 9, 2026

Will democratic arrangements change?

The creating legislation (Structural Changes Order) would set out governance arrangements for the new unitary council(s), including any shadow arrangements and future elections. Work on drafting these is already underway, and TDC has been consulted for its views on a range of matters.

Once we have the Government decision, we will have to create Joint Committees – at first, encouraged on a voluntary basis, and then formally within 14 days of the Structural Changes Order coming into being.

The new authority will have a Leader and Cabinet structure, which will be populated once elections have taken place to it (in shadow form) in May 2027 – in the same way as the Leader and Cabinet is decided here currently.

Democratic structures will not change at your organisation which remains a sovereign council until is abolished on ‘vesting day’, expected to be 1 April 2028.

However, it may be that some larger decisions will need to be approved by the new shadow authority, under a ‘Section 24’ direction made by Government. Typically this has involved spending, procurement or asset disposal above certain thresholds being ratified by the shadow authority, to ensure it inherits a sustainable financial and service position.

Updated on

March 16, 2026

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