Dear Colleagues
I wanted to follow up on our message from Monday about Local Government Reorganisation (LGR), now we have had a little more time to reflect and had some - though not much - more information from government.
I recognise too that you will be feeling, collectively, mixed emotions about it all and this is completely understandable. What has not changed is the resilience, adaptability and professionalism you continue to demonstrate while serving our community, despite uncertainty and change, and I thank you for that.
Firstly, let me outline what has happened. The Government has paused the process of Local Government Reorganisation in Essex, and other areas of the country, while it reviews its direction of travel and past decisions made.
There is rhetoric and reporting in the media about LGR being cancelled; however, the minister was clear in a call yesterday (Tuesday) morning that the review would look at all options: this could include stopping the process altogether; proceeding in a different way; or pressing ahead on the path we are already along.
The government also remains committed to Devolution and at a policy level remains supportive of how unitary councils are part of the success of devolution.
The government has said it wants to complete the review as soon as possible, but we do not know how long this will take. However, the government has recognised that whatever the duration, it would not be achievable to carry on with planned elections to the new unitary authority (on a 'shadow' basis) in May 2027.
We therefore will have our regular, scheduled, all-out election to Tendring District Council in May 2027, along with town and parish councils in our area too.
You may be wondering what you should do next, particularly if you have been more heavily involved in LGR work. First, pause and take a measured approach, there is no need to rush; then consider these points:
Discuss with your Head of Service or Director any LGR-specific work you’re involved with. And, if you're worried about things such as LGR, don't forget you can access our Employee Assistance Programme (details are on TED).
As before, we do not control what will happen with Local Government Reorganisation , and I would urge you to focus on what we can influence and control: what we deliver to our community, and putting Tendring in the best possible place for whatever challenges may come our way.
Thanks to everyone's hard work, dedication and professionalism, Tendring District Council is in a stable position both financially and to deliver effective local government.
We will continue to keep you updated; and, in the meantime, should you have any questions please don't hesitate to submit them through our LGR question form or by emailing lgrquestions@tendringdc.gov.uk.
For a simple guide to sum up what has happened, please click the document link at the top of the page.
