Local Government Reorganisation and Devolution Network

English Devolution White Paper

The English Devolution White Paper set out reform to local government including the development of strategic authorities, combined authorities and new forms of local councils, turning some ‘two tier’ areas of Counties and Districts into single tier ‘Unitary’ councils. The new councils will carry out the same functions as other existing Unitary merging the services that are otherwise carried out by different tiers of local councils.

Scotland Public Sector Reform Proposal - Scottish Government

On 21 September 2026, Scottish Government released a proposal for reform of local governance, setting out an initial model for discussion rather than a final restructuring plan. The proposal would replace Scotland’s existing 32 local authorities with 6 to 10 regional authorities, alongside 120 to 160 community authorities focused on local decision-making. The Scottish Government intends to use discussions with local government and other partners to establish a shared direction on reform by the end of 2026. To read the full proposal please click here

The chair of this group is Cllr John Clark from Gedling Council.

Upcoming Dates:

Save the date

Scotland Roundtable: Wednesday 28 October 2026 - 10.00-11.00

National Network: Tuesday 10 November 2026 - 10:30-12:00

National Network: Tuesday 23 February 2027 - 10:30-12:00

National Network: Tuesday 8 June 2027, 10:30-12:00

To view events in your area, click here.