Local Government Reorganisation

About Local Government Reorganisation

This section brings together key facts about the Government's plans to reform local government in Derbyshire.

Here you'll find information on what's happening, the proposals being developed, answers to common questions, and how you'll be able to have your say. The page will be updated regularly as the process moves forward.

In late 2024, the Government published a white paper describing a national programme of devolution and reform to local government - setting out plans for the biggest change to local councils in a generation.

This includes a clear expectation that the 'two-tier system' of local government which exists in many places - including here in Derbyshire - must be replaced.

The future of small 'unitary' councils, like the city council that covers Derby, is also under review as part of this programme.

In short, under the Government's plans this means that district, borough, county and small unitary councils will no longer exist. They will be replaced by new unitary councils which will each provide all council services to the communities they serve.

In announcing this widescale reform, Government asked Derbyshire councils to work together to come up with some initial options about how this could work in our area. The plan is then to work with our local communities later on in 2025 to get your views on our proposals before any final decisions are made.

The district and borough councils across Derbyshire, and Derby City Council, have been working in partnership since the Government's call.

This is a complex issue, but our key priority is to make sure the needs of our communities are met - proposing new structures that:

• Keep councils connected to local people - big enough to deliver but close enough to care
• Can provide effective and value for money services - and the staff and funding going forward to continually improve the services residents receive
• Protect Derbyshire's historic boundaries in terms of the area councils cover - including the city of Derby, which is a key centre of economic growth for the county
• Meet the Government's criteria for reorganisation - if we don't, or where agreement can't be reached, Government has indicated it will impose a solution that they think works best for Derbyshire.

Our Approach     

Government has been clear that the way local government works in places like Derbyshire has to change - doing nothing is not an option.

By working together, we stand the strongest chance of creating a future which meets the needs of our local communities - keeping your council services as close as possible to you - within the framework set out by Government.

That's why we, along with the seven other district and borough councils across Derbyshire, we have joined forces to pull together an initial proposal which puts the needs of our communities at its heart.

High Peak Borough Council has supported an initial proposal - which will be put out for public consultation before any final proposals are drawn up, or any final decisions are made. This was submitted to Government in March 2025, in line with the Government's timetable.

Two unitary councils - one in the north, and one in the south

The leader of High Peak Borough Council, together with the leaders of the other seven district and borough councils in Derbyshire, has submitted an initial proposal to create two unitary councils to cover the county - one in the north, and one in the south.

This initial work has established two options of equal merit that meet the Government's requirements.

Option 1

Amber Valley Borough Council would be part of a northern unitary council, alongside High Peak Borough Council, Derbyshire Dales District Council, Chesterfield Borough Council, North East Derbyshire District Council, and Bolsover District Council. A separate southern unitary council would be formed by Derby City Council, South Derbyshire District Council, and Erewash Borough Council.

Option 2

In the second option, the structure remains the same, except Amber Valley Borough Council would move from the northern unitary council to join the southern unitary council instead.

Both options maintain the integrity of the historic county of Derbyshire and reflect the existing boundaries of the district, borough and city councils.

These new unitary councils would be responsible for delivering all local council services in their area, bringing everything under one organisation. At the moment, services are split between two tiers of local government - with county councils providing things like social care and highways, while district and borough councils are responsible for services such as bin collections, planning, and leisure centres.

Where we are now, and next steps

The joint interim proposal was submitted to Government on 21 March 2025, as approved by all of the district and borough councils in Derbyshire.

Interim Proposal for Local Government Reorganisation in Derby and Derbyshire (published 11 March 2025) (PDF, 2 MB)

A full public consultation will take place later in 2025, ahead of the Government's deadline for final proposals to be submitted in November 2025. You will have the opportunity to share your views before any final decisions are made. We'll provide more details on how to take part as soon as they are available. A decision is not expected from the Government on the final proposals that are submitted for Derbyshire until spring 2026. In the meantime, you can find answers to some frequently asked questions to learn more about local government reorganisation, the interim proposal and what this could mean for Derbyshire.

FAQs (PDF, 105 KB)

Statements issued

20 February

Local Government Reorganisation - joint statement

7 March

Communities put at the heart of local government reorganisation in Derbyshire, as borough, district, and city council leaders outline initial plans

20 March

Councillors approve interim plan for North Derbyshire and South Derbyshire councils

Government's proposed timetable