FOI request (FOIR-734651045)

Reorganisation Costs

Requested Mon 28 July 2025
Responded Wed 06 August 2025

Please answer the below questions in numerical order. If the entire request exceeds either the cost or time thresholds, please answer as many questions as you can before either threshold is reached.

1. How much was spent by the local authority in the previous financial year (2024/25) on matters relating to Local Government Reorganisation?

2. How much has the local authority budgeted to be spent this financial year (2025/26) on matters relating to Local Government Reorganisation?

3. How much was spent by the local authority in the previous financial year (2024/25) on matters relating to Devolution?

4. How much has the local authority budgeted to be spent this financial year (2025/26) on matters relating to Devolution?

Definitions:

'Local Government Reorganisation' refers to the plans announced by the Government in 2024 to reorganise all two-tier local authority areas into unitary authorities. Costs incurred by your local authority may include, but are not limited to, holding public consultations, running public awareness campaigns, engaging external consultants to prepare options for reorganisation, staff time spent on formally responding to the government's request for plans to be submitted. Budgeted future costs may include planning for the merging or abolishing of local authorities.

'Devolution' refers to plans announced by the Government in its English Devolution White Paper in December 2024 to bring elected mayors to all of England. It established a Devolution Priority Programme, with elections planned in 2026 in some areas. Costs incurred by your local authority may include, but are not limited to, holding public consultations, running public awareness campaigns, engaging external consultants to prepare options for reorganisation, staff time spent on formally responding to the government's request for plans to be submitted. Budgeted future costs may include holding additional mayoral elections.

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Response

1. Nothing was spent in the previous financial year for Local Government Reorganisation.

2. £50,000

3. Nothing was spent in the previous financial year.

4. Nothing has been allocated for Devolution this financial year.