The decision to reorganise Lincolnshire’s councils will be paused and reviewed, the government has said.
Plans to reorganise the county’s seven councils into two much larger authorities were confirmed last month, with one covering the wider Lincoln area and the other governing the rest of Lincolnshire, writes Local Democracy Reporter Jamie Waller.
The government says it will streamline public services and deliver better value for the taxpayer.
However, there have been widespread complaints from leaders who claim the chosen map is nonsensical and unworkable.
Secretary of State for Local Government, Angela Rayner is expected to confirm at 3.30pm that Lincolnshire is on the list of 14 areas that will be part of an internal review.
The decision to leave the unitary authorities of North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire unchanged will also be part of the review.
East Midlands neighbours Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Leicestershire will also be reviewed.
The government is likely to confirm that local elections in May 2027 will go ahead on existing council boundaries.
Communities Secretary Angela Rayner is expected to tell MPs in the House of Commons: “As we are now more determined than ever to devolve power closer to the people we represent, it’s only right that as a new Secretary of State I make sure that everything we do is working towards that plan to change Britain, without delay.
“The Prime Minister told the House last week he was ‘prepared to look at local government reorganisation’ and he asked me as his Communities Secretary to ‘do that’. In that context, in light of legal advice, I want to satisfy myself firstly that the right process is in place, that it is robust, and of course complies with the law.
“And, secondly, I want to fully test whether our proposals for local government reorganisation meet the priorities of a new administration and a new Prime Minister, and any additional considerations.
“I do not take this lightly. I recognise the huge amount of work that has already gone into progressing reorganisation in each of these areas, and I am very grateful for it.”
Lincolnshire County Council leaders sent a pre-action letter to the government recently, asking for questions on how the decision had been made.
Other council leaders, including South Kesteven, had raised the idea of a judicial review to challenge the outcome legally.
