Rutland Lieutenancy

Baroness Scott of Bybrook Excerpts

Tuesday 15th July 2025 Lords Chamber

[Lord Wallace of Saltaire (LD)]

My Lords—

[Baroness Scott of Bybrook (Con)]

My Lords—

--- Later in debate ---

[Baroness Taylor of Stevenage (Lab)]

I am sorry but I strongly disagree with the noble Lord’s view on that. We want to improve engagement, and this will create a fantastic role for community councillors to work with their local areas. We are very clear on the importance of engagement and of developing proposals for strong, stable unitary councils fit for the future, including engagement with local residents and stakeholders, Members of Parliament, businesses and public service providers.

[Baroness Scott of Bybrook (Con)]

My Lords, can the Minister please clarify the anticipated timescale for local government reorganisation in England, and indicate what elections for which authorities are expected to take place in the next year?

[Baroness Taylor of Stevenage (Lab)]

The Government’s starting point on elections is for all elections to go ahead unless there is a strong justification. So we anticipate that for areas except Surrey—which, as the noble Baroness will be aware, is moving on a much faster timescale, being on the most ambitious timeline—there could be elections to new unitary councils in May 2027, ahead of the go-live of new councils on 1 April 2028.