Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will set out the process of deciding boundaries for shadow unitary authority elections in 2027, including in those existing districts which will be split between two proposed unitary authorities.

The Department is liaising closely with the Local Government Boundary Commission for England (the Commission). The Secretary of State invited the Commission to respond as a named consultee on all proposals received that involved boundary change requests splitting districts between new unitary councils.

With regard to electoral boundaries within new councils, these will be reflected in the Structural Changes Order that establishes them, once Ministers have decided which proposals to implement. For the first elections, anticipated in May 2027, we ask councils to provide us with their suggested interim warding arrangements for inclusion in the structural changes order, based on existing wards, divisions or, where appropriate, parishes.

The Commission can offer advice and guidance to councils as they draw up these boundaries. The Commission intend to undertake a full electoral review of all new councils after their first election and before their second.