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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Answer by the Minister for Local Government and English Devolution of 15 January 2025 on Local Government Reorganisation, Official Report, column 344, whether a majority of local residents will be needed to support the changes before reorganisation is taken forward.

It will be essential for councils to work with local partners, including MPs, to develop plans for sustainable unitary structures capable of delivering the high-quality public services that residents need and deserve. It is for councils to decide how best to engage locally in a meaningful and constructive way when developing their proposals. We will consult a range of stakeholders in areas where we receive proposals for reorganisation, as required by statute. I will write to local authorities in further detail, inviting proposals for local government reorganisation and setting out the criteria to be used to assess proposals, in due course.