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

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will legislate to amend section 245 of the Local Government Act 1972 to extend the right to petition for borough status to new unitary authorities.

The Government has no current plans to amend section 245 of the Local Government Act 1972. Where local government reorganisation takes place, newly established unitary authorities will be district councils, who are already able to petition for borough status under the existing provisions of the Act, provided the statutory criteria are met, including a resolution passed by not less than two thirds of members at a meeting specifically convened for that purpose.