Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, further to the written statement of 18 December 2025, HCSWS1215, on Local Government Reorganisation, in cases where an individual council makes a representation to cancel elections, whether (a) only the scheduled elections for that individual council will be cancelled or (b) all the scheduled unitary, district and county elections within that wider local government restructuring area will be cancelled.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Secretary of State will consider the position of each council individually, weighing up the evidence received. This means that different decisions may be taken for different councils within the same local government reorganisation invitation area that have local elections scheduled, depending on the representations received.
As I set out in my Written Ministerial Statement of 18 December (HCWS1215), I remain committed to the indicative timetable that was published in July, that sees elections to new councils in May 2027 and those councils going live in April 2028.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what representations he has received from (a) Thurrock, (b) Basildon, (c) Essex County Council and (d) other south Essex councils requesting financial support to improve the strategic road network in (i) South Basildon and East Thurrock constituency and (ii) Essex.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Essex County Council, Colchester City Council, Chelmsford City Council, Braintree District Council, Tendring District Council, Maldon District Council and Brentwood Borough Council wrote to the Secretary of State about the benefits of the A12 (Chelmsford to A120) widening scheme, and the role it could potentially have played in any future upgrade of the A120 from Braintree to Marks Tey. However, as announced on 8 July 2025, this Government inherited a series of commitments that could not be afforded, therefore the Secretary of State had to take the difficult decision not to progress the A12 widening scheme. The Department will continue to work with National Highways and relevant partners to explore potential small-scale interventions that could address issues on the A12 to support housing growth.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how changes to the fair funding formula will affect the spending power of (a) Surrey County Council and (b) district and borough councils in Surrey.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
This multi-year Local Government Finance Settlement is our most significant move yet to make English local government more sustainable. The government is making good on long overdue promises to fundamentally update the way we fund local authorities. Our reforms will ensure that this funding is allocated fairly, and that the places and services which need it most are supported.
Since coming into power, this government will have made available a 23.6% cash-terms increase in Core Spending Power in 2028-29 compared to 2024-25, worth over £16 billion. By the end of the provisional multi-year Settlement (2028/29), Surrey’s Core Spending Power will have increased by £82m (7%) since 2024/25. We will support local authorities to manage their updated funding positions by phasing in changes over the multi-year Settlement and protecting councils’ income, including locally retained business rates growth.
Areas will need to agree how to divide available funding locally in a sustainable way during the local government reorganisation implementation period. This will provide areas with greater flexibility.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to the press release entitled People across UK to benefit from easier access to local services as councils get digital boost, published on 22 November 2025, what proportion of GDS Local’s work will be with County and District Councils in a) 2025-26, b) 2026-27 and c) 2027-28.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
GDS Local is a new unit within the Government Digital Service that brings central and local government together to improve how digital public services are designed and delivered.
GDS Local has a mandate to support all councils and local authorities across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, including County and District Councils. It is currently developing its strategic objectives and delivery plans to ensure people across the UK benefit from easier access to local services, including supporting the ambitions in the Blueprint for Modern Digital Government.
At this time, no specific proportion of work has been allocated to County and District Councils for future financial years, as the unit intends to take a whole-system approach to supporting local government across the UK. This includes working with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Local Government Association to support County and District Councils going through Local Government Reorganisation.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question
To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, pursuant to the answer of 15 October 2025 to Written Question 79886, which (a) District and (b) County Councils have been the subject of reviews; and what the cost was of those reviews by Council.
Answered by Jeremy Wright
The Local Government Boundary Commission for England estimates the costs incurred for reviews of district and county councils in the period between July 2024 and February 2025 to be as follows:
District councils
Bassetlaw | £23,799 |
Breckland | £55,455 |
Bromsgrove | £5,019 |
Canterbury | £9,248 |
Cherwell | £3,642 |
Colchester | £9,812 |
Cotswold | £3,642 |
Dacorum | £53,055 |
Great Yarmouth | £3,642 |
Hinckley and Bosworth | £3,642 |
Hyndburn | £3,642 |
Ipswich | £0 |
Melton | £5,019 |
North Warwickshire | £9,812 |
North West Leicestershire | £49,010 |
Oadby and Wigston | £9,812 |
Sevenoaks | £9,812 |
South Holland | £3,642 |
Swale | £3,642 |
Thanet | £53,664 |
Vale of White Horse | £45,417 |
Wealden | £0 |
West Oxfordshire | £3,642 |
County councils
Derbyshire | £44,247 |
Essex | £44,247 |
Oxfords | £5,019 |
Canterbury | £9,248 |
Cherwell | £3,642 |
These estimates have been developed based on the average cost for each stage of the review process. The figures for each individual authority take account of the stage(s) of the review process that were undertaken during the period from July 2024 to February 2025.
Asked by: Zöe Franklin (Liberal Democrat - Guildford)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether district elections in one area can go ahead if another district in the reorganisation area has requested postponement due to capacity issues in areas in which Mayoral elections have been postponed to 2028 and councils are undergoing reorganisation.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Secretary of State will take his decision on whether or not to postpone a council’s elections having regard to any views provided by councils, together with any other representations received. The Secretary of State will consider the position of each council individually, weighing up the evidence received. This means that different decisions may be taken for different councils within the same area, depending on the representations received.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Hinckley and Bosworth)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has spoken to the [i] Local Government Association and [ii] District Councils Network to understand the [a] levels and [b] nature of complaints made to local authorities about animal rescue and rehoming centres.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The department maintains regular contact with key stakeholders, including the Canine and Feline Sector Group, which brings together leading welfare charities, veterinary bodies, trade associations and representatives from local authorities. Through this forum, Defra receives up-to-date intelligence on emerging issues and operational challenges.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what oversight his Department will provide to ensure that (a) borough and (b) district councils do not take on significant costs during local government reorganisation in Surrey.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 99016 on 19 December 2025.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
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 make an estimate of the total estimated yield in non-national domestic rates from commercial properties in each district in Essex in 2025-26 and 2026-27, broken down by local authority area.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
We do not collect data on national non-domestic rates by specific types of property.
However, we do collect data on net rates payable by local authorities in England. Forecast data for 2025-26 can be found here National non-domestic rates collected by councils - GOV.UK.
Data relating to 2026-27 will be published in February 2026.
Asked by: Rebecca Smith (Conservative - South West Devon)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what his policy is on the treatment of surplus funds held by district councils, including West Devon Borough Council and South Hams District Council, in the event that those authorities are incorporated into a new unitary authority; and whether such surpluses will be used to offset the existing debts of other authorities within the proposed unitary structure.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
It is expected that assets and liabilities remain locally managed by councils. It is essential that councils continue to deliver their business-as-usual services and duties during and after local government reorganisation.
The Department will continue to operate its stewardship function to ensure councils are meeting their Best Value duty. The 2024 Guidance on Best Value Standards and Intervention describes the characteristics of a well-functioning authority, and in relation to handling assets the sections on governance, use of resources, service delivery and partnerships and community engagement are particularly relevant.