Local Government Reorganisation in Peterborough - what happens next?

From April 2028, the current seven councils in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, including Peterborough City Council, will no longer exist and be replaced by larger unitary councils.

It is part of the government’s plans to transfer more powers and funding from national to local government and move away from the current two-tier system of district and county councils in England.

At a meeting in November, Peterborough councillors voted unanimously in favour of Option D, which would see Peterborough merge with West Huntingdonshire to form a new authority known as ‘Greater Peterborough’.

The other six Cambridgeshire councils also decided on their preferred restructure options before each authority submitted their choice to government, which will ultimately make the decision on how the new council's will look.

What happens next?

Elections for shadow authorities are expected in April 2027 before the full implementation of LGR in April 2028.

Chief executive of Peterborough City Council, Matt Gladstone, previously said: "I’m expecting early 2026 that [the government] will whittle down the options to two or three. We will have an opportunity to make a case for those options and the government will then formally consult, they say through to the summer,

"I’m expecting a decision from government around summer next year to say we are landed on this option. Then we’ll be able to plan accordingly running up to the elections in 2027.

"Obviously, we’re not sitting back and waiting for a government decision, we are already working on various work streams. The more preparation we can do now, the better."

What changes will LGR bring?

There still remains many unanswered questions around LGR, including where a new council headquarters would be based, what the new authority would be called, how many councillors there would be and how council meetings would work.

What we do know is that council tax will rise for Peterborough residents.

This is because Peterborough has the lowest council tax rate in the region, meaning harmonisation with neighbouring authorities will bring the rate up.

Residents shouldn't see a major change in their day to day services, but there is a possibility that they may have less councillors representing them.

It is hoped that LGR will improve services across Cambridgeshire by making them simpler and more efficient for residents and businesses.

Peterborough City Council leader Councillor Dr Shabina Qayyum told the Local Democracy Reporting Service in September that LGR could bring several advantages to the city.

She said: "By moving to a simpler system with fewer layers of councils, it could make decision-making quicker and clearer for residents.

"A single, stronger council would be responsible for all local services—such as housing, transport, schools, and social care—so people know exactly who to contact.

"Reform could also reduce duplication of work between different councils, saving money that can be reinvested into frontline services.

"It may also give Peterborough a stronger voice when negotiating with government for funding and powers, helping the city to grow and improve services in line with local needs."