Peterborough City Council gives final submission on Local Government Reorganisation

At a meeting on November 18 members voted unanimously in favour of Option D, which would see Peterborough merge with West Huntingdonshire to form a new authority known as ‘Greater Peterborough’.

Option D would also see two other new authorities formed in the region – one comprising Fenland, East Cambs and East Hunts and another comprising South Cambs and Cambridge City.

Peterborough City Council’s preferred choice will be submitted to government on November 28, but it is ultimately up to the government which option is implemented.

At the cabinet meeting, Liberal Democrat group leader Cllr Christian Hogg, cabinet member for housing and regulatory services, said: “This whole exercise of unitarisation is about saving money. Central government wants to save money and streamline the decision making process.

“I absolutely understand that, but our position is to look at what that means for us here. [The government] takes care of the country, we take care of Peterborough. That’s our job.”

While Option D would see a 55-year payback time on the investment, Cllr Hogg said they would “find innovative ways” to make sure that figure was reduced.

Labour’s Cllr Katy Cole, cabinet member for children’s services, said: “To me, being able to call our new unitary authority ‘Greater Peterborough’ is one of the draws because it keeps Peterborough at the centre of decision-making.

“That is the only thing I’m thinking of: keeping Peterborough’s identity and taking it forward.”

Labour council leader Shabina Qayyum said: "This cabinet meeting marks a pivotal moment, we are not just being asked to review the options, we are being asked to lead.

"This decision has the potential to shape the future governments of our region and must be made with clarity, confidence and collective purpose."

LGR means that 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 full council meeting last week, all Peterborough councillors decided between Option A and Option D as their preferred option for LGR.

Option A ‘North and South’ – Unitary 1 (Peterborough, Fenland, Huntingdonshire), Unitary 2 (East Cambs, South Cambs, Cambridge City)

Option D ‘Greater Peterborough’ – Unitary 1 (Peterborough, West Hunts), Unitary 2 (Fenland, East Hunts, East Cambs), Unitary 3 (South Cambs, Cambridge City)

A total of 36 councillors voted for Option D while just four voted for Option A, two abstained and eight councillors (all Conservatives) refused to cast a vote.

It was heard how Option A could provide greater financial benefits and a shorter payback time on the investment, while Option D could better maintain Peterborough’s identity and responsiveness to residents.

Due to Peterborough having the lowest council tax rate in the region, merging with other authorities will mean that Peterborough residents will see a rise in their council tax bills regardless of which option is implemented.

Notably, Peterborough City Council officers informed councillors that Option A would be the “most balanced and sustainable option” for the region, provided local identity and engagement were actively protected.

Option A was also the proposal that Cambridgeshire County Council chose to submit to government as its preferred option.

Fenland District Council leader Cllr Chris Boden confirmed that the authority would be opposing the whole LGR process and calling on the government to halt it, but would support Option D as the “least bad” option.

Next steps

The decision on which new council structures are put in place will ultimately be made by the government, with elections for shadow authorities expected in April 2027 before full implementation in April 2028.

Chief executive of Peterborough City Council, Matt Gladstone, 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.”