Two in three people unaware of planned major changes to council structures - including in Peterborough

The Government wants to change the current structure of local authorities across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough by 2028, through a process known as Local Government Reorganisation (LGR). LGR will replace all seven of the county, city and district councils that currently exist. The new unitary councils that would succeed these current authorities would be responsible for all the local government services in the geographic areas they cover, except for those provided by Town and Parish Councils.

The County Council’s recent annual Quality of Life survey highlighted that just under two thirds (63%) of those residents who took part knew nothing about Local Government Reorganisation, with just under half (46%) having never heard of LGR.

Three options are currently being considered – with Peterborough MP Andrew Pakes and North West Cambridgeshire MP Sam Carling tabling a fourth.

Proposed options for Local Government Reorganisation

Option A

Unitary 1 – Peterborough City Council, Huntingdonshire and Fenland District Councils along with County Council functions

Unitary 2 – Cambridge City Council, East Cambridgeshire and South Cambridgeshire District Councils along with County Council functions

Option B

Unitary 1 – Peterborough City Council, East Cambridgeshire, Fenland and Huntingdonshire District Councils along with County Council functions

Unitary 2 – Cambridge City Council and South Cambridgeshire District along with County Council functions

Option C

Unitary 1 – Peterborough City Council, East Cambridgeshire and Fenland District Councils along with County Council functions

Unitary 2 – Cambridge City Council, Huntingdonshire and South Cambridgeshire District Councils along with County Council functions

Mr Pakes’ and Mr Carling’s proposal

Unitary 1 – Peterborough, northern Huntingdonshire (Greater Peterborough)

Unitary 2 – Cambridge City, South Cambridgeshire (Greater Cambridge)

Unitary 3 – Southern Huntingdonshire, Fenland, East Cambridgeshire (Rural Mid-Cambridgeshire)

Now an information campaign about Local Government Reorganisation launches with a second phase of engagement running until Friday 3 October, which invites views on the preferred option being developed by Cambridgeshire County Council – known as ‘Option A’.

Following this second and more detailed stage of engagement, a preferred option will be discussed by the Full Council on Tuesday 21 October, prior to a submission being made to the Government in November.

For more information on LGR and to complete the survey, head to Cambridgeshire County Council’s website: https://yourvoice.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/your-future-councils/

Cambridgeshire County Council’s Full Council meeting on 21 October will be live streamed on our YouTube channel.