Devolution and Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) are different.
Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) simplifies and reduces the number of councils across the country. The Government have set out plans to move away from the current two-tier system of district and county councils in England and believes reorganising and simplifying councils can help grow the economy while delivering better public services.
This means all 15 councils in Essex would be replaced with a number of larger unitary councils. These new councils will be responsible for providing all local government services in their areas. The change will not affect police and fire and rescue services, NHS services or the work of very local Town and Parish councils.
At present, there are 15 councils in the Essex area:
- Essex County Council
- Southend-on-Sea City Council, a unitary council
- Thurrock Council, a unitary council
- 12 city, borough and district councils, which are currently in a 'two-tier' arrangement with Essex County Council.
Reorganisation would restructure the 15 councils into a smaller number of unitary authorities. These would be responsible for all local services in their area.
The Greater Essex LGR Hub website is the best place to get the most up-to-date information and updates on Local Government Reorganisation in Greater Essex.
Visit the Greater Essex LGR Hub website
Local Government Association (LGA) Devolution Hub
Visit the LGA Devolution Hub to find further information and resources. This includes a list of regularly updated devolution and local government reorganisation FAQ.
On Thursday 4 December 2025, the Government announced that the Greater Essex Mayoral election, originally planned for may 2026, will now take place in May 2028. The delay is intended to allow more time for councils to establish new Mayoral Strategic Authorities and work together before the first mayoral elections. This announcement does not impact local elections, and further clarification is expected in due course. Councils across Greater Essex remain committed to delivering devolution, which offers significant opportunities to drive growth, attract investment, and create prosperity for our communities.