Programme Status — June 2026
What Each Milestone Reveals
March 2026 — Consultation deadline (non-DPP): The close of statutory consultation on 26 March 2026 for 14 areas locked in the set of proposals under consideration. No new proposals can be submitted. This defines the outer boundary of possible new authority shapes.
May 2026 — Surrey shadow elections: The election of shadow councillors on 7 May 2026 is the first moment at which a new political leadership exists with authority to make technology and procurement decisions for the new unitary.
~July 2026 — Non-DPP decisions: When MHCLG announces decisions for the 14 remaining areas, the full map of new councils across England will be known for the first time. This triggers procurement planning in all 14 areas simultaneously.
6 May 2027 — Wave 2 shadow elections: All non-Surrey areas elect shadow councils. From this point, newly elected shadow councillors hold procurement authority for transition decisions.
1 April 2027 / 1 April 2028 — Vesting Days: Legal go-live. All systems must be operational. Technology decisions made before vesting day cannot easily be reversed.
Legal Framework
Constitutional BasisCompleted Milestones
Feb 2025 → Jun 2026Upcoming Milestones
Jul 2026 → Apr 2028| New Council | Constituent Councils | Lead/Anchor | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Surrey Council | Epsom & Ewell, Mole Valley, Reigate & Banstead, Tandridge, part of Surrey CC | TBC — shadow authority elected | ~500,000 |
| West Surrey Council | Elmbridge, Guildford, Runnymede, Spelthorne, Surrey Heath, Waverley, Woking, part of Surrey CC | West Surrey Shadow Authority (Cllr Paul Follows) | ~700,000 |
Status: Most advanced area in the programme. Shadow authority active and making procurement decisions now. Woking Borough Council's £500m unsupported debt to be repaid in-principle by government in 2026-27.
| New Council | Constituent Councils | Population | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Essex Council | Epping Forest, Harlow, Uttlesford | ~331,000 | Harlow as urban anchor |
| North East Essex Council | Braintree, Colchester, Tendring | ~521,000 | Colchester as urban anchor |
| Mid Essex Council | Brentwood, Chelmsford, Maldon | ~337,000 | Chelmsford as urban anchor |
| South West Essex Council | Basildon, Thurrock | ~375,000 | Thurrock debt £200m repayment |
| South East Essex Council | Castle Point, Rochford, Southend-on-Sea | ~366,000 | Southend as urban anchor |
| New Council | Constituent Councils | Population | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Hampshire Council | Basingstoke & Deane, Hart, Rushmoor | ~402,000 | Basingstoke as anchor |
| Mid Hampshire Council | East Hampshire, New Forest, Test Valley, Winchester (less 11 parishes) | ~500,000 | Winchester as anchor |
| South East Hampshire Council | Fareham, Gosport, Havant, Portsmouth + 4 parishes | ~500,000 | Portsmouth as anchor |
| South West Hampshire Council | Eastleigh, Southampton + 7 parishes | ~487,000 | Southampton as anchor |
| Isle of Wight Council | Remains unchanged as standalone unitary | — | No change |
| New Council | Constituent Councils |
|---|---|
| West Norfolk Council | Breckland, King's Lynn & West Norfolk, 9 South Norfolk parishes |
| Greater Norwich Council | Norwich City, 19 Broadland parishes, 16 South Norfolk parishes |
| East Norfolk Council | Broadland (less 19), Great Yarmouth, North Norfolk, South Norfolk (less 25) |
| New Council | Constituent Councils |
|---|---|
| Western Suffolk Council | West Suffolk, 21 Mid Suffolk parishes, Babergh (less 31 parishes) |
| Central & Eastern Suffolk Council | Mid Suffolk (less 29), East Suffolk (less 25) |
| Ipswich & South Suffolk Council | Ipswich BC, 31 Babergh parishes, 8 Mid Suffolk, 25 East Suffolk parishes |
Secretary of State stated on 25 March 2026: "I have not yet made a decision, due to concerns regarding all four of the proposals I received." A modified 4-unitary option is being consulted.
| Proposed New Council | Constituent Councils | Population | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brighton & Hove (expanded) | Brighton & Hove + 4 Lewes wards/1 parish | ~308,000 | Under consultation |
| East Sussex Unitary | Eastbourne, Hastings, Rother, Wealden, Lewes (less transferred wards) | ~537,000 | Under consultation |
| West Sussex North & East | Chichester, Crawley, Horsham, Mid Sussex | ~566,000 | Under consultation |
| West Sussex Coastal | Adur, Arun, Worthing | TBC | Under consultation |
| Area | Councils | Proposed Structure | Key Competing Options | Vesting | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hertfordshire | 11 | 2, 3 or 4 unitaries | Option A: West/East (2). Option B: West/Central/East (3). Option C: 4 unitaries. All 11 councils jointly submitted but no single preferred option. | Apr 2028 | Medium |
| Kent & Medway | 14 | 3 or 4 unitaries likely | Kent CC proposed single unitary with assemblies. Districts proposed 3–4 unitaries. North/East/West geographic split most likely. | Apr 2028 | Medium |
| Leicestershire | 10 | Single county unitary; Leicester City & Rutland unchanged | Leicestershire CC backed single county unitary. Leicester City backed separate arrangement. Rutland likely to remain standalone. | Apr 2028 | Medium |
| Lincolnshire | 10 | 3 unitaries (voted 29-1) | Strong consensus: North/NE Lincs; West Lindsey/East Lindsey/Lincoln/Boston; North Kesteven/South Kesteven/South Holland. | Apr 2028 | High |
| Staffordshire | 10 | 2 competing options — no consensus | Option 1: County unitary + Stoke standalone. Option 2: North Staffs (Newcastle, Moorlands, Stoke) + South Staffs unitary. Government will choose. | Apr 2028 | Low |
| Derbyshire | 10 | Derbyshire county unitary + Derby City unchanged | Derbyshire CC proposed single county unitary. Derby City to remain as existing unitary. | Apr 2028 | Medium |
| Nottinghamshire | 9 | Option C (voted 44-10): Notts county unitary + Nottingham City standalone | Option C had strongest council support. Options 1b and 1e also submitted. | Apr 2028 | Medium |
| Cambridgeshire | 7 | TBC — Peterborough likely unchanged | Multiple options. Mayoral CCA already established. Further analysis needed. | Apr 2028 | Low |
| Gloucestershire | 7 | 1, 2 or 3 unitaries (contested) | Single unitary; East/West split (Cheltenham/Cotswold/Tewkesbury vs Gloucester/Forest of Dean/Stroud); Greater Gloucester model. No consensus. | Apr 2028 | Low |
| Oxfordshire | 6 | 2 or 3 unitaries | Oxford City proposed 3 unitaries incl. Greater Oxford. Districts proposed 2. West Berkshire cross-county inclusion unusual. | Apr 2028 | Medium |
| Warwickshire | 6 | Single unitary (CC + Rugby backed) or N/S split | Warwickshire CC voted Oct 2025 for single unitary. Lib Dems proposed N/S split. | Apr 2028 | Medium |
| Devon | 11 | 3 unitaries — "1-4-5 plan" | Plymouth standalone + South Devon/Torbay + North/East/Mid Devon/Exeter. Plymouth and Torbay remain as existing unitaries in some proposals. | Apr 2028 | Medium |
| Lancashire | 15 | TBC — most councils signed only joint letter | Single Lancashire unitary proposed by some. Blackpool and Blackburn with Darwen likely to remain as existing unitaries. Multiple options possible. | Apr 2028 | Low |
| Worcestershire | 7 | Single unitary most likely (~600k pop) | Worcestershire CC leading process. All councils collaborating. Single or 2 unitaries both possible. | Apr 2028 | Low |
South East England
4 areasSurrey Wave 1 — Confirmed
Split roughly east/west. East Surrey covers the M25 corridor (Epsom, Reigate, Tandridge, Mole Valley). West Surrey covers western and northern districts (Guildford, Waverley, Woking, Elmbridge, Runnymede, Spelthorne, Surrey Heath). Boundary broadly follows the A3/A24 corridor.
East Sussex & Brighton Deferred
Modified proposal creates expanded Brighton & Hove (absorbing 4 Lewes wards on the coastal strip). Remaining East Sussex unitary covers Eastbourne, Hastings, Rother, Wealden and bulk of Lewes DC. South Downs National Park boundary acts as natural dividing line.
West Sussex Deferred
Modified proposal splits West Sussex into a northern/inland unitary (Chichester, Crawley, Horsham, Mid Sussex — A23/M23 corridor) and a coastal unitary (Adur, Arun, Worthing — the coastal strip west of Brighton).
Kent & Medway Pending ~Jul 2026
England's largest county by district count (13 districts + Medway). Most proposals divide into 3–4 unitaries: North Kent (Thames Estuary); East Kent (coastal); West Kent (Maidstone, Sevenoaks, Tonbridge, Tunbridge Wells).
South West England
3 areasHampshire & Solent Wave 2 — Confirmed
Divided into 4 mainland unitaries following major urban centres and transport corridors. North Hampshire (M3/A30 corridor); Mid Hampshire (rural centre); South East Hampshire (Solent coast — Portsmouth); South West Hampshire (Southampton conurbation). Isle of Wight remains separate.
Devon, Plymouth & Torbay Pending ~Jul 2026
"1-4-5 plan" retains Plymouth City as standalone. Southern unitary groups South Hams, Teignbridge, West Devon and Torbay. Northern unitary groups East Devon, Exeter, Mid Devon, North Devon and Torridge.
Gloucestershire Pending ~Jul 2026
Contested East/West split follows the River Severn as a natural boundary. West: Gloucester City, Forest of Dean, Stroud. East: Cheltenham, Cotswold, Tewkesbury. No consensus — government will impose a decision.
West Midlands / Central
2 areasStaffordshire & Stoke-on-Trent Pending ~Jul 2026
Two competing options. Option 1: Staffordshire county unitary + Stoke-on-Trent standalone. Option 2: North Staffordshire unitary (Newcastle-under-Lyme, Moorlands, Stoke) + South Staffordshire unitary. No council consensus.
Warwickshire Pending ~Jul 2026
Single unitary follows existing Warwickshire CC boundary (5 districts, pop ~600k). North/South split would divide at roughly the M40/A46 corridor.
East of England
3 areasGreater Essex Wave 2 — Confirmed
Essex CC's county boundary (plus Southend and Thurrock unitaries) divided into 5 unitaries anchored on urban centres. Thames Estuary (Basildon/Thurrock); Chelmsford central; Colchester/Tendring north-east; Harlow/Epping west; Southend/Rochford/Castle Point south-east coast.
Norfolk Wave 2 — Confirmed
Divided into 3 unitaries. West Norfolk covers the agricultural west. Greater Norwich covers the city and its immediate hinterland. East Norfolk covers the Broads, coast and market towns.
Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Pending ~Jul 2026
Peterborough City Council is an existing unitary likely to remain so. Cambridge City and South Cambridgeshire are closely linked. Mayoral CCA already established complicates the picture.
East Midlands
4 areasSuffolk Wave 2 — Confirmed
Divided into 3 unitaries. Western Suffolk groups West Suffolk with rural Mid Suffolk and most of Babergh. Central & Eastern Suffolk covers the rural heartland. Ipswich & South Suffolk creates an expanded Ipswich city-region.
Nottinghamshire & Nottingham Pending ~Jul 2026
Option C (voted 44-10) creates Nottingham City as standalone unitary and a Nottinghamshire county unitary covering all 8 districts.
Leicestershire, Leicester & Rutland Pending ~Jul 2026
Leicester City and Rutland are existing unitaries likely to remain unchanged. Leicestershire CC's county area (7 districts) would become a single county unitary.
Derbyshire & Derby Pending ~Jul 2026
Derby City is an existing unitary likely to remain unchanged. Derbyshire CC's county area (8 districts) would become a single county unitary covering a large geographic area from the Peak District to the M1 corridor.
South Central & North West
4 areasOxfordshire Pending ~Jul 2026
3-unitary option: Greater Oxford (Oxford City expanded); Northern Oxfordshire (Cherwell and West Oxfordshire — M40 corridor); Ridgeway (South Oxfordshire, Vale of White Horse, and West Berkshire — Thames Valley).
Lincolnshire (Greater) Pending ~Jul 2026
Strong consensus (29-1 vote) for 3 unitaries: North Lincolnshire/North East Lincolnshire (Humber estuary); West Lindsey/East Lindsey/Lincoln/Boston (central); North Kesteven/South Kesteven/South Holland (southern).
Worcestershire Pending ~Jul 2026
Worcestershire CC's county boundary (6 districts, pop ~600k) is a natural single unitary. All councils collaborating on proposals. Worcester City as anchor.
Lancashire, Blackburn & Blackpool Pending ~Jul 2026
Most complex area — 15 councils including 2 existing unitaries (Blackburn with Darwen, Blackpool). Possible configurations: single Lancashire unitary (pop ~1.5m); 2 unitaries (North/South); 3 unitaries.
| Region | Area | Proposed Unitary Name(s) | Constituent Councils | Lead / Anchor Authority | Status | Key Milestone | Vesting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South East | Surrey | East Surrey Council; West Surrey Council | Surrey CC + 11 boroughs/districts | West Surrey Shadow Authority (Cllr Paul Follows) | Wave 1 ✓ | SCO signed 9 Mar 2026; Elections 7 May 2026 | 1 Apr 2027 |
| East | Essex | West Essex; NE Essex; Mid Essex; SW Essex; SE Essex | Essex CC + 12 districts + Southend + Thurrock | Essex CC (MCCA host); TBC per new unitary | Confirmed ✓ | HCWS1455, 25 Mar 2026; MCCA live 1 Apr 2026 | 1 Apr 2028 |
| South East | Hampshire | N. Hampshire; Mid Hampshire; SE Hampshire; SW Hampshire; IoW (unchanged) | Hampshire CC + 11 districts + Portsmouth + Southampton + IoW | TBC per new unitary | Confirmed ✓ | HCWS1455, 25 Mar 2026 (Option 1A) | 1 Apr 2028 |
| East | Norfolk | West Norfolk; Greater Norwich; East Norfolk | Norfolk CC + 7 districts | TBC per new unitary | Confirmed ✓ | HCWS1455, 25 Mar 2026; legal challenge threatened | 1 Apr 2028 |
| East | Suffolk | Western Suffolk; Central & Eastern Suffolk; Ipswich & South Suffolk | Suffolk CC + 5 districts | TBC per new unitary | Confirmed ✓ | HCWS1455, 25 Mar 2026; legal challenge threatened | 1 Apr 2028 |
| South East | Sussex | Brighton & Hove (exp.); East Sussex; W. Sussex N&E; W. Sussex Coastal | East Sussex CC + 5 districts + Brighton & Hove + West Sussex CC + 7 districts | TBC — decision pending | Deferred ⏸ | 2nd consultation closed 15 Jun 2026; decision summer 2026 | 1 Apr 2028 |
| East | Hertfordshire | 2, 3 or 4 unitaries (TBC) | Hertfordshire CC + 10 districts | TBC — government to select from 3 options | Pending ⏳ | Decision ~July 2026 | 1 Apr 2028 |
| South East | Kent & Medway | 3 or 4 unitaries (TBC) | Kent CC + 12 districts + Medway | TBC — Kent CC or Medway most likely anchor | Pending ⏳ | Decision ~July 2026 | 1 Apr 2028 |
| East Midlands | Leicestershire | Leicestershire Unitary; Leicester City (unchanged); Rutland (unchanged) | Leicestershire CC + 7 districts | Leicestershire CC | Pending ⏳ | Decision ~July 2026 | 1 Apr 2028 |
| East Midlands | Lincolnshire | 3 unitaries (29-1 vote) | Lincolnshire CC + 7 districts + N. Lincs + NE Lincs | Lincolnshire CC | Pending ⏳ | Decision ~July 2026 | 1 Apr 2028 |
| West Midlands | Staffordshire | County unitary + Stoke standalone OR N. Staffs + S. Staffs | Staffordshire CC + 8 districts + Stoke-on-Trent | TBC — no council consensus | Pending ⏳ | Decision ~July 2026 | 1 Apr 2028 |
| East Midlands | Derbyshire | Derbyshire Unitary + Derby City (unchanged) | Derbyshire CC + 8 districts | Derbyshire CC | Pending ⏳ | Decision ~July 2026 | 1 Apr 2028 |
| East Midlands | Nottinghamshire | Nottinghamshire Unitary + Nottingham City (unchanged) | Nottinghamshire CC + 8 districts | Nottinghamshire CC | Pending ⏳ | Decision ~July 2026 | 1 Apr 2028 |
| East | Cambridgeshire | TBC — Peterborough likely unchanged | Cambridgeshire CC + 5 districts + Peterborough | TBC | Pending ⏳ | Decision ~July 2026 | 1 Apr 2028 |
| South West | Gloucestershire | 1, 2 or 3 unitaries (contested) | Gloucestershire CC + 6 districts | TBC — no unanimity | Pending ⏳ | Decision ~July 2026 | 1 Apr 2028 |
| South Central | Oxfordshire | Greater Oxford; N. Oxfordshire; Ridgeway (incl. W. Berkshire) | Oxfordshire CC + 5 districts (+ W. Berkshire cross-county) | TBC — Oxford City or Oxfordshire CC | Pending ⏳ | Decision ~July 2026 | 1 Apr 2028 |
| West Midlands | Warwickshire | Single Warwickshire Unitary OR N/S split | Warwickshire CC + 5 districts | Warwickshire CC | Pending ⏳ | Decision ~July 2026 | 1 Apr 2028 |
| South West | Devon | Plymouth (unchanged); S. Devon/Torbay; N/E Devon/Exeter | Devon CC + 8 districts + Plymouth + Torbay | TBC — Devon CC or Plymouth | Pending ⏳ | Decision ~July 2026 | 1 Apr 2028 |
| North West | Lancashire | TBC — 1, 2 or 3 unitaries | Lancashire CC + 12 districts + Blackburn + Blackpool | TBC — Lancashire CC most likely anchor | Pending ⏳ | Decision ~July 2026 | 1 Apr 2028 |
| West Midlands | Worcestershire | Single Worcestershire Unitary (most likely) | Worcestershire CC + 6 districts | Worcestershire CC | Pending ⏳ | Decision ~July 2026 | 1 Apr 2028 |
| Finding / Data Point | Confidence | Basis | Caveat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surrey structure (2 unitaries), names, vesting date | High ✓ | Surrey (Structural Changes) Order 2026, signed 9 Mar 2026 | None — legally confirmed |
| Surrey shadow elections completed 7 May 2026 | High ✓ | LGA, House of Commons Library, GOV.UK | None |
| Essex — 5 unitaries confirmed (names, boundaries) | High ✓ | HCWS1455, 25 Mar 2026; MHCLG decision letters | Legal challenge threatened — could delay SCO |
| Hampshire — 5 unitaries confirmed (Option 1A) | High ✓ | HCWS1455, 25 Mar 2026; East Hampshire DC confirmation | Legal challenge threatened |
| Norfolk — 3 unitaries confirmed (names, boundaries) | High ✓ | HCWS1455, 25 Mar 2026; House of Commons Library maps | Legal challenge threatened; MCCA consent withdrawn by Norfolk CC leader |
| Suffolk — 3 unitaries confirmed (names, boundaries) | High ✓ | HCWS1455, 25 Mar 2026; SLCC confirmation | Legal challenge threatened |
| Sussex deferred — 2nd consultation launched | High ✓ | HCWS1455, 25 Mar 2026; Horsham DC, Chichester DC, LGC | Decision expected summer 2026 — structure not yet confirmed |
| Sussex 2nd consultation closed 15 June 2026 | High ✓ | Horsham DC, Local Government Lawyer (12 May 2026) | Decision still pending |
| Non-DPP decisions expected ~July 2026 | Medium | Kent ALC, JobsGoPublic tracker, LGA FAQs | MHCLG has not formally announced a date — "July" is an estimate |
| Lincolnshire — 3 unitaries (29-1 vote) | Medium | Internal dataset; Lincolnshire Live | Government may modify; not yet ministerially confirmed |
| Nottinghamshire — Option C (Notts + Nottingham standalone) | Medium | Internal dataset; 44-10 council vote | Government may select different option |
| Warwickshire — single unitary (CC + Rugby backed) | Medium | Wikipedia LGR tracker; Warwickshire CC Oct 2025 vote | Lib Dem N/S split proposal also submitted |
| Hertfordshire — 2/3/4 unitaries (no single unitary) | Medium | North Herts DC; Wikipedia LGR tracker; all 11 councils agreed | Government will choose between 3 options — outcome uncertain |
| Staffordshire — 2 competing options (no consensus) | Low | Internal dataset; Stoke Sentinel | No council agreement — government will impose decision |
| Gloucestershire — contested (no unanimity) | Low | Internal dataset; LGC; Tewkesbury BC report | Three competing models — outcome highly uncertain |
| Lancashire — structure TBC | Low | Internal dataset; BBC; Blackpool Gazette | Most councils have not expressed public preferences — most uncertain area |
| Cambridgeshire — structure TBC | Low | Internal dataset; Peterborough City Council | Mayoral CCA complicates picture; further analysis needed |
| Lead authority identities (non-DPP areas) | Low | Structural logic only | Not formally designated for any non-DPP area as of June 2026 |
| Legal challenge outcomes | Low | Institute for Government; LGiU; Guardian | Challenges threatened but not yet formally filed in most cases |
Sources & Methodology
Primary sources: MHCLG Written Ministerial Statement HCWS1455 (25 March 2026); Surrey (Structural Changes) Order 2026 (9 March 2026); GOV.UK LGR Policy & Programme Updates collection; House of Commons Library Research Briefing CBP-10494 (updated June 2026); House of Commons Library CBP-10608 (proposed unitary authority maps, March 2026).
Secondary sources: Institute for Government DPP explainer (updated May 2026); LGA LGR FAQs; JobsGoPublic LGR timeline tracker; Kent ALC devolution page; Wikipedia LGR tracker (updated June 2026); Local Government Chronicle; Local Government Lawyer; Horsham DC, Chichester DC, East Hampshire DC, North Herts DC council pages.
Internal sources: Access PaySuite Unitary Campaign dataset (189 rows, 21 areas); Finance Systems dataset (289 rows); New Prospects dataset (202 rows); Vesting Information dataset. All accessed June 2026.