Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of local government reorganisation since 2009.

As set out in the answer to Question UIN 32149 on 3 March 2025, we set out in the English Devolution White Paper that we will learn from the experience and successes of others who have been through the local government reorganisation process.

We welcome the partnership approach that is being taken across the sector to respond to the ambitious plans set out in the White Paper, including sharing expertise on delivering reorganisation effectively given each area’s unique circumstances. For example, unitarisation has helped North Yorkshire Council, established in April 2023 to manage financial pressures through structural changes and service transformation which are expected to achieve more than £40 million in savings by March 2026.