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

To ask His Majesty's Government what guidance has been issued to the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England on the formation of interim warding arrangements as part of the local government reorganisation process.

The Local Government Boundary Commission for England is the independent body responsible for setting electoral arrangements for councils. However, it cannot undertake an electoral review until a new council has been established in law. Where a proposal is implemented, councils are asked to suggest interim electoral arrangements for inclusion in the legislation establishing the new authority. Neither councils nor Ministers have the power to draw new electoral boundaries through this process. Instead, interim arrangements must be based on existing electoral areas, including district wards, county divisions, parishes and parish wards. Councils are expected to have regard to the Commission's published guidance when developing their suggestions, and the Commission offered support to councils undertaking this work earlier in the year.

On 7 September 2026, the Secretary of State announced that implementation of local government reorganisation decisions would be paused in a number of areas while the Government considers next steps for the programme. Proposals for local government reorganisation in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, where no decision has yet been taken, will also be considered as part of that process.

The Secretary of State also set out the expectation that elections scheduled for May 2027 will proceed for existing councils. In light of that position and the review, the Government is not currently progressing work on interim warding arrangements and will set out any future requirements relating to local government reorganisation following consideration of these matters.