Nottingham City Council has published its Local Government Reorganisation boundary review proposal – known currently as 1Bii – ahead of a discussion at Executive Board next Tuesday (25 November).
The proposal responds to the government’s criteria, but also directly responds to feedback from our residents, partners and businesses, and creates a unique footprint that focusses service delivery of one unitary authority on an urban conurbation and a second unitary authority serving the more rural areas to better reflect how our people and businesses live and work and visit.
Read the full proposal here.
Councillor Neghat Khan, Leader of Nottingham City Council said:
“Our current city boundaries no longer reflect the reality of modern Nottingham. While our official population stands at 328,000, more than 750,000 people live within the wider built-up area — many of whom rely on Nottingham’s services and economy every day.
“This proposal is about fairness, efficiency, and a stronger local voice. It responds to all of the criteria set out by government, strongly supports the government’s core missions, and offers councils that are large enough to deliver, yet close enough to listen.
“We have undertaken independent reviews, and comprehensive public engagement exercises. Local MPs, partners, councillors, government-appointed Commissioners to the city and the East Midlands Mayor have all been invited to help shape our proposal.
“The message is clear: people want change that makes sense for the communities they live in, work in, and visit — changes that will serve both unitaries well for the next fifty years. While our boundaries have been built around areas people identify with, they also drive the delivery of services, ensuring the long-term financial health of both unitary councils”
“It is backed by independent analysis and puts forward what we believe to be the best solution for the whole region.”
The decision to launch a local government reorganisation process was taken by central government, who wrote to local authorities in February formally asking them to submit proposals to create new structures of ‘unitary authorities’ – which is a single tier of local government responsible for all local services in an area. The aim is to create more efficient and effective local government, potentially leading to streamlined services and cost savings.
Currently, council services in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire are delivered differently, depending on where you live.
In Nottinghamshire local services are currently delivered under what is known as a ‘two-tier’ council structure. Nottinghamshire County Council oversees county-wide services such as social care, education, and road maintenance. While several smaller district and borough councils are responsible for more localised services, including waste collection, and leisure centres.
Nottingham City Council operates as a ‘unitary authority’, meaning it provides all council services within the city of Nottingham.
Under LGR, all nine existing local authorities would be abolished, to create new unitary councils with a higher population of residents.
It is being proposed that two new unitary councils should be created for Nottingham and Nottinghamshire to replace the current nine.
The council’s Executive Board will discuss the final proposal at its meeting on 25 November, before it is submitted to government by its deadline of 28 November.
Government will then review proposals before making a final decision on the LGR option for Nottingham and Nottinghamshire – as well as other council areas across England – in the Summer of 2026.
More information on Local Government Reorganisation in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire is available online: Nottingham and Nottinghamshire: Reorganising your councils | LGR, including details of proposals being considered by the councils.
ENDS.