North Kesteven District Council has pledged to continue to work with ministers as they take time now to consider how best local government reorganisation should move forwards in Greater Lincolnshire.

The Labour Government announced on October 29 that it is withdrawing the chosen model for reorganisation for the area announced over the summer, along with those in eight other areas across the country, to allow ministers more time to consider it and all of the options on the table. In July it was announced that the current two-tier district and county council arrangements would end from April 1, 2028, and for North Kesteven the district would be split across an expanded Lincoln council area and a second council area covering the rest of Lincolnshire. This is the proposal now withdrawn following the announcement by Minister for Local Government, Devolution and Regional Growth Jim McMahon.

The Government says it is minded to go ahead with reorganisation in five areas: East Sussex and Brighton and Hove, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Warwickshire and Worcestershire. There will be a period of at least three weeks for further representations before final decisions are taken.

For all remaining areas in the programme, ministers will now take time to consider the best way forward. That’s 15 areas in total including the nine areas which had reorganisation paused in September and now have had their decisions withdrawn, including Lincolnshire.

placeholder image — NKDC offices, Sleaford.

It’s expected that the outcome of those further considerations will be announced in early 2027. Until then, it’s said by Government that all previously submitted options ‘remain on the table’ to be considered by ministers during this time including the proposals previously submitted jointly by North Kesteven District Council and South Kesteven District Council.

It does mean that elections for any new shadow unitary authorities are expected to be in May 2028, with the earliest vesting day being April 2029.

This is a one-year delay, and means that North Kesteven District Council is now expected to remain in place as a council until April 2029.

In a further update since the latest announcement, North Kesteven District Council Leader Councillor Richard Wright said: “The chosen model was, we felt, the most disappointing of all the possible outcomes for North Kesteven, given that it sees our district split between two new unitary authorities, and so we welcome the fact that all previously submitted proposals are on the table once again as ministers take this time to consider the best way forward for reorganisation in Greater Lincolnshire.

“We will be on hand and engage fully with ministers through this period, as we have done throughout the process of local government reorganisation so far, as well as continuing our focus on ensuring the continuity of high-quality services both in our current form and for the new emerging structure.

“Government has reiterated its ongoing commitment to reorganisation and so, as a community-focused council, we remain committed to ensuring a seamless transition to a new unitary structure for everyone in North Kesteven.”

As part of the announcement the Government has said it is happy with the criteria that was set out when inviting proposals. It follows a pause announced in September, with Angela Rayner the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, saying the government had new legal advice and they wanted to make sure that the reorganisation met the new administration's priorities. Local government reorganisation will see all council services – from bin collections, planning and leisure, to highways, children’s services and social care – delivered by fewer, bigger, unitary councils serving areas much larger than the current districts.