Gloucestershire County Council and the county's six district councils will be amalgamated into a single unitary authority as part of a shake-up of local government across England.
The decision on the future of Gloucestershire's local government was announced by the secretary of state for housing, communities and local government in the House of Commons on Thursday 16 July 2026.
The government has said the single unitary option for Gloucestershire best met the criteria, particularly in three respects: that it provides a sensible geography for economic growth and housing, it is easier to deliver joined up public services, and a good platform for community empowerment.
Set to come into effect in April 2028, elections for a 'shadow authority' that will make key decisions relating to the creation of the new council will be held in May next year.
Three options for the reorganisation of Gloucestershire were submitted to the government in November 2025 following a period of consultation between the councils, in response to the government announcement in December 2024 that England's two-tier council system would be restructured.
They consisted of a single unitary authority covering the whole of Gloucestershire; two unitaries, covering Cheltenham, Tewkesbury and the Cotswolds in the east and Gloucester, Forest of Dean and Stroud in the west; and another plan for two unitaries, one being an enlarged Gloucester city referred to as ‘Greater Gloucester’ and one covering the remainder of the county.
The decision this July 2026 will be welcomed by Gloucestershire County Council, Cotswold District Council, Stroud District Council and Tewkesbury Borough Council, all of which backed the single unitary option.
Cheltenham Borough Council backed the two unitaries option, Forest of Dean District Council voted against reorganisation altogether, and Gloucester City Council was behind the Greater Gloucester, 'doughnut' option.
At the proposal stage, it was estimated that the single council option would save around £21 million per year, with £164 million in net savings over the next 10 years; while two unitary councils would save around £11 million a year, with more than £55 million saved in 10 years.
A joint statement from the seven councils following the announcement said: 'While our councils adopted their own position regarding the best future structure of local government in Gloucestershire, we are united in our commitment to the people and communities we serve.
'Our shared priority has always been to ensure that residents and businesses continue to receive the services they rely on, and that those services are delivered to the very highest standard.
'We recognise that while this decision brings a degree of clarity about the future of local government in Gloucestershire, it will also raise further questions that we are not yet able to answer.'
The statement added that throughout the process, the councils will keep residents, staff and partners fully informed and will share more information as it becomes available.
