Leaders of Gloucestershire’s councils united to welcome the government’s announcement that it is ‘minded to’ confirm a single unitary authority for Gloucestershire before Christmas 2026.
Minister for Local Government, Devolution and Growth Jim McMahon shared the update with council leaders and chief executives on Thursday 29 October 2026.
Following an initial review of the Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) decisions the Government made earlier this year, the minister said that all of the decisions made in July have been withdrawn, and he is working to confirm the single unitary authority for Gloucestershire, committing to taking further representation on the single unitary option before the final decision is made.
He said that in the event the decision is confirmed, elections to the new unitary authority would take place in May 2028, ahead of vesting in April 2029.
Elections to Cotswold District Council, Forest of Dean District Council, and Tewkesbury Borough Council will go ahead on existing boundaries in May 2027.
There was no further update on the status of wider devolution for Gloucestershire – which was also omitted from announcements made during the budget on Wednesday 28 October 2026.
In a joint statement, the leaders of Gloucestershire’s councils, said: ‘We welcome the clarity that this latest update brings.
‘While this announcement provides some additional clarity on timing, we will now need to consider the implications of the extended timetable on the programme of work to deliver a new council for Gloucestershire, and the implications on the seven existing councils.
‘This delay has consequences. Our councils are already facing extremely difficult financial choices. The government must meet the costs of LGR that we are incurring, including costs caused by an extended timeline.
‘We have also been told over the last couple of years that devolution was the prize for going through LGR, yet Gloucestershire was not included in the Government’s Budget announcements yesterday.
‘We cannot allow Gloucestershire to become the forgotten county when it comes to devolution and the benefits it will bring for our residents and businesses, and we will continue to lobby for a devolution deal for our county.’
