Gloucestershire's single unitary authority set to come into being in 2028 will be named Gloucestershire Council – while the current number of district and county councillors will decrease by almost two thirds.
The government announced last week that Gloucestershire would have one unitary council – amalgamating Gloucestershire County Council and its six district, borough and city councils – under its restructuring of local government in England.
Now, new detail about the next steps for the authority has been revealed in a letter from government.
Along with the new name, it has been confirmed that the new Gloucestershire Council will have 110 councillors – a drop from the 295 which currently represent the county's district and county councils.
Additionally, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has set out next steps for Gloucestershire's Structural Change Order – the legislation that will establish the new council.
A joint committee, with elected-member representation from all of Gloucestershire’s existing councils, will be established to oversee preparations for the new authority, comprising 12 councillors, six from Gloucestershire County Council and one from each of the district, borough and city councils.
The implementation programme will be supported by a team of officers from every council, led by Jo Walker, chief executive of Gloucestershire County Council, who has been appointed senior responsible officer for the transition.
The councils submitted representations to government on key parts of the order in June 2026, including the proposed name, number of councillors, senior responsible officer and implementation arrangements.
And elections for a new shadow authority – which will prepare for the council's April 2028 launch including setting budgets, policies and governance arrangements – will take place in May 2027, replacing any other elections that would otherwise have taken place for the existing councils.
Other details, including the the new council's ward boundaries and arrangements for parish council elections, will be considered 'in the coming weeks'.
Jo Walker said: 'Confirmation of the name Gloucestershire Council is a small but very significant moment in this process, following the representations made by most councils in June.
'A great deal of work now lies ahead to bring services from seven councils together and ensure a smooth transition. For now, nothing changes; all seven existing councils continue to deliver services as normal.
'Meanwhile behind-the-scenes, officers across all seven councils will continue to focus on developing proposals and laying the groundwork to build a new, modern, community focused organisation. The aim is to deliver more joined up local services, making it easier for people to understand how they access support and engage with their council.
'This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to shape local government in Gloucestershire. We will continue to work closely with councillors, staff, partners, residents and communities, keeping them informed and involved, as we prepare for the launch of Gloucestershire Council in 2028.'
