A single unitary authority covering the entire county has been chosen as Gloucestershire County Council's preferred option for the reorganisation of Gloucestershire's local government.
Gloucestershire's six district councils are also in the midst of voting on their preferred options, with proposals needing to be submitted to the government by next Friday 28 November 2025.
The county council's cabinet voted to submit a proposal for a single unitary at a meeting on Wednesday 19 November 2025, following a non-binding vote taken at full council the week before, where 38 councillors voted in favour.
Councillors were voting on two options – one unitary for the whole of Gloucestershire; and two unitaries, splitting the county east and west – which have been developed collaboratively by the seven councils.
The council says the business case for a third proposal – a Greater Gloucester unitary and another for the remainder of Gloucestershire, dubbed the 'doughnut' – that's been developed by Gloucester City Council was submitted 'too late' for the county authority to consider it as an option.
Leader of the county council, Lisa Spivey, said: 'This is a significant step towards modernising local government in Gloucestershire to bring long-term benefits for our communities. We welcomed the collaboration with other local councils and look forward to continuing our work together for the good of the county.
'The request to reorganise has come from government at a time where local councils are under immense pressure. However, we are committed to creating a structure that delivers better value for money and stronger services for residents. We recognise this is a major change, but our focus remains on supporting residents and ensuring this transition is as smooth as possible.'
Elsewhere, Cheltenham Borough Council voted overwhelmingly in favour of two unitary councils – one covering Cheltenham, the Cotswolds and Tewkesbury and another for Gloucester, Stroud and the Forest of Dean – believing it is the best option for delivering targeted governance and investment, maintaining local identity and ensuring long-term resilience, according to local democracy reporter Carmelo Garcia.
Tewkesbury Borough Council also backed the single unitary option this week, with council leader Richard Stanley saying the best way to protect services and deliver value for taxpayers is to keep current services intact.
The single unitary option was also backed by Stroud District Council, while Gloucester City Council has selected its Greater Gloucester proposal as its preferred option.
Forest of Dean District Council has voted against reorganisation altogether, with councillors feeling an adequate case for unitarisation has not been made and that the voices of local people will not be heard under any of the proposed options.
And Cotswold District Council is set to debate the proposals at a meeting on Wednesday 26 November 2025.
