LGR: Legal services

This presentation by MHCLG explains the legislative context of Structural Changes Orders (SCOs), as well as explaining the key features of this legislation. This includes transitional governance arrangements, electoral arrangements, timelines, and geographies. The presentation then covers expected timelines of the legislation, as expected in August 2025. 

Slide 2: Introduction 
Slide 3: Legislative context – powers 
Slide 4: Generic and area specific Orders 
Slide 5: SCOs: the bones 
Slide 6: Geography - models of reorganisation 
Slide 7: Implementation bodies – members 
Slide 8: Implementation bodies – new councils 
Slide 9: Implementation bodies – officers 
Slides 10-11: Implementation / transitional function 
Slide 12: Electoral arrangements 
Slides 13-14: Legislation timeline and what to expect 
Slide 15: Indicative timeline 

This article by Anthony Collins Solicitors explains that Structural Changes Orders (SCOs) are statutory instruments used by the Secretary of State to legally implement local government reorganisation, such as abolishing existing councils and creating new unitary authorities. SCOs typically contain information about electoral arrangements, transfer of functions, property and liabilities, and the establishment of shadow councils or joint committees to manage the transition. 

• what does an SCO do?
• local authority involvement in the preparation of the SCO
• what can local authorities do now? 

This article outlines issues for legal teams to consider around LGR, procurement and contracts, looking at what councils can do to mitigate potential risks and take advantage of opportunities.  

• the statutory process
• opportunities, risks and challenges
• engaging with procurement teams
• drafting tender and contract provisions
• corporate actions. 

This article considers ongoing responsibility for historic liabilities, noting that when councils merge, dissolve or are replaced by new authorities, their legal obligations do not disappear. If responsibility for those liabilities is not clearly identified at the point of reorganisation, successor bodies may inherit significant financial and legal exposure with little warning.  

• the persistence of longtail risk
• uncertainty breeds despite – and cost
• restructuring pressures and missed priorities
• the legal consequence of change
• a narrowing window of opportunity
• governance beyond the political cycle. 

This webinar shares reflections and experiential insights from councillors who have been through LGR. It centres on the process of developing business cases, leading transitions, dealing with challenges and the lessons councillors learned. 

0:28 – Opening & context 
2:02 – LGR rationale & ministerial stance 
3:47 – Case study: Northamptonshire (Cllr Jim Hakewill) 
11:37 – LGR explainer (what and who; scale and timelines intro) 
15:15 – Process & legal architecture from proposals through to vesting day 
20:41 – Enablers and support (leadership, data/IT, workforce, relationships; LGA help) 
26:31 – Case study: Somerset (Cllr Liz Leyshon) – background, vesting, finance, Section 24, what worked and lessons learned 
48:44 – Q&A themes and wrap up. 

This legislation abolishes the existing councils of Bournemouth, Christchurch, Poole and the former Dorset districts and Dorset County Council, and creates two new unitary authorities from 1 April 2019: (1) Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council; and (2) Dorset Council. It also sets out transitional arrangements governance arrangements, which in this case was two shadow authorities, as well as detailed provisions for elections, assets, liabilities and staffing during the move to the new single‑tier structures. 

The explanatory memorandum explains the purpose of the Order in more detail. 

This legislation abolishes Buckinghamshire County Council and the four district councils – Aylesbury Vale, Chiltern, South Bucks and Wycombe – and replaces them with a single unitary authority, Buckinghamshire Council, from 1 April 2020. It also provides for the necessary transitional and preparatory arrangements, including shadow authority functions, and sets out provisions for elections, governance, assets, liabilities and staffing to support the move to the new single‑tier structure. 

The explanatory memorandum explains the purpose of the Order in more detail. 

This legislation abolishes Cumbria County Council and the six district councils of Allerdale, Barrow‑in‑Furness, Carlisle, Copeland, Eden and South Lakeland, and replaces them with two new unitary authorities from 1 April 2023: (1) Cumberland Council and (2) Westmorland and Furness Council. It also sets out the full transitional framework, including shadow authorities, elections, governance, assets, liabilities and staffing arrangements to support the move to the new single‑tier structures. 

The explanatory memorandum explains the purpose of the Order in more detail. 

This legislation abolishes Northamptonshire County Council and the seven district and borough councils of Daventry, East Northamptonshire, Kettering, Northampton, South Northamptonshire, Corby and Wellingborough, and replaces them from 1 April 2021 with two new unitary authorities: (1) North Northamptonshire Council and (2) West Northamptonshire Council. It also establishes transitional and shadow arrangements, including provisions for elections, governance, assets, liabilities and staffing to support the move to the new single‑tier structures. 

The explanatory memorandum explains the purpose of the Order in more detail. 

This legislation abolishes the seven district councils of Craven, Hambleton, Harrogate, Richmondshire, Ryedale, Scarborough and Selby, and creates a single new unitary authority for North Yorkshire from 1 April 2023. Here, a continuing authority (preparing council) model is employed. The Order also establishes transitional arrangements, as well as information on elections in 2022, provisions for assets, liabilities, staffing and implementation. 

The explanatory memorandum explains the purpose of the Order in more detail. 

This legislation abolishes the four district councils of Mendip, Sedgemoor, Somerset West and Taunton, and South Somerset, and establishes a single unitary Somerset Council from 1 April 2023. Here, a continuing authority (preparing council) model is employed. It also sets out transitional governance arrangements, as well as information on the 2022 elections, provisions for implementation planning, assets, liabilities, staffing and other steps needed to support the move to a single‑tier structure.