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Local Government Reorganisation

North Lincolnshire Council’s proposal

To access the consultation visit the Greater Lincolnshire LGR Hub.

Statutory consultation February 2026

This statutory consultation seeks views on the proposals that the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has received following the Secretary of State’s invitation to councils in Greater Lincolnshire to submit proposals for unitary local government for their areas.

A consultation will take place from Thursday 5 February 2026 and will close midnight Thursday 26 March 2026.

What is Local Government Reorganisation (LGR)?

The government has launched LGR because it says it wants to simplify and improve local council services. As part of this, the government wants to replace all two-tier systems – where services are split between county and district or borough councils – with new unitary councils. It means the county and district councils will no longer exist and brand-new organisations will be created. The government also wants to review some unitary councils, where there is either evidence of failure, or where their size or boundaries may be hindering their ability to deliver sustainable and high-quality public services because government considers them too small.

The Government white paper– external site

Local consultation

During August 2025 we asked people for their views on the future of our council, and they helped to shape our Local Government Proposal that we submitted to government at the end of November 2025. The proposal was formally approved by Cabinet and was endorsed unanimously by all elected members at a Full Council meeting.

The government wants to complete this process by 2028 and has said it will use legislation to ensure progress, if needed. As part of the process all councils have developed and submitted their final proposals. This was done across Greater Lincolnshire including in North and North East Lincolnshire.

Read the North Lincolnshire LGR proposal.

Other proposals made for Greater Lincolnshire

Our Proposal is part of a three-way agreed Proposal with North East Lincolnshire Authority and Lincolnshire County Council, which has an overarching recommendation to keep the existing boundaries of those authority areas. There are three sections of that overall Proposal that detail the ambitions, the visions, and the aspirations of a three unitary authority model going forward. To read the Proposals put forward by other councils in Greater Lincolnshire please visit the GLLGR website.

Frequently asked questions

Why is LGR necessary?

The government has outlined plans in a white paper to move away from the current two-tier system of district and county councils in England.

This affects North Lincolnshire Council, North East Lincolnshire Council and Lincolnshire County Council and the district councils within the area.

What would LGR mean for Greater Lincolnshire?

The shape of a new local government structure in Greater Lincolnshire is yet to be determined.

The government invited all 10 councils in Greater Lincolnshire to submit a proposal for how the councils could reorganise their current structures. The final proposals were submitted to government in November 2025 and there are six proposals covering four different geographical configurations.

At this stage, there is no confirmation of how many councils there will be in the future.

The government has confirmed its intention to undertake a seven-week process for statutory consultation which commenced on Thursday 5 February and will close midnight Thursday 26 March 2026.

What is a unitary council

A unitary council is responsible for all local services in its area. It combines all services currently provided by district councils and county councils into a new organisation. North and North East Lincolnshire councils are examples of existing unitary councils.

It is worth noting there may be more than one unitary authority created as part of LGR in Greater Lincolnshire.

Why is LGR being proposed?

The government believes that LGR can unlock growth and boost the economy and deliver better public services.

It thinks that simpler local government structures will:

make it easier for residents to know who delivers their services
make it easier for residents to know who deals with local issues
result in better services for the local community

What is the difference between Devolution and LGR?

Devolution and LGR are separate but related processes. Devolution involves transferring powers and funding from central government to local areas. This is usually done through mayoral combined authorities such as the Greater Lincolnshire Combined County Authority (GLCCA). For more on the work of the GLCCA go to Greater Lincolnshire CCA website.

LGR focuses on simplifying local government by replacing two-tier systems with unitary authorities.

How does it impact residents now?

For now, nothing has changed. Services at all 10 councils will continue to be delivered as normal, and our priority remains delivering these services to the highest standard possible.

How will services be delivered in the future?

For now, nothing has changed. Services at all 10 councils will continue to be delivered as normal, and our priority remains delivering these services to the highest standard possible.

Do residents have a say in this?

Yes, the government has confirmed its intention to undertake a seven-week process for statutory consultation which commenced on Thursday 5 February and will close midnight Thursday 26 March 2026. This is required by law and will accept comments from the public as part of this. Information about the consultation are available on the GLLGR website.

What are the next steps?

The government has confirmed its intention to undertake a seven-week process for statutory consultation which commenced on Thursday 5 February and will close midnight Thursday 26 March 2026.

This will include other statutory organisations such as government agencies, police, fire, health services, education establishments, and other sectors such as business and the voluntary and community sector.

Following that consultation, government will make a judgement on the proposals, with a decision expected in Summer 2026. If government decides to create a new Council covering the North Lincolnshire Council current boundary, we expect that this will be from 1st April 2028, with elections to a ‘Shadow Authority’ in 2027.

The LGA website-states how the government will follow the established assessment and decision-making process.