Gloucestershire new single council will be called Gloucestershire Council, the Government has confirmed – marking another defining moment in the reorganisation of councils in the county.
Ministers have also confirmed that the new authority will be represented by 110 councillors.
Confirmation of the name and number of councillors for the new council came in a letter to chief executives and follows the Government’s decision to create one unitary authority, which was announced last week.
Responses to a consultation run by the Government were also published this week, revealing that 65 per cent of partners and residents who responded expressed a preference for a single unitary authority in the county.
Gloucestershire Council will bring together the services currently delivered by the county council and six district, borough and city councils, into a single organisation serving communities across Gloucestershire.
In that letter, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government set out next steps in respect of the Structural Change Order. This is the legislation that will establish Gloucestershire Council, replacing the existing seven councils.
In June, councils in Gloucestershire submitted representations to Government on key parts of the Order, which included the proposed name, number of councillors, senior responsible officer and implementation arrangements.
In addition to now confirming the name and number of councillors, the Government has confirmed that a Joint Committee, with elected-member representation from all of Gloucestershire’s existing councils, will be established to oversee preparations for the new authority. It will comprise of 12 councillors, six from Gloucestershire County Council and the one from each of the district, borough and city councils.
It has also confirmed that the implementation programme will be supported by a dedicated team of officers from every council. This team will be led by Jo Walker, Chief Executive of Gloucestershire County Council, who has been appointed Senior Responsible Officer for the transition after being nominated by councils.
Jo 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.”
The Government has also confirmed that elections to a new shadow council will take place in May 2027, replacing any elections that would otherwise be scheduled for existing councils in Gloucestershire.
The shadow authority will prepare for the new council’s formal launch in April 2028, including setting budgets, policies and governance arrangements.
Further details for the Structural Change Order, including ward boundaries and arrangements for parish elections, will be considered in the coming weeks before the legislation is put before Parliament in the winter.
