map marker United Kingdom | 17 November 2025
Reading Time : 4 min

This article in our series on devolution and local government reorganisation looks at the generational transformation taking place with local government reorganisation. As council structures change, how do local authority leaders support their workforce while ensuring they’re positioned to capitalise on the opportunity from transformation?

Local government reorganisation (LGR) is accelerating across England, and it’s happening in parallel with a broader wave of devolution. 

As new strategic and foundation authorities take shape and powers shift from Whitehall to the regions, councils are also being asked to rethink how they deliver services, engage communities and shape the future of Place. 

The move to single-tier unitary authorities is more than a structural change. It’s a strategic reset, an opportunity to design smarter, more resilient systems that work better for residents.

At WSP, our transformation experts have already been at the heart of this transformation. From shaping the organisation for the new East Midlands Combined County Authority to supporting devolution transition planning in Lancashire and Lincolnshire, and supporting transformations of place services at Dorset Council, BCP Council and Somerset Council that predate LGR.

Whether at new, maturing or mature local authority organisations, we’ve seen what works and what doesn’t. Our experience allows us to reflect how future devolved and reorganised authorities can transform to deliver benefits to the communities they serve.

Leanne Smith-Perrins
Leanne Smith Perrins
Director, Transformation and Change, WSP
United Kingdom

Related themes and tags

1. Reorganisation is a generational opportunity for place

LGR isn’t just a technical reshuffle, it’s a rare chance to reimagine what a place can be. Councils have the opportunity to design something fundamentally better: integrated services, smarter systems, and more responsive governance.

This means aligning planning, waste, and transport functions; rethinking how data flows across departments; and embedding digital platforms that support innovation. It’s also a once-in-a-generation moment to embed climate action into every Place function, from low-carbon transport to spatial strategies that drive resilience.

In the East Midlands, WSP helped leaders shape a new regional transport capability grounded in ambition and purpose. That vision became the blueprint for governance, investment, and delivery, ensuring the new authority was ready to lead and shape the future of transport across the region.

2. Change at scale: a complex balancing act 

The pace and scale of current reorganisation timelines are demanding. Councils must deliver a seamless transition, balancing service delivery whilst navigating and building the future organisation in a challenging timeframe.  

This means ensuring continuity of critical services, managing legal and contractual risks, and preparing staff transfers and organisational design well ahead of vesting day. Our structured blueprinting approach helps councils move from strategic intent to operational readiness. We recommend a Transition Management Office (TMO) model to coordinate decisions, track progress, and ensure delivery.

At WSP, we are supporting councils to go beyond consolidation by helping them understand the full scope of change and readiness requirements, establish robust interim arrangements, and manage execution with precision. 

3. Supporting the workforce through uncertainty

At the heart of every reorganisation are people. Leaders, officers, and communities. Bringing together different political leaderships, organisational cultures, and community identities is one of the most complex aspects of LGR.

Success depends on building trust, fostering alignment, and engaging stakeholders at every stage, all while keeping services running. Authorities should anticipate that leadership capacity will be a constraint; expecting transformation on top of day jobs is unrealistic. Staff need clarity, consistency of engagement, support to adapt, and leaders need space to lead.

WSP’s work across multiple authorities has shown that when culture and collaboration are prioritised, transformation becomes not just possible, but powerful. Reorganisation is deeply human.

At the heart of every reorganisation are people. Leaders, officers, and communities. Bringing together different political leaderships, organisational cultures, and community identities is one of the most complex aspects of LGR.

The road ahead

Local government reorganisation is more than a structural shift—it’s a strategic opportunity to deliver lasting improvements. Councils that lead with vision, integration, and innovation will be best placed to serve their communities.

At WSP, we stay with our clients from vision to implementation. Whether you’re blueprinting your future model or preparing for Day One, we bring the insight, capacity, and technical expertise to make transformation real.

Leanne Smith-Perrins

Leanne Smith-Perrins, Director, Transformation and Change, WSP

Leanne Smith-Perrins is a Director in WSP’s advisory services team working as a transformation and change management specialist. Her work spans the public and private sectors to help organisations to shape, design and implement business change.

Driving devolution

Our Driving devolution insight series aims to draw on our combined strategic and technical expertise to turn local authority ambition into action and deliver for communities.

Read more devolution insights

Frequently Asked Questions - Local Government Reorganisation

Local government reorganisation involves changing the structure of councils to improve efficiency, accountability, and service delivery. This may include creating new unitary authorities or combined authorities.

England has two-tier systems (county and district councils), unitary authorities (single-tier), and combined authorities with elected mayors. Reorganisation often moves areas toward unitary or combined models.

Proposals are developed by councils or government, followed by consultation and assessment. Final decisions are made by the Secretary of State and implemented through legislation.

Reorganisation often precedes or accompanies devolution, creating governance structures capable of managing devolved powers effectively and strategically.

Yes, councils can submit alternative proposals, respond to consultations, and lobby government. However, final decisions rest with the Secretary of State.