Nottinghamshire County Council has moved a step closer to taking legal action against the Government over local government reorganisation (LGR).
The council has sent a pre-action protocol letter to the Secretary of State – a formal step in the LGR judicial review process – asking for clarity over LGR plans.
It follows Lincolnshire County Council’s announcement yesterday that it was joining the growing group of local authorities challenging the overhaul of local government.
The Government’s preferred option for reorganisation in Nottinghamshire – announced on 16 July 2026 – is for two, single-tier unitary councils to replace the county’s nine existing local authorities.
Nottinghamshire CC says decision to send a pre-action protocol letter follows an earlier, unsuccessful request for the evidence and rationale behind the decision.
Council leader Mick Barton, who has written to all eight chief executives across Nottingham and Nottinghamshire to inform them of the action, said transparency around the decision-making process is essential given the significance of the proposals and their implications for residents.
‘This is why we have taken this action to seek clarification of the reasoning, evidence and rationale behind the Secretary of State's decision, so we have a clear understanding of how the decision was reached,’ he said.
‘Once we have received this information and evidence, we will be able to consider our position.’
