Nottingham City Council is exploring options to expand the city boundaries amid a local government reorganisation consultation.

Nottinghamshire residents are being asked to give their views on the future of local government in the county.

The consultation includes two options that would see Nottingham combining with Broxtowe and either Gedling or Rushcliffe.

Nottingham Explores Additional Proposals

However, Nottingham City Council is still exploring additional proposals and is currently working up a boundary review option.

Deputy leader for the city council, Ethan Radford, told the BBC the authority favoured an option that would see only parts of neighbouring districts combined with Nottingham.

‘The suggestion that the city expands into the whole of the Rushcliffe district is quite something,’ he said.

‘There are areas and villages or towns in there that don't have a shared identity with Nottingham.’

Local Government Reorganisation Options

The two core options currently being consulted on are as follows:

1. A new unitary authority combining?Nottingham, Broxtowe, and Gedling, with a second new unitary authority for the rest of Nottinghamshire; Mansfield, Ashfield, Newark and Sherwood, Bassetlaw and Rushcliffe. This is known as 1b.

2. A new unitary authority combining?Nottingham, Broxtowe, and Rushcliffe, with a second new unitary authority for the rest of Nottinghamshire; Mansfield, Ashfield, Newark and Sherwood, Bassetlaw and Gedling. This is known as 1e.

‘Biggest Shake-Up of Local Government in Over 50 years’

A spokesperson for the nine Nottinghamshire councils commented: ‘We are taking a single approach to engagement to ensure we capture a consistent and representative view on what is the biggest shake-up of local government in over 50 years.

‘We want to understand what matters most to people and ensure that any future changes reflect the needs and priorities of our communities. We encourage everyone to take a few minutes to complete the survey and have their say.’

For more on local government reorganisation, check out the following article by Pam Parkes, president of the PPMA: Leadership and HR in local government transformation.