10 Ways Councils Are Using AI to Transform Public Services
Councils are increasingly adopting AI-based solutions to improve services. LocalGov Assistant editor Izzy Lepone has collected 10 innovative case studies.
Nottingham explores expansion options amid reorganisation
06/08/2025 Nottingham City Council is exploring options to expand the city boundaries amid a local government reorganisation consultation. |
Rutland leader survives no confidence vote amid reorganisation row
06/08/2025 The leader of Rutland CC has survived a no confidence vote amid concerns over the local authority's stance on reorganisation under her leadership. |
Boston backs two unitary plan
05/08/2025 A third Lincolnshire council has called for the county to be split into two unitaries under reorganisation – one representing the north and another the south. |
Reorganisation plans to include social care partnerships
04/08/2025 Councils will have to set out plans for partnership working in social care as part of reorganisation proposals, local government minister Jim McMahon says. |
‘Greater Oxford’ reorganisation proposal is ‘flawed’, charity says
31/07/2025 A charity has expressed ‘serious concerns’ about a reorganisation proposal for Oxford due to its environmental impact. |
Procurement consent required for councils in LGR process
31/07/2025 Councils undergoing local government reorganization (LGR) will require consent from successor councils for decisions relating to ‘significant’ or ‘local assets’, according to new guidance. |
EXCLUSIVE: Director suspended by county amid reorganisation vacuum
30/07/2025 A director remains out of the office on full pay almost three months on from being suspended, The MJ understands. |
Reform council asks officers to look at single Kent unitary
30/07/2025 Kent CC's Reform UK leader has asked officers to draw up a detailed options appraisal for a single unitary with three divisions. |
Cambridge CC votes in favour of unitary council
29/07/2025 Cambridge City Council has approved proposals for a unitary council with majority support from councillors. |
Brighton & Hove expansion 'absolutely outrageous'
28/07/2025 An MP has described Brighton & Hove City Council's proposal to expand to the east as ‘absolutely outrageous'. |
DCN: 'Essential' role of districts in setting up new children's services
23/07/2025 District councils will be ‘essential’ to establishing new children’s services through local government reorganisation (LGR), according to a report. |
Councils back three mainland unitaries
21/07/2025 Hampshire CC and East Hampshire DC have backed three unitary mainland councils, with the Isle of Wight remaining as a standalone authority. |
EXCLUSIVE: Crawley ponders legal response to unitary dismissal
17/07/2025 Crawley BC is considering its next steps, including a potential judicial review, after local government minister Jim McMahon dismissed its proposal for a cross-county unitary. |
Communicating through change is key for councils
17/07/2025 Justine Howl, marketing manager at business change consultancy, Entec Si, looks at the importance of communication as part of local government reorganisation. |
District council backs two-authority plan
17/07/2025 Stratford-on-Avon District Council has adopted the two unitary authority model as its preferred option for local government reorganisation. |
Unitary achieves pay harmony six years after reorganisation
16/07/2025 A deal to harmonise legacy pay and terms for Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council workers is finally expected to be signed. |
Reading BC accused of reorganisation ‘land grab’
15/07/2025 A proposal by Reading BC to bring five West Berkshire wards under its jurisdiction as part of local government reorganisation has been branded a ‘land grab.’ |
Lewes leader vows to fight Brighton takeover plan
14/07/2025 Lewes DC's leader has vowed to fight a Brighton & Hove City Council proposal to take over parts of her district under reorganisation plans. |
Survey reveals reorganisation scepticism
11/07/2025 Respondents to a poll on local government reorganisation are concerned by proposals to create two unitary authorities for Peterborough and Cambridgeshire. |
Reform-controlled county agrees to back two unitary model
10/07/2025 Reform-controlled Derbyshire CC has agreed to back a two unitary model with a north south configuration. |
Staffordshire reorganisation gathers pace
09/07/2025 Proposals for two unitaries covering the north and south of Staffordshire have gained further support. |
Suffolk district to vote on three-council plan
09/07/2025 West Suffolk Council is set to vote on a proposal for the creation of three new unitary authorities as part of local government reorganisation. |
Three Essex unitaries 'strikes right balance'
07/07/2025 Three unitary councils ‘strikes the right balance' for Essex, the leader of the county council, Kevin Bentley, has said. |
McMahon: No intention to delay reorganisation
25/06/2025 The Government has ‘no intention to delay at all the local government reorganisation process', minister Jim McMahon has said. |
Reorganisation could wipe out 90% of councillors
25/06/2025 Local government reorganisation could result in the loss of nine-in-10 councillors and threaten local democracy, according to the think tank Localis. |
McMahon: Government will abolish council committee system
24/06/2025 The Government has announced plans to legislate to abolish the committee system. |
Scale not key to social care disaggregation
23/06/2025 Adult social care disaggregation should not focus on scale, according to research published today. |
Lancashire councils urged to collaborate
23/06/2025 The Government has urged Lancashire's 15 main councils to work together to agree a plan for local government reorganisation. |
Cambridgeshire asks residents for reorganisation views
20/06/2025 A local government reorganisation survey was yesterday launched for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough residents. |
Ministers propose cancelling Surrey CC elections again
17/06/2025 Ministers have proposed cancelling Surrey CC elections for a second year as they launched a consultation on reorganisation options for the county. |
Job listing creates discord amongst council leaders
12/06/2025 Gloucester City Council (GCC) is facing backlash for advertising a job role that allegedly sells a ‘political agenda’. |
Crawley pauses on West Sussex reorganisation
11/06/2025 West Sussex’s Crawley BC will wait for ministers to decide on Surrey’s reorganisation proposals before giving any views on unitarisation in its own county, The MJ understands. |
Reorganisation savings warning
10/06/2025 The most senior district councillor in the country has warned it could take up to a decade before savings from local government reorganisation are achieved. |
Government announces allocation of £7.6m reorganisation fund
04/06/2025 The Government has revealed how much of the £7.6m grant to support the cost of local government reorganisation each region will receive. |
North Lincolnshire Council rejects ‘super council’
29/05/2025 North Lincolnshire Council has rejected proposals for local government reorganisation in Lincolnshire due to a ‘clear lack of support’ from residents. |
Leader's doubts over Kent reorganisation
28/05/2025 Kent CC's Reform UK leader has thrown the region's reorganisation proposals into doubt following her opening speech to the council. |
Rayner: Mayors must be accountable
23/05/2025 Mayors must be accountable as they take back control of decision making as part of local government reorganisation, the deputy prime minister says. |
EXCLUSIVE: Push for local PACs slows amid Whitehall scepticism
16/05/2025 Support for establishing local versions of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) across England is softening as the Government ponders whether to push the idea. |
Are Reform a challenge for local government reorganisation?
15/05/2025 Laura Hughes, partner at law firm Browne Jacobson, examines whether Reform UK’s local election successes will impact local government reorganisation. |
Surrey reorganisation plan based on ‘flawed data’, opponents claim
14/05/2025 A plan for two new unitary authorities in Surrey is based on ‘inconsistent, incomplete and flawed data’, opposition councillors say. |
Debt hurdle remains for reorganisation plans
14/05/2025 Multi-billion pound debts remain a point of contention in reorganisation negotiations as the deadline passed for the first of the final plans to be submitted. |
Learning from the locals
06/05/2025 Jonathan Werran, chief executive of Localis, reflects on the results of the local elections. |
Exclusive: Community duty mooted
02/05/2025 The Government is looking to hand all councils an extra duty to involve community groups in their decision-making, The MJ has learnt. |
Voters head to polls amid local government reorganisation
01/05/2025 Voters are heading to the polls in parts of England to elect thousands of councillors against the backdrop of local government reorganisation (LGR). |
Surrey councils stand firm in reorganisation plans
30/04/2025 District and borough councils across Surrey have published proposals for local government reorganisation, defying the Government’s requests for unity on final proposals. |
Local elections in the shadow of reorganisation
28/04/2025 Dr Jonathan Carr-West of the LGIU discusses the meaning of the local elections against the backdrop of local government reorganisation (LGR). |
Councils risk being 'fleeced' over reorg, says former commissioner
24/04/2025 Councils facing reorganisation face being ‘fleeced' by consultants keen to profit from the process, a former Northamptonshire CC commissioner has claimed. |
Majority of public ‘not following’ reorganisation
23/04/2025 Nearly two-thirds of the public are not engaged with local government reorganisation, a new poll commissioned ahead of the local elections has revealed. |
Surrey to remain divided on unitary plans
16/04/2025 Surrey's borough and district councils have revealed the region is set to defy government requests for unity on final reorganisation proposals. |
Reorganisation proposals average 544,000 population
14/04/2025 Reorganisation proposals submitted by councils would produce new unitaries of varying sizes but with an average population of 544,837, analysis reveals. |
Essex CC rejects combined authority plan ‘in its current form’
10/04/2025 Essex County Council has told the Government that it cannot support the proposal for devolution in Greater Essex ‘in its current form’. |
East Sussex unitary 'probably most likely option'
02/04/2025 A single tier East Sussex unitary of around 550,000 people is 'probably the most likely' reorganisation option, The MJ understands. |
Leadership and HR in local government transformation
01/04/2025 Pam Parkes, president of the PPMA, argues that the leadership mindset and HR are the missing links in local government transformation. |
Councils accused of publishing ‘biased’ LGR survey
31/03/2025 Surrey County Council has accused borough councils of publishing a ‘purposefully biased’ and ‘misleading’ consultation on local government reorganization. |
Exclusive: Ministers set to reject social care trust plans
27/03/2025 Ministers are likely to reject plans for children’s or adult social care trusts that come as part of local government reorganisation (LGR), The MJ understands |
UNISON: Reorganisation must not be ‘cover for job cuts’
20/03/2025 The abolition of district councils as part of local government reorganisation puts thousands of frontline jobs at risk, says UNISON. |
Future Forum: Unitary workers 'grieving' loss of districts
20/03/2025 North Northamptonshire Council chief executive Adele Wylie has urged those involved in reorganisation to act with ‘kindness' and avoid rancour. |
One unitary in Worcestershire could save £20m a year
20/03/2025 Replacing Worcestershire's seven councils with a single unitary authority could save more than £20m a year, according to a new report. |
LGR will have 'failed' if frontline services suffer
19/03/2025 Local government reorganisation (LGR) will be judged a failure if frontline services are negatively impacted. |
Warwickshire councils signal preference for two unitaries
19/03/2025 There is a ‘clear preference’ for a north and south unitary option among district and borough councils in Warwickshire, says district council leader. |
Notts leader backs ‘city + 2’ reorganisation model
18/03/2025 The leader of Nottingham City Council has backed proposals that would see the authority merge with two other councils. |
Exeter reorganisation could see city expand to over 300,000
18/03/2025 Exeter could dramatically expand from a population of 130,000 to over 300,000 under the city council’s local government reorganisation proposals. |
Government insists counties hand over reorganisation data
17/03/2025 The Government has insisted district councils should be given access to data by counties to build robust cases for their unitary reorganisation plans. |
East Midlands mayor suggests LGA not the right 'fit'
17/03/2025 East Midlands mayor Claire Ward has said the Local Government Association ‘might not be' the place where combined and strategic authorities ‘fit'. |
Hampshire hits reorganisation deadlock
14/03/2025 No decision will be made on the number of unitaries that will cover Hampshire and the Solent ahead of the deadline for interim reorganisation plans. |
Minister: 500,000 figure for unitaries an 'average'
13/03/2025 Jim McMahon has said a population size of 500,000 could end up as the ‘average' when unitary government is completed across the country. |
DCN: Government’s reorganisation plans risk ‘dysfunctionality’
13/03/2025 Local government reorganisation could ‘create larger versions of dysfunctionality’ and fail to bring about the public service reform required, report claims. |
Suffolk councils oppose unitary plans
12/03/2025 Suffolk’s district and borough council leaders have joined forces to oppose plans published by Suffolk County Council for a single unitary authority. |
Two unitary plan for Lincolnshire
12/03/2025 Plans to merge Lincolnshire's 10 councils into two unitary authorities have been published. |
Plan calls for Isle of Wight to retain own council in reorganisation
11/03/2025 The Isle of Wight should remain ‘as is’ as part of the overhaul of local government, according to the first draft of a devolution plan. |
Derbyshire councils agree plans for two unitary authorities
10/03/2025 Local authorities in Derbyshire have agreed on a draft plan to create two unitary councils covering the north and south of the county. |
CCN: Splitting up social care could cost £500m a year
07/03/2025 The annual cost of splitting up social care services into multiple smaller councils could exceed half a billion pounds, says County Councils' Network (CCN). |
EXCLUSIVE: Stretched capacity slows pace of reorganisation
07/03/2025 Small unitary councils are to be spared reorganisation until the map has been redrawn in two-tier areas, local government minister Jim McMahon has told The MJ. |
Survey reveals scepticism reorganisation will fix council finances
05/03/2025 A survey of senior council figures has revealed widespread scepticism that reorganisation will fix local finances while many warn of more bankruptcies. |
Cornwall rejection fails to stop strategic authority plan
04/03/2025 Devon, Plymouth and Torbay are pushing forward with plans to create a mayoral strategic authority after being rebuffed by Cornwall. |
City and county clash over reorganisation plans
28/02/2025 Staffordshire CC has teed up a clash with Stoke-on-Trent City Council by proposing a county unitary covering a population of 876,000. |
Leicestershire pushes for 'transparent' talks with districts on reorganisation
27/02/2025 District councils have ‘excluded' Leicestershire CC from meetings and discussions about future plans for reorganisation. |
Districts back being swallowed by unitary
25/02/2025 The leaders of Vale of White Horse and South Oxfordshire DCs have backed the enlargement of unitary West Berkshire Council to include their areas. |
Reorganisation expected to end council partnership
24/02/2025 Local government reorganisation will likely end a collaboration between two local authorities in the Midlands. |
Confusion over unclear reorganisation picture
20/02/2025 Councillors in postponed elections could serve for just 12 months before fresh polls are held to new unitaries unless ministers pause voting again. |
Lack of asylum funding snag for reorganisation
20/02/2025 Funding for asylum seeker support has emerged as a sticking point in Kent's reorganisation plans. |
Rutland residents to have say on reorganisation
14/02/2025 Rutland County Council has agreed to engage with residents on reorganisation plans before a proposal is submitted to the Government. |
Call for reorganisation support
14/02/2025 A senior sector figure has called for the Local Government Association (LGA) and Whitehall to offer education and training to those about to go through reorganisation. |
Slicing districts could slow reorganisation for fast-track areas
14/02/2025 Cutting across district boundaries to make new unitaries could create a backlog of legislation and boundary reviews that stymies the Government’s reorganisation timetable. |
London Councils pushes back on call to halve number of boroughs
12/02/2025 London Councils has hit back after the Taxpayers' Alliance campaign group called for the number of London boroughs to be halved. |
Council leaders welcome new combined authority
07/02/2025 Hull and East Yorkshire Combined Authority has now been formerly established, moving the area closer to unlocking a £400m investment fund. |
New Lancashire combined county authority launched
06/02/2025 The new Lancashire combined county authority has officially come into being. |
Learning from NHS digital transformation
05/02/2025 Justin Day, CEO and co-founder of Cloud Gateway, considers what local government devolution can learn from NHS digital transformation. |
Six areas chosen for devolution fast track
05/02/2025 Six new areas have been chosen to join the Government’s devolution priority programme. |
What is local government reorganisation?
04/02/2025 Local government reorganisation is the process of changing the structure, functions and responsibilities of councils. |
Medway bids for city status
31/01/2025 The leader of Medway Council has called on the Government to grant Medway city status to prevent reorganisation leading to a ‘significant loss of identity’. |
Government has no evidence to support ‘mega councils’, DCN says
31/01/2025 Freedom of Information requests have exposed an ‘alarming’ lack of evidence to support the creation of mega councils, according to the District Councils’ Network (DCN). |
Questions over financial impact of reorganisation
30/01/2025 Questions have been raised over whether the Government's approach to local government reorganisation will help resolve the financial crisis facing the sector. |
Districts warn against ‘mega councils’
24/01/2025 District councils are prepared to engage with local government reorganisation but warn against ‘rigidly insisting’ on a minimum population of 500,000. |
Mayor warns of creating 'behemoths'
22/01/2025 A mayor has warned of creating local government ‘behemoths' overburdened with responsibilities. |
Norwich councillors back unitary bid
22/01/2025 Norwich City Council members have voted in favour of pursuing unitary status as part of the Government’s efforts to reorganise local government. |
Lincolnshire leaders back local government shake up
22/01/2025 The leaders of three councils in Lincolnshire have proposed reducing the number of local authorities in the county from 10 to two. |
Council forced to rethink HQ refurb due to reorganisation plans
21/01/2025 The prospect of local government reorganisation in Hampshire has forced New Forest District Council to rethink a major refurbishment of its headquarters. |
Tewkesbury councillors advised to scrap name change
21/01/2025 Officers have recommended that Tewkesbury Borough Council abandons the process of changing its name after local government reorganisation plans were announced. |
Rebels with a cause
16/01/2025 The Local Government Association (LGA) has been warned some members could quit over its stance on reorganisation as it faces an internal rebellion. |
