Local Government Reorganisation

The Government its announced its preferred option for local government reorganisation (LGR) in Norfolk. It has said it is minded to support three unitary councils for Norfolk. It's important to be clear: there are no immediate changes. While the new councils are expected to be established from April 2028, this won't be a single "switch-over" moment. Any changes will be planned, phased and communicated clearly over time.

For schools, colleges and early years settings there are no immediate changes to how we will work together. Our focus remains on ensuring children have the very best education, are safe and we are doing all we can to help them to flourish. SEND and social care reforms will continue to be a priority alongside our work to implement the proposed new councils.

I know that this option is likely to raise questions about what it could mean in practice - particularly how education will be organised across new council areas and what that could mean for your setting. We don't have all the answers yet, but we will share updates as soon as we can and we will do this with clear communication, early engagement and the right support.

While the structures may be different, the purpose and benefits of unitary councils remains the same: creating simpler, more sustainable local government services that work better for residents and communities.

Children's needs will be central in planning any transition and we know that all eight existing councils are committed to providing structures and services that work for our children and families. There is a huge amount of excellent work and expertise across all eight councils. We'll be making the most of all our talents to create something new and even better for Norfolk.

Thank you for everything you do for the children and families of Norfolk. We will keep communicating clearly and we will continue to support you throughout.