DPP decisions announced: Preparing for the next phase of Local Government Reorganisation

The announcement of the Secretary of State’s decisions in four of the six Devolution Priority Programme (DPP) areas marks a turning point for some authorities, and continued uncertainty for others. Whether you now have a defined direction or are still awaiting a decision, the focus should be on what comes next and how to move forward with confidence.

As with Surrey, the written statement is explicit that no precedent is being set. Rather than second-guessing what comes next, the priority is to focus on what these decisions mean in practice, while maintaining momentum in areas still awaiting an outcome.

For Essex, Hampshire, Norfolk and Suffolk, the hard work now begins in earnest. Teams will come together quickly, building on existing baselining and working through the challenges of transition. There will be differences of view, but the priority is delivery. Vesting day will start to feel very real, very quickly.

Disaggregation will be a major focus. Safely separating key county services will require pace, grip and strong accountability. Boundary changes will add further complexity, with district councils as well as counties needing to manage change. In practice, this means bringing together services delivered through a mix of models; LATCOs, in-house provision and outsourced contracts. Managing that complexity while maintaining continuity will be one of the defining challenges of this phase.

At the same time, reorganisation must support wider government priorities, particularly housing delivery. The ambition to build 1.5 million homes this Parliament places local authorities at the centre of that agenda. Councils, with their deep understanding of place, will be critical to turning that ambition into delivery. Maintaining momentum on housing through transition, while aligning plans, pipelines and delivery models, will be essential.

For those still awaiting a decision, uncertainty remains. The outcome may not be the one you expect, or indeed an option that is currently on the table. That makes it even more important to progress everything that you can.

Whilst uncertainty is challenging, there are actions you can take now that will add value under any scenario. Data baselining, strong governance and an effective programme management office will be critical whichever option is chosen. Just as importantly, leadership, culture and communication need attention now, not later.

Taking time to define how you want to lead through change, and identifying what good looks like for your organisation, will pay dividends as the pace accelerates.

We are already supporting authorities across the country on both LGR and housing delivery and would welcome the opportunity to help you navigate the next stage of your journey

• Contact us to discuss how we can support your next steps 

• Access our free LGR resources hub, including toolkits, templates and webinars:

• Explore our fully funded support offer for councils looking to start or accelerate council housebuilding