The government's plans for local government reorganisation have been put on hold

On 7th September, Angela Rayner announced that plans to streamline local government would be reviewed in the light of legal advice, to ensure that the process is robust and that it is aligned with the wider devolution agenda.  Decisions on Essex, Hampshire, Norfolk and Suffolk were withdrawn, while plans for fourteen other areas, plus Cambridgeshire & Peterborough and West Sussex, were paused while the review is carried out.  Reorganisation in Surrey will not be affected by the review and two new unitary authorities, East Surrey and West Surrey, will go live in April 2027.  The Local Government Association said that the government had mishandled the LGR process and called on it to set a clear timetable for the review.