LGR glossary

Here are some local government reorganisation (LGR) related terms and their meanings, which you may find helpful.

• English Devolution White Paper
  The English Devolution White Paper - published on 16 December 2024 - is the government’s statement of their plans to reform local government. This includes a wide range of proposals on devolution but also wider plans for local government reorganisation and changes to local audit.
• Devolution
  The transfer of powers and funding from national to local government.
• MHCLG
  Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government- the department responsible for local government reorganisation (LGR) and devolution.
• Section 24
  Section 24 is a safeguard used during local government reorganisation. It helps protect the councils by making sure that major or long-term decisions taken now do not limit the choices of the new councils before they officially begin.
• Shadow Authority
  A shadow authority is established to carry out the functions of a new unitary council until that authority formally comes into effect. It helps prepare for the transition.
• Structural Changes Order (SCO)
  This is a statutory instrument made by the Secretary of State which will abolish existing county and district councils in an area and transfer these councils’ functions to one or more unitary authorities. It will set out the governance and implementation arrangements needed during the transition period.
• Two-tier authority
  A 2-tier area is 2 separate councils working in the same area, such as a county council and a district (or borough or city) council.
• Unitarisation
  The process of merging local councils into a single unitary council.
• Unitary authority
  A unitary council is a single tier of local government providing all services for one area.
• Vesting Day
  The day when the new unitary councils become operational which is planned for 1 April 2028 for Derbyshire.