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.
• Two-tier authority
  A two-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.