2009 structural changes to local government in England

Structural changes to local government in England were effected on 1 April 2009, whereby a number of new unitary authorities were created in parts of the country which previously operated a 'two-tier' system of counties and districts. In five shire counties the functions of the county and district councils were combined into a single authority; and in two counties the powers of the county council were absorbed into a significantly reduced number of districts.

Elections to the new authorities took place on 1 May 2008 for some of the new authorities, which took up their powers on 1 April 2009. The other new authorities retained the existing county council as the "continuing authority" as of 1 April 2009 with elections taking place two months later on 4 June 2009.

Following the passing of the Local Government Act 1992, the Local Government Commission for England recommended a number of unitary authorities to be created in England during the 1990s. The changes that were implemented meant that much of the country continued to have a two-tier arrangement of local government. Further proposals for unitary authorities in northern England, tied to the option of regional devolution, were put to a referendum in 2004 and were rejected. In 2006, the white paper Strong and Prosperous Communities invited local authorities in England to submit their own consensus-based proposals for unitary authority arrangements, to be submitted before 25 January 2007. Selected submissions went to a public consultation from March until June, with successful proposals announced in July. Legislative requirements for implementation were in place following the enactment of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007.

Various local councils indicated they wish to seek unitary authority status. Four medium-sized towns and historic county boroughs, overlooked by the 1990s review: Ipswich, Oxford, Norwich and Exeter proposed unitary status on their present boundaries, and commissioned a report jointly to press their case. Norwich announced its intention to respond to the invitation, as did Ipswich and Exeter. In Lancashire, Preston and South Ribble desired to form a single unitary authority although Preston bid for it alone. The City of Lancaster considered seeking unitary status on its present boundaries (having supported a merger with South Lakeland and Barrow-in-Furness to form a Morecambe Bay unitary authority during the referendums review). Blackpool advocated a merger with the Fylde and Wyre districts, which they did not support.Pendle and Burnley also tried to form a unitary authority with Rossendale; however Rossendale rejected this.

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