LCN – formerly the District Councils’ Network – was responding to today’s Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government announcement on how district and county councils will be merged in six county areas.

The statement from Housing, Communities and Local Government Secretary Steve Reed today offers the most significant insight so far on how the biggest reorganisation of English councils in the past half century will proceed. When completed the process will impact on the lives of over 20 million people, resulting in the abolition of 164 district and 21 county councils.

The Government broadly adopted a model of reorganisation, long campaigned for by LCN and our predecessor organisation, which retains a significant number of councils, each dedicated to the needs of a specific place. In most cases, councils’ population will be significantly below 500,000 – the level the Government initially set out as the minimum.

Most LCN member councils support the creation of smaller unitary councils, although not all councils affected by today’s announcement back the model chosen for their place.

In response, Cllr Richard Wright, Chair of the Local Councils Network, said:

“The Government has listened to local people’s views and retained the ‘local’ in local government. We strongly welcome the decisions in Essex, Hampshire, Norfolk and Suffolk.

“In just about every consultation that’s ever taken place on local government reorganisation, local people have backed councils that remain close to communities.

“We have long campaigned for councils to be as close to communities as possible to ensure that every resident’s voice is heard and high-quality frontline services can be tailored to meet the specific needs of each place.

“The evidence shows that smaller unitary councils are just as likely to perform well and to be financially sustainable as larger ones. The best way to ensure a strong focus on local growth and prevention – which will bring enduring economic and health benefits – is to have councils that are genuinely local.

“Most of the new councils announced today will have populations significantly below 500,000 – and we believe this should set a precedent for the transformation of local government in all the 14 remaining areas.

“It’s vital that we capitalise on this opportunity to make structural change part of a more ambitious approach to reforming, integrating and modernising local public services.

“Now that decisions have been taken, the Local Councils Network will work closely with all councils and central government to ensure that all new councils are implemented safely and effectively. This is a once in a generation opportunity to transform local services, which we must fully embrace.”

The rebirth of the organisation – which has 169 unitary and district council members and is one of England’s largest local government bodies – was announced this lunchtime at its Annual Conference.

DCN’s transformation into LCN comes amid the reorganisation of local government under which all district and county councils are due to disappear and be replaced by new unitary councils. However, it also offers an opportunity to build a new body which is responsive to the rapidly changing needs of all English councils.

The new organisation was launched by LCN’s Chair, Cllr Richard Wright, in his speech at the conference that began today, in Windsor.

Speaking in advance of the event, Cllr Wright said: “While our rebranding reflects local government reorganisation, it also presents a unique opportunity to build something new. We can stand up for more of local government, more powerfully, at a time of unprecedented and rapid change.

“Some things won’t change. We’ll retain our passion for genuinely local government and our unwavering support for our councils – new and existing unitary councils, and district councils for as long as they exist.

“We’re passionate about local government, we’re serious about empowering local leaders and we’re optimistic for the future.

“Whether you’re a council that has worked for us in the past or not, we want to be there for you now.”

LCN will remain a cross-party membership organisation for councils and a special interest group within the Local Government Association. Its full offer to councils is set out in a prospectus which was unveiled on Thursday. This sets out a series of reasons for why councils should join:

National influence: speaking up for councils, shaping government policy

LCN gives councils a powerful voice nationally. We represent member councils collectively in policy discussions, with a focus on a strong role for councils in the devolved system.

Practical support: equipping councils to operate effectively through change

LCN uses our extensive contacts within central government and the expertise within our membership to help councils operate effectively. We offer briefings and information to help our members understand and prepare for emerging issues including policy developments.

Peer connection: working through transformation together

LCN brings councils together to build common understanding and develop collective viewpoints on key issues, as well as to share the emotional and political pressures of leading through change. LCN runs networks, events and webinars to bring together local leaders to explore challenges and opportunities.

Data-led insights: sharing knowledge, experience and best practice

LCN helps member councils share innovation and best practice, as well as access information and collaborate with peers. We collaborate with experts within and beyond local government to offer councils the broadest array of support, guidance and inspiration.

We also bring our track record of securing policy wins on behalf of our councils. This includes DCN obtaining £115m of extra funding to support over 100 councils which would have otherwise faced devastating cuts in last month’s local government finance settlement.

We also successfully campaigned for the removal of a barrier to much-needed affordable homes with the Government this year announcing reform of the Housing Revenue Account which removes much of the red tape by councils wanting to build council homes.

Why are you rebranding to the Local Councils Network (LCN)? 

Local government reorganisation means district and county councils will come together as new unitary authorities by 2028. Our old name, the District Councils’ Network, did not reflect the fact that we already have unitary council members and all council are likely to be unitary soon. We’re rebranding to reflect the future shape of local government and to show that we’re building a new organisation with a new focus and priorities at a time of major change across local public services. 

What is the ethos of LCN? 

Our new slogan, ‘leading locally, influencing nationally’ captures exactly who we are and what we do. Our role is to reflect our members’ views at a national level, to influence policy and to stand up for councils at a time of unprecedented change. By doing this we can help you, our member councils, to succeed in how you lead your place, for the benefit of everyone living there. We’re passionate about genuinely local government and ensuring power sits close to communities. We also know the strength of our network: it brings councils together to share insight, expertise and practical solutions. 

What is changing as part of the rebrand? 

Our name, logo and visual identity are changing – but that’s only part of it. We are expanding our focus to encompass the range of services delivered by unitary councils, including adults’ and children’s social care, highways and public health. LCN is poised, ready to support all councils on their challenges and to highlight the opportunities open to them.  

What isn’t changing? 

The core elements of our existing offer and the value we deliver for our members will continue. We’ll strongly support districts for as long as they exist. We’ll remain politically neutral and will facilitate cross-party working. Our work will stay focused on leadership, evidence and practical, workable solutions. We’ll continue advocating on all the major issues councils face. We’ll continue to have a strong focus on promoting the vital role of councils as place leaders. 

When will the new name and logo go live? 

19 March 2026. 

Why make this change now? 

We want to help shape the transition to new structures and the future shape of local government, not wait for others to decide it for us. Local government reorganisation is far from being the only big change affecting local public services. We’re ready now to help all councils with their challenges, including overcoming financial constraint, improving all services and gaining the power necessary to drive positive change. 

What if the Government delays the timetable for or scope of LGR? 

Our new identity will remain in place. We believe in the direction we’ve set, and our focus will stay the same regardless of when, or how, LGR progresses. 

Membership, governance and cross-sector representation 

Can district councils remain members until 2028? 

Absolutely. District councils will very much remain a valued part of LCN for as long as they exist. Your voices, experience and leadership will continue to shape our work every step of the way. 

Can unitary councils join LCN now? 

Yes, absolutely. We already have unitary members. If you’re not already a member and are interested in finding out more, please enquire at lcn@local.gov.uk to find out how you can join. Together, we’re stronger. 

Are there any restrictions on which councils can join? 

LCN membership is open to all principal authorities in England. 

Will LCN’s approach to political proportionality change? 

No. Political representation on LCN Executive Board will continue to be calculated using the same methodology. Representation is calculated annually to reflect the number and proportion of councillors from each political group across LCN member councils after local elections have taken place. The calculation includes an adjustment to reflect the size of the population served by each member council.  

LCN will remain a cross-party, politically neutral organisation. Our job remains to stand up for and support our members whatever their political make-up. 

How will you ensure district services and issues still get the attention they deserve? 

LCN will continue to be passionate about services currently delivered by district councils. While we’ll be developing new expertise on service areas such as social care and education, we’ll remain committed to support you on housing, waste collection, parks, leisure and all other district services. 

What support will LCN members receive during the LGR transition period? 

The LGR transition period will be challenging for all councils and we’ll be with you every step of the way. LCN will continue DCN’s programme of shared learning, also offering LGR preparation toolkits, workforce planning support, communications guidance, and dedicated transition groups. 

Will LCN remain a special interest group of the Local Government Association? 

Yes. LCN is committed to being a strong voice within the LGA. 

How will LCN work with other sector bodies? 

All sector bodies bring their own strengths and expertise. We aim to complement what already exists. We’ll work alongside and in partnership with other organisations whenever it adds value for our members and for the sector.  

LCN will continue and deepen DCN’s longstanding commitment to working collaboratively across the local government sector. We want to amplify, not compete with, the voices of the LGA and others. This rebrand is an opportunity for us to play our part in making the collective voice of local government as strong and united as possible. 

Practical information

How can you contact LCN? 

You can contact us at lcn@local.gov.uk. Email addresses for individual members of the LCN team will remain the same. 

Where can I find LCN’s digital and social media channels? 

Website: www.localcouncilsnetwork.gov.uk  

X: @localcouncilnet 

LinkedIn: Local Councils Network 

Our Conference Handbook contains all the information you need to get the most from the event. Click here to read it.

We look forward to seeing you at what we’re sure will be a great event!

The delegation included the Deputy Chairman of the National Association of Mahallas of Uzbekistan – a body representing Uzbek local government – parliamentary representatives, and local officials from the Uzbek capital Tashkent.

During Wednesday’s visit, the delegation met with DCN to discuss how district councils operate, share best practice, and engage with their communities. They then met Brentwood’s officer leadership to explore how a district council delivers services and works with residents.

The visit focused on practical aspects of local governance, community engagement, and how councils collaborate with town and parish councils and other local organisations.

Javdatkhon Inagamov, First Deputy Chairman of the National Association of Mahallas, said: “The mahalla is a unique institution that brings communities together and ensures local voices are heard in decision-making.“ He noted the similarities between mahallas and England’s approach to local governance through district and parish councils.

Charlotte Maguire, Senior Policy Adviser at DCN, said: “This visit provided a valuable opportunity to share how district councils operate at a local level and engage with their communities. We were pleased to facilitate learning between our two countries and examine our approaches to local governance.”

Councils were in December invited by ministers to request that elections due to be held in May were postponed to free up capacity to reorganise local government.

Thirty councils opted to take up the offer to cancel elections. Their polls were due to be replaced by shadow elections in 2027 for the new unitary authorities which will operate alongside existing councils.

However, with a High Court legal challenge against the move due to take place later this week, the Government has announced that the originally scheduled elections will proceed after all.

Councils which had postponed their work to ensure local elections take place now have urgent work to ensure polling stations are available and elections proceed fairly.

Cllr Richard Wright, Chair of the District Councils’ Network, said: “Council officers, councillors and local electorates will be bewildered by the unrelenting changes to the electoral timetable.

“Councils were assured by the Government that elections could be legally cancelled but now it seems ministers have come to the opposite conclusion. It’s the Government, not councils that have acted in good faith, which should bear responsibility for this mess which impacts on people’s faith in our cherished local democracy.

“The councils affected face an unnecessary race against time to ensure elections proceed smoothly and fairly, with polling stations booked and electoral staff available.

“If election cancellations were deemed necessary to free up capacity for local government reorganisation to succeed, councils will now be asking where this leaves the reorganisation timetable.

“We need to have faith in the Government’s decision-making as we work on the biggest shake-up of councils in 50 years – but the Government is doing little assure us that it has a strong grasp of the huge legal complexity involved.”

Planning Minister Matthew Pennycook today announced the rollout of strategic planning boards, which will prepare the spatial development strategies that will plot housing and infrastructure growth beyond the boundaries of individual councils.

In areas without mayoral strategic authorities, responsibility will lie with county councils – which do not have large planning functions – and unitary councils. There is no requirement for district councils to be represented on the new boards.

District councils are planning authorities with statutory responsibility for taking decisions on the vast majority of planning applications. District council planning committees offer a democratic mechanism for elected representatives to shape places, reflecting the views of local communities.

The Government is currently undertaking local government reorganisation under which district and county councils will merge to form new unitary councils, in the biggest reorganisation of English councils in 50 years. However, decisions are yet to be taken on council boundaries for nearly all areas and the new structure will not be implemented for several years.

The District Councils’ Network has repeatedly urged that district and county councils work together and share expertise to ensure reorganisation is successful. We strongly believe that successful spatial strategies benefit from bottom-up input from local communities.

In response to the announcement, Cllr Richard Wright, Chair of the District Councils’ Network, said:

“While we support the reintroduction of strategic planning, it’s vital that the councillors and officers who best know communities are able to feed into the process if we’re to make the right decisions on where new homes and infrastructure are situated.

“It defies common sense to exclude planning authorities, with their longstanding local expertise and knowledge, from a full role in strategic planning. In some places it could lead to the bizarre outcome that strategic planning boards include no planning authorities.

“For as long as district councils exist, they should have an automatic seat at the table of strategic planning boards so the views of local communities can be represented democratically.

“The danger is that top-down decision-making leads to local people being cut out from vitally important decisions. Sidestepping local planning departments excludes the people who best know how to overcome the barriers to new housing and infrastructure, and work with communities to get development underway.

“The Government wants local government reorganisation to bring greater clarity in local decision making. However, the latest planning reforms run a high risk of undermining the cooperation required to make a success of reorganisation and to deliver the homes our communities need.”

The Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government today revealed it will raise the threshold at which councils must set up a Housing Revenue Account (HRA) from 200 to 1,000 houses – a reform the District Councils’ Network has long campaigned to bring about.

The HRA is the system councils are required to use to oversee large-scale council housing, which requires specialised accounting systems and dedicated staffing. The extra costs HRAs entail currently make many councils’ expansion of their social housing stock beyond 200 homes unviable.

DCN has been the leading voice calling for a raising of the threshold, making it the number one recommendation in our Blueprint to tackle the affordable housing crisis report released one year ago. DCN has worked closely with MHCLG over the past year to set out the case for reform.

Cllr Paul Harvey, housing spokesperson for the District Councils’ Network, said: “Many councils are desperate to build more council homes but have been held back by the 200-home HRA limit, hindering their ability to meet residents’ rising demand for affordable housing.

“We are delighted the Government has listened to what DCN and other housing experts have told it and agreed to axe what for smaller council house providers amounts to unnecessary and over-complicated bureaucracy. This change creates real potential for thousands of much-needed council homes to be built.

“Raising the HRA threshold to 1,000 homes is a real breakthrough for district and unitary councils, and more importantly for so many people in our communities who are struggling to find affordable homes. Countless lives will be changed for the better.”

The HRA reform was part of a wider package of measures that helps councils generate additional income and improve their housing stock.

Rent convergence allows councils to gradually increase social rents towards target levels, providing much-needed extra funding for housing investment. DCN has previously called for this to begin in April 2026 at £2 per week. However, it was today announced it will start in 2027/28 at £1 per week rises, increasing to £2 in 2028/29.

The Government has also set out more realistic timelines for councils to meet new quality standards for their housing stock, including the Decent Homes Standard and energy efficiency requirements. The change reflects the level of investment needed to upgrade existing homes.

Low-interest Government loans for council housebuilding through the Public Works Loan Board have been extended to March 2027.

Cllr Harvey said: “While we would have preferred rent convergence to begin earlier, the broader package provides the long-term certainty councils need to plan their development programmes.

“We look forward to working with the Government through the new partnership agreement to ensure councils can deliver the affordable homes our communities need.”

Vast swathes of low-lying land face increased risk of devastating floods after central funding for their protection is halted – unless local taxpayers cough up to cover costs.

The Environment Agency will in April end its funding for the maintenance of many areas’ flood defences after reprioritising which places should be protected.

The District Councils’ Network warns this will force councils to pick up the tab for work to keep river courses free from obstruction. Many local leaders say they face a backlog of river maintenance after the agency scaled back its work amid funding cuts and increased costs in recent years. Urgent expenditure is required to reduce flood risk.

Councils are calling for extra Government funding to cover the costs of river maintenance to reduce the hit on council tax payers and ratepayers. Without it, the work’s spiralling costs will leave councils with no option but to cut other local services, even if they raise council tax by the maximum permissible level.

Councils in the worst hit areas face multi-million pound bills which have risen by over a third in the past four years.

Analysis of the Environment Agency’s reprioritisation has been undertaken for two counties and gives examples of some of the specific areas that could be hit:

• Significant areas of land and small communities near the town of Horncastle in Lincolnshire, near the River Witham and its tributaries.
• Land and property in Somerset near Somerton, on the River Cary; near Glastonbury, on the River Brue; and near Langport, on the River Yeo. This could increase the prospect of a repeat of the county’s devastating 2014 flood which saw 10,400 hectares of land inundated.

Floods could hit smaller villages, make roads impassable, devastate local economies and agriculture, and damage the local environment, unless local taxpayers fund the work. Councils are expected to prioritise vital river maintenance work over other areas of expenditure.

Flood protection is undertaken by England’s 112 internal drainage boards (IDBs), whose work protects nearly a tenth of the country’s landmass. They are funded via councils through levies on council tax payers and on the owners of property including agricultural land.

The special levies paid by local taxpayers to IDBs, have risen by 32% to £52.4m annually in the four years to 2025-26. Although the Government has provided £5m to the councils most impacted for the current financial year, this is insufficient to keep up with rising costs and councils say the sum needs to be significantly increased.

The problem has largely risen through rising electricity standing charges for pumping stations and the Environment Agency’s cuts to routine maintenance.

Cllr Paul Redgate, Chair of the Internal Drainage Boards Interest Group, said: “The withdrawal of funding for so many stretches of river amounts to cost-shunting from central government to already squeezed local taxpayers.

“If you are unfortunate enough to live in an area susceptible to floods you already face higher council tax and insurance bills – and Environment Agency cuts are going to hit you even harder. They’ll increase the likelihood of maximum council tax rises and force councils to shift spending away from other essential local services.

“Just to reassure everyone in our local community, we know how devastating flooding can be and, along with our partners, we will always seek to best protect communities, but this will mean less money available for other essential local services.

“We urge the Government to step in and provide extra funding for communities which, through no fault of their own, face growing risk of floods. The alternative could be catastrophic flooding and economic devastation. It’s a matter of fairness and common sense.”

Cllr Richard Wright, Chair of the District Councils’ Network and a councillor in Lincolnshire, said: “The sums of money required to maintain river maintenance are miniscule for national government – but rising costs can be devastating for individual district councils, giving them no option but to cut other services.

“The overall costs of flooding through the damage to property, devastation of local economies and the hit to agriculture would be enormous to the nation. Let’s get this maintenance work properly funded, with the costs borne fairly, sparing society and the taxpayer future misery and costs.”

Innes Thomson, Chief Executive of the Association of Drainage Authorities, said: “Most of these rivers are manmade channels designed to convey flood water but if they become clogged over time because of a lack of maintenance their capacity can be significantly reduced, dramatically increasing flood risk.

“There’s been a gradual reduction in maintenance carried out by the Environment Agency over the past 15 or 20 years, leaving councils with a significant bill to put things right.

“I am concerned that there’s been a significant amount of cost-shifting from central to local government and no transparency about it. You can’t simply walk away from flood protection without having agreed long-term plans for vital work to proceed.”

Notes to editors

• Since 2022/23, Internal Drainage Board Special Levies have risen by £12.62m.
  • 22/23 – £39,752,119
  • 23/24 – £45,919,512
  • 24/25 – £49,942,230
  • 25/26 – £52,374,520
• Following lobbying by the Internal Drainage Boards Special Interest Group (now 41 councils), the previous Government agreed to provide £3m of support to the most impacted councils while it implemented a longer-term funding solution. In the past year, this has increased to £5m but the focus on a longer-term funding solution has been delayed by a DEFRA review.
• The costs for council tax payers in certain authorities is significant:

• The special levy used to be funded by Government but with funding changes the full cost has moved onto councils. The only means of funding this is via council tax. The amount of money councils can raise via council tax is capped, forcing them to cut other services in order to pay for flood prevention.
• Lincolnshire’s Witham & Humber Drainage Boards group of four IDBs, which has 53 pumping stations, provides an example of rising utility costs. Its combined annual standing charge has risen from £13,000 in October 2020 to £200,000 in October 2023 following a standing charges review.

Local government reorganisation (LGR) raises urgent data-protection questions.

It may not be clear who will be legally responsible for residents’ personal information, how to handle Subject Access Requests, what to put in new data-sharing agreements and how to keep everyone compliant while services move from one body to another.

Getting these questions right quickly and getting legal advice early avoids regulatory risk, service disruption and costly complaints or enforcement action.

We want to help you understand your legal obligations and the way that they are impacted as structures change.

Who is the data controller, joint controller and processor?

Who is the data controller, joint controller, or processor depends on who decides the purpose and means of the processing, not simply who holds the files.

• If your organisation decides why and how data is used, you are a controller.
• If two or more organisations decide together, you are joint controllers.
• If you only act on someone else’s instructions, you are a processor.

This distinction matters legally as it centres on different duties with different liabilities.

You should document roles in writing and seek legal advice before transferring or redesigning services.

You should not assume the successor authority automatically “inherits” controller status without paperwork and legal checks.

How does the law work?

Under the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018, the legal duties differ by role.

The data controller must lawfully justify processing by working to identify the lawful basis.

They must maintain records of processing, respond to data-subject rights, keep data secure, notify personal-data breaches to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) where required and be accountable for compliance.

Joint controllers are when two or more organisations that decide the why and how together.

You must have a public, written agreement that clearly divides responsibilities and you must tell people which organisation to contact about their rights.

Both parties remain directly answerable to data subjects and the ICO.

The processor acts only on the controller’s instructions, must follow contract terms and has direct legal duties too.

Those duties are not optional and it is worth seeking professional legal advice to ensure you stay compliant with your obligations.

What happens at vesting day?

Structural Change Orders (SCOs) set the vesting day and transfer functions, property and records.

In many cases, the successor authority becomes the practical controller for services that transfer, but that outcome depends on how processing is actually carried out during and after transition.

If, during the transition, a shadow authority or combined authority and predecessor councils jointly determine policy or share decision-making about a dataset, the receiving party may be a controller (or you may be joint controllers) even before vesting day.

If a body simply hosts records while another authority sets policy, the host may be a processor.

What are the special categories and sensitive datasets?

Health, social-care, law-enforcement and pension/HR datasets often need specific legal gateways or exemptions and different handling.

Some transfers fall into Part Three (law-enforcement processing) or require statutory gateways.

You should view these datasets as bespoke and be sure to map them first, identify the correct legal basis for reuse and transfer and document the gateway in the DSA and any DPIA.

Be careful not to accidentally lump sensitive datasets into generic arrangements without legal sign-off.

Security, breaches and contractors

Controllers must ensure appropriate technical and organisational measures, including oversight of measures applied by processors.

If a data breach happens during transition, controllers or joint controllers may need to notify the ICO within 72 hours where there is a likelihood of risk to the rights and freedoms of data subjects.

Data subjects may also need to be informed where there is a high risk to their rights and freedoms.

Processor contracts must include timely notification and co-operation obligations.

Why you must take action now

The status of controller, joint controller or processor has real legal implications that need to be managed effectively.

They involve different duties, different liabilities, different timelines for responses and reporting and potential fines or enforcement by the ICO.

LGR brings complexity and political change so seeking expert legal advice is essential for staying compliant.

For help understanding how data protection may be impacted by devolution, be sure to get in touch with our expert team today.

We are hosting a webinar on this topic, the details of which can be found here. If you’re looking for more information or require legal advice, this is a good place to start! 

If you have any questions on the matters raised above, please do contact Kate Edwards or Claire Jones by e-mail Kate-Edwards@birketts.co.uk or Claire-Jones@birketts.co.uk