Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) & Devolution FAQs
Local government reorganisation is the process in which the structure and responsibilities of local authorities are reconfigured.
The Government has set out plans to move away from the current two-tier system of district and county councils in its Devolution White Paper.
The Government has indicated that for most areas this will mean creating councils with a population of 500,000 or more, but there may be exceptions to ensure new structures make sense for an area, including for devolution, and decisions will be on a case-by-case basis.
For now, nothing changes in the way you receive services. Your local council and Devon County Council will continue to provide everything they do today. Our priority is making sure residents, businesses and communities continue to get the support they need without interruption.
You’ll still be able to use the same council offices, community spaces and online services. Everything will stay open and work just as it does now.
From 1 April 2028 you will have one council providing all your services - education, waste collection, roads, housing, play areas, the countryside, leisure centres, planning, children’s services, adult social care, community funding and elections.
Following a direction from government, over the past year, all councils in Devon have worked together to explore different options for how local government could be organised in future. Councils developed proposals, shared data, and listened to views from residents, partners and community organisations.
A formal consultation took place (from 5 February to 26 March 2026) with thousands of people taking part, helping to shape the future of local government in Devon. We’re extremely grateful to everyone who shared their views.
All councils in Devon are committed to delivering high-quality services for residents, businesses, and visitors. The goal of reorganisation is to transition services to the new councils smoothly, with minimal disruption.
From a day-to-day perspective, you should not notice any immediate changes. Services such as bin collections, schools, social care, leisure centres, and libraries will continue as normal.
You’ll still be able to use the same council offices, community spaces and online services. Everything will stay open and work just as it does now.
As the new councils are created from April 2028, they’ll gradually start to join up how they work and the systems they use. This will happen over months and years, not overnight, so any changes you notice will be introduced thoughtfully and carefully.
From 1 April 2028, Devon County Council and the 10 unitary, district and borough councils, including Mid Devon, will no longer exist. All their responsibilities will transfer to the new councils, which will deliver every local service.
We don’t know yet where the new councils will have their council offices.
These decisions will be made by the elected members of the new shadow authorities.
You will be kept informed about this transformation of local government through this website and your council’s communications channels, including website, social media, and newsletters.