Over the next few years we can look forward to a large number of changes due to local government restructuring. We have a new type of combined authority - a Mayoral Combined County Authority - which will put an elected regional Mayor at the top of a group of County Councils and/or Unitary Authorities. This differs from Mayoral Combined Authorities in that District Councils won't be able to take part as constituent (voting) members. Of course, District Councils are being phased out anyway.
Here is what's known so far about the latest changes.
2026: Mayors will be elected for these new Mayoral Combined County Authorities:
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-Greater Essex MCCA
-Hampshire and the Solent MCCA
-Norfolk and Suffolk MCCA
-Sussex and Brighton MCCA
All of these areas are also scheduled to be combined into a number of Unitary Authorities. It isn’t yet known what will happen to scheduled 2026 elections at County, District and Unitary Councils within the boundaries of these areas. They may or may not have elections, but either way the councils themselves won’t be abolished until at least 2027.
2026: Shadow authorities will be elected for these new Unitary Authorities:
-West Surrey Unitary Authority
-East Surrey Unitary Authority
However, these will not take over from existing councils until 2027, and won’t be included in CDUK datasets until then.
In addition to Surrey County Council, the following District Councils will be abolished to make way for West Surrey in 2027:
-Guildford, Runnymede, Spelthorne, Surrey Heath, Waverley, and Woking
And the following District Councils will be abolished to make way for (a new hyperspace) East Surrey in 2027:
-Elmbridge, Epsom and Ewell, Mole Valley, Reigate and Banstead, and Tandridge
All other two-tier areas are expected to migrate to new unitaries, with shadow authorities elected in 2027, followed by the formal transition in 2028.
2027: Mayors will be elected for these new Mayoral Combined Authorities:
-Cumbria MCA
-Cheshire and Warrington MCA
These areas have already completed their conversion from County/District to Unitary structure.
For those who aren't already aware, here's an in depth guide to today's local by-elections.
Previewing the five council by-elections of 4th December 2025
Welcome to Open Council Data UK's first actual written content. It should make a nice change from all the tables of numbers.
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Hopefully I'll find something of interest to post here from time to time.
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