Council to take government to court over reforms

Reform UK-led Essex County Council has said it will take the government to court over its plan to shake up local authorities.

The two-tier system of 15 councils in Essex is due to be replaced with five all-purpose unitary authorities in 2028.

Council leader Peter Harris has said the plan is "financially unviable" and the authority is due to submit its request for a judicial review at the High Court next week.

A government spokesperson said the council reforms "will improve public services and boost regional growth to put more money in people's pockets".

Other councils including Reform-led Suffolk and Norfolk are considering legal action over local government reorganisation.

The government says shaking up local democracy across England - first proposed by the previous Conservative administration at Westminster - will help meet housebuilding targets and reform public services.

Harris said: "We've been unequivocal in opposing these costly, ill-judged proposals that risk widening the gap between residents and their representatives."

Last month, he wrote to Communities Secretary Steve Reed explaining the authority was considering legal action.

Government lawyers formally responded this week, saying there was no case to argue.

But the letter also revealed that the government felt a three-council model for Essex was the only one "we assess to be financially viable within five years" and three councils would be "weaker in respect of finances and public service delivery criteria".

But Reed also wanted the new unitary councils in Essex to "retain connection to local communities" and this model would "best meet local housing needs".

If granted permission by the High Court, the judicial review could be heard over the summer.

Elections to the new unitary councils are due to take place in May and formally take effect in April 2028.

Reform won a majority at Essex County Council after the local election on 7 May, ending the Tories' 25-year control of the authority.

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