Local government leaders are calling the government’s plans to merge councils as “ill-conceived” and “insane,” stating that the reorganization won’t lead to cost savings, according to a polling of town hall executives and senior officials. The majority of local governments are preparing to cut services and increase council taxes, fees, and charges due to financial pressures that can cause up to 19 town halls to face effective bankruptcy in the coming year. The Local Government Information Unit (LGIU), which carried out the survey, believes that the speed and scale of the proposed restructuring have introduced a “new level of uncertainty” to a sector already in a “state of crisis management.” The government maintains that the reorganization is the correct decision to streamline and make local government more accountable.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/mar/06/town-hall-leaders-condemn-ill-thought-out-plan-to-merge-english-councils