England’s smallest county is set to disappear from the map for good. Rutland County Council – home to just 41,000 people – will be abolished and replaced by a larger authority stretching around Leicester, as part of the biggest government reorganisation in 50 years.
The plans, announced by Steve Reed, secretary of state for housing, communities and local government, will see 134 district and county councils reorganised into 38 unitary authorities across 14 areas of England. The reforms, which affect 15 million people, aim to create “strong” councils that match local economies and identities, drive house-building and growth, and pave the way for more powers to be handed from Westminster to regions.
“Rutland to be abolished and 134 councils reorganised into 38 unitary authorities in biggest local government shake-up in 50 years.”
But the move has sparked fury in Rutland, where more than 7,000 people have signed a ‘Save Rutland’ petition. Conservative MP Alicia Kearns said residents “never chose to join” the new authority. “Unless the Government acts, Rutland will lose its ceremonial county status,” she said. “The signs will come down and an identity that has endured for centuries will be erased at the stroke of a bureaucrat’s pen.” Rutland was its own county for years before becoming part of Leicestershire in 1974; it regained unitary status in 1995 after a public campaign.
Reed defended the shake-up, saying the current system is “inefficient” and produces “wasteful” duplication. “Some of our smaller cities are highly productive, but have been constrained by tight boundaries, set decades ago, which stop them from building the homes they need,” he said. “Others are more rural, with significant demand for social care services and affordable housing.” The government has set a target of councils serving around 500,000 residents – far above Rutland’s population.
Not all areas are moving at the same pace. Plans for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough and West Sussex have been delayed, with the government saying it needs more time to “make the right decisions”. Meanwhile, legal challenges have been launched over previously announced proposals in Essex, Hampshire, Norfolk and Suffolk.
James Cleverly, the shadow secretary of state for housing, communities and local government, accused the government of acting for political gain. “These top-down changes are purely partisan,” he said. “Steve Reed is once again fiddling with democracy. His legacy will be one of taking power away from local communities, imposing an unfair funding review on councils, and gerrymandering local government for party political advantage.” The Liberal Democrats said the proposals had created “chaos” and “uncertainty”, leaving many communities “arbitrarily” redrawn.
With 134 councils set to be abolished and ancient county identities at risk, the question remains: will the promised efficiency and growth outweigh the sense of loss for places like Rutland?