On 21 February 2025, then Derbyshire County Council leader Barry Lewis issued a statement on local government reorganisation, arguing for a single unitary council for Derbyshire. His statement said that a county-wide council could save around £126 million over five years. This was an estimate made at the time, not a saving already realised.

Lewis argued that combining services could reduce duplication and retain a strong county identity. Derby City Council and Derbyshire’s district and borough councils favoured a two-council approach. A county council poll referred to in the statement closed on 9 March 2025.

The county council’s March 2025 interim proposal covered the existing county area, with Derby remaining a separate city unitary council. In November 2025 the county council instead submitted a proposal for one council covering both Derby and Derbyshire.

What happened next?

Following consultation, the government selected a two-council plan in July 2026. It announced a review of its July decisions on 7 September 2026. High Peak Borough Council says the Derby and Derbyshire implementation is paused while the decision is reviewed, with no outcome or timetable yet confirmed. Read the council’s latest update.

The reorganisation proposals concerned principal councils; parish and town councils were not included.