The creation of two brand-new councils for Nottingham and the wider county will not mark the end of change for local government here — it will be the start of another formal boundary review that will follow the first elections in 2027.
What is changing and when
Under the government’s local government reorganisation (LGR) programme, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire will replace the existing two-tier system with two unitary authorities. Voters across the city and county will be asked to elect 99 councillors to each new authority in May 2027.
The two authorities will operate in shadow form for a year after those polls and will formally take over responsibilities in 2028. But the internal ward and division boundaries will not be finally settled before those elections — they will be subject to a separate review by the Boundary Commission once the new councils have been elected.
Why another review is needed
The outer edge of the new Nottingham authority has already been agreed by ministers following debate about the size and balance of the two authorities. The city argued that keeping the county at its current extent would create a single county authority far larger than the city body, and ministers backed a plan that will extend Nottingham into parts of Broxtowe, Gedling and Rushcliffe.
However, how the internal electoral map is drawn — the wards and the way representation is distributed within those outer boundaries — will be examined after the first elections. As the city’s leader put it, the commission’s role comes after the ballot and it will have time to adjust the internal lines.
"The boundary commission doesn't come in now. It comes in once you've gone to the election, and then it has four years to get them right,"
Practical timeline at a glance
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| First elections for both new councils (99 members each) | May 2027 |
| Shadow authority year | 2027–2028 |
| New councils come into full effect | 2028 |
| Boundary Commission review period | Begins after 2027 election (up to 4 years) |
What residents should know
- Voters will elect councillors to two new unitary councils rather than the current county and district arrangement.
- The outer boundary for the new Nottingham council has been set to include parts of Broxtowe, Gedling and Rushcliffe.
- The detailed ward boundaries and internal representation will be examined by the Boundary Commission after the 2027 polls and could change over the subsequent four years.
The reorganisation is being promoted by ministers as a route to simplify local government and to reduce costs by ending the split between county and district responsibilities. Locally, debates have focused on the balance of size and services between the two new councils and how communities will be represented under the new arrangements.
For residents, the immediate practical implication is to prepare for a different ballot in May 2027. The longer-term implication is that the map of wards and the number of councillors representing particular communities may be adjusted following the Boundary Commission’s review after those elections.
As the transition continues, local authorities and the commission will publish further details on arrangements for consultations and proposed ward designs. Electors keen to follow developments should check council websites and the Boundary Commission’s announcements for the formal consultation timetable.
