Warwick District Council votes in favour of two new Unitary Councils for Warwickshire

Made up of one in the north and one in the south.

The District Council will make the submission (jointly with other Borough and District Councils) to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government by 28 November, outlining the reasons for their preferred north, south structure for future local government across the County.

If Government plans for Local Government Reorganisation go ahead, then Warwick District Council, neighbouring District and Borough Councils and Warwickshire County Council will be abolished on 1 April 2028. They will be replaced by either one single unitary Council for Warwickshire or two unitary Councils – one for the north and one for the south – with each Council responsible for all services for its part of the county.

Councillor Ian Davison, Leader of Warwick District Council said: “We believe in supporting local democracy, ensuring that the decisions made remain close to the communities we serve. Two Councils for Warwickshire, one in the south and one in the north would provide a better balance of scale with the ability to remain more responsive to the needs of local people, than a single, larger council. And this was also the overwhelming conclusion of our public engagement exercise.

“Furthermore, partnership working in South Warwickshire is already establishing a sense of place, with projects and organisations such as the South Warwickshire Economic Strategy, the South Warwickshire Local Plan and The NHS South Warwickshire place Board.”

Councillor Chris King, Deputy Leader of Warwick District Council added: “Social care could be transformed; our independent analysis shows bigger is not better. With two Councils for Warwickshire, a new bespoke model for Adult Social Care, Children’s Services and SEND could be developed that improves services whilst saving millions. The new model would allow the two Councils to build on the strengths of their location, focusing on community-based support and local partnerships.”

The Government will consult on the proposed plans in early 2026, and it is expected to make its final decision in early summer 2026. If approved, the new Unitary Councils are due to be in place from 1 April 2028.