Introduction

The government have set out plans for a major reform of local government in the English Devolution White Paper. The two main aims of the proposals are to simplify how local government works (known as Local Government Reorganisation), and to let local decision makers have more of a say in what happens in their area (known as devolution).

The current system of local government has different types of councils responsible for various services. In Gloucestershire, we currently have a county council which deals with services such as adult and children’s social care education and highways, and six district councils, including Gloucester City Council, which deal with services including planning, revenues and benefits, housing, licensing and waste collection. In Gloucester, we also have one parish council, Quedgeley Town Council, which deals with very local services and facilities.