Making the most of it: unitarisation, hyperlocal democratic renewal and community empowerment

What is unitarisation? 

One of the first Bills to be consulted on following the 2024 general election was the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill. The Bill included plans to unitarise remaining two-tier county-district authorities – covering around 29 per cent of England’s population.  

Unitarisation in practice will mean removing 156 District Councils in England that currently sit below County Councils. New unitary councils will then be formed in these areas. New unitaries will typically serve populations of 500,000 or more with flexibility where appropriate.  

What are the challenges? 

Many deprived communities often lack formal hyperlocal governance structures or strong social infrastructure, yet face the greatest risks of marginalisation as local government reorganisation proceeds.  

Initial focus on building civic infrastructure and capacity should be prioritised. Utilising some of the funding from the Pride in Place programme could be an initial means of achieving this in some areas.  

So, what needs to change? 

Drawing on insights from case study research with both Brereton and Gaunless Gateway Big Local areas, as well as existing examples and evidence of good practice in local government, this report identifies three key areas for democratic innovation: 

• Reforming and expanding hyperlocal councils to ensure democracy ‘within walking distance’. 

• Establishing inclusive, empowered and well-resourced neighbourhood boards with 50 per cent or more community representation. 

• Councils adopting bold participatory democratic practices. For councillors, the government should legislate to enable remote, digital voting. For the public, councils should increasingly utilise approaches such as co-production, participatory budgeting, and citizens’ assemblies as new default ways of working.