Plans to restructure Nottinghamshire councils are “gathering dust” as authorities are being “forced” down two routes, a councillor has argued.

In December 2024 the Labour Government’s English Devolution White Paper announced plans to reorganise areas made up of two-tier local authorities – including Nottinghamshire – where responsibilities are currently split between county and district councils.

Existing council boundaries will be redrawn to create new, larger, single-tier, unitary authorities.

All Nottinghamshire’s nine councils discussed three core reorganisation options back in March 2025 which were to form an interim submission to the government that same month.

Coun Sue Saddinton, Coun Neil Clarke, Coun Sam Smith, Coun Bruce Laughton, Coun Stuart Bestwick, Coun Janette Barlow, the six county councillors at the conference held on August 5.

placeholder image — Coun Sue Saddinton, Coun Neil Clarke, Coun Sam Smith, Coun Bruce Laughton, Coun Stuart Bestwick, Coun Janette Barlow, the six county councillors at the conference held on August 5.

In June 2025 the government provided interim feedback to English councils on plans to redraw council boundaries, which saw the original 500,000-resident target for new unitaries and boundary change stipulations “watered down”.

The options for reorganisation in Nottinghamshire has since been reduced to two core options, though this does not mean councils cannot submit alternative options for council reshaping by the government’s November deadline.

One option combines Nottingham, Broxtowe and Gedling, with the second unitary including Mansfield, Ashfield, Newark and Sherwood, Bassetlaw and Rushcliffe. The other combines Nottingham, Broxtowe and Rushcliffe, with a second unitary for Mansfield, Ashfield, Newark and Sherwood, Bassetlaw and Gedling.

A public engagement across the county opened on Monday, August 4, to gather feedback from residents on these two options, but Conservative Nottinghamshire councillors are calling for more reorganisation options to be explored alongside the two identified.

In a conference on August 5, Nottinghamshire County Councillor Sam Smith (Con), leader of the opposition at the authority, said: “Councils across the county seem to be being forced to pick between [the two options], which would see [the Nottingham City boundary] expanding by two districts – why aren’t other options being considered?”

Coun Smith called the public consultation “flawed” and said: “If you’re a resident right now in Broxtowe filling out the consultation, you’re seeing no option, or being able to take part in that, in a way that prevents Broxtowe joining the city – I think that’s disgraceful.”

He said the two current core options were formulated prior to the government “watering down” its original criteria for new unitary authorities so wishes to see other plans explored, such as Rushcliffe, Gedling and Newark and Sherwood combining or a partial city-boundary expansion given attention.

He said: “Rushcliffe Borough Council has already done some work on [the Rushcliffe, Gedling and Newark and Sherwood] option, but it’s very frustrating those proposals have so far been blocked by unelected bureaucrats from being worked on even further.

“We’re told the business cases wouldn’t stack up, that’s why they’re refusing to do any more work on it – but let’s see it. Do the work.

“Any option of Rushcliffe or Gedling joining the city is not good for the remaining part of the county, because Rushcliffe has the highest council tax and business rate income [without paying the highest council tax]… and that funds services right across the county.”

Later on in the conference, Nottinghamshire County Councillor Bruce Laughton (Con) said that over 70 per cent of the County Council’s social care demand from adult and young people comes from Ashfield, Mansfield and parts of Bassetlaw.

He said: “That is paid for by the good residents of Gedling, Rushcliffe and Newark and Sherwood.

“If you remove [those districts and boroughs], it reduces our revenue budget and we’ve got to look at altering the services in Ashfield and Mansfield area where our highest demand is. If we get it wrong, our vulnerable people will suffer.”

Coun Smith said the new possible options were “gathering dust in unelected bureaucrat’s desks” but authorities would have to “act quick” to get new options looked at ahead of the November deadline.

Fellow County Councillor Stuart Bestwick (Con) said “[the government] might want to move that November deadline back slightly [by a few months] to allow other authorities to have the time to do the work properly” in which it was agreed among councillors requesting this was possible.”