Mansfield Council confirms local government reorganisation choice - but Ashfield stays on the fence

But while Mansfield has committed to its choice, Ashfield Council is one of two Nottinghamshire authorities – along with Broxtowe Council – that has opted not to choose an option by the Novemebr 28 deadline.

The Government announced plans back in December 2024 to re-shape England’s two-tier council structure that split council responsibilities between lower-tier district councils responsible for smaller-scale services and upper-tier county councils that handle major services.

Nottingham City Council already exists as a unitary authority.

Nottinghamshire’s authorities deliberated three reorganisation options for the area, all of which included some form of Nottingham city merging with boroughs outside of the city boundary to form a unitary authority.

A second unitary would include the remaining parts of the county.

The options were Option 1B – a Nottingham, Broxtowe and Gedling merge, Option 1E – a Nottingham, Broxtowe and Rushcliffe merge, and Option 1B (II) – a city council self-made re-shaping proposal which would see the city boundary expanded into parts of boroughs and not whole boroughs.

Mansfield has chosen Option 1E, which was also backed by Bassetlaw Council, Gedling Council, and Newark & Sherwood Council.

Coun Julie Leigh (Lab), Bassetlaw leader, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service this option ‘keeps similar communities together’ and ‘cuts Nottinghamshire in half’.

She continued: “Option 1B would stretch 60 miles from the very top of Bassetlaw to the very south of Nottinghamshire – this could make the distance unwieldy and make it harder for the council to really stay in touch with communities it serves.”

Option 1B, however, has been formally backed by Nottinghamshire Council and Rushcliffe Council.

Coun Neil Clarke (Con), Rushcliffe leader and a county councillor, told the local democracy reporting service (LDRS): “Rushcliffe have either got the luxury or disadvantage, everybody wants us because our financial situation is desirable – if Rushcliffe was included in the rest of the county the people of Bassetlaw would be better off.”

The city council, has voted for its own option which would see the majority of Broxtowe, south Gedling and half of Ruschliffe become part of a new unitary with the existing Nottingham boundary.

Ashfield Council has remained neutral on LGR options with no formal submission, saying it had ‘resolved not to express a preference for one option over the others’.

By contrast Broxtowe voted to fully reject all three of the proposed LGR options on the table, all of which put either all or part of the district into the new city-based authority that will be created – something many Broxtowe residents are against.

Coun Milan Radulovic (Brox All), Broxtowe Council leader, has instead called on the Government to do a ‘service-based review’ on reorganisation as he says Broxtowe will be the big losers if it ends up part of the city.

He said: “Council tax will go up, rent up, less council tax support scheme and green belt under far more threat under a city expansion.”

Formal consultation on LGR is expected to begin in early 2026 and a final decision is set to be made by the Government next summer.