This page brings together key facts about the Government’s plans to reform local government in Derbyshire.
Here you’ll find information on what’s happening, the proposals being developed, answers to common questions, and how you’ll be able to have your say. The page will be updated regularly as the process moves forward.
In late 2024, the Government published a white paper describing a national programme of devolution and reform to local government – setting out plans for the biggest change to local councils in a generation.
This includes a clear expectation that the 'two-tier system' of local government which exists in many places – including here in Derbyshire – must be replaced.
The future of small 'unitary' councils, like the city council that covers Derby, is also under review as part of this programme.
In short, under the Government’s plans this means that district, borough, county and small unitary councils will no longer exist. They will be replaced by new unitary councils which will each provide all council services to the communities they serve.
In announcing this widescale reform, Government asked Derbyshire councils to work together to come up with some initial options about how this could work in our area. The plan is then to work with our local communities later on in 2025 to get your views on our proposals before any final decisions are made.
The district and borough councils across Derbyshire, and Derby City Council, have been working in partnership since the Government’s call.
This is a complex issue, but our key priority is to make sure the needs of our communities are met – proposing new structures that:
Government has been clear that the way local government works in places like Derbyshire has to change – doing nothing is not an option.
By working together, we stand the strongest chance of creating a future which meets the needs of our local communities – keeping your council services as close as possible to you – within the framework set out by Government.
That’s why we, along with the seven other district and borough councils across Derbyshire, have joined forces to pull together an initial proposal which puts the needs of our communities at its heart.
Amber Valley Borough Council has supported an initial proposal – which will be put out for public consultation before any final proposals are drawn up, or any final decisions are made. This was submitted to Government in March 2025, in line with the Government’s timetable.
The leader of Amber Valley Borough Council, together with the leaders of the other seven district and borough councils in Derbyshire, has submitted an initial proposal to create two unitary councils to cover the county – one in the north, and one in the south.
This initial work has established two options of equal merit that meet the Government’s requirements.
Option 1 - Amber Valley Borough Council would be part of a northern unitary council, alongside High Peak Borough Council, Derbyshire Dales District Council, Chesterfield Borough Council, North East Derbyshire District Council, and Bolsover District Council. A separate southern unitary council would be formed by Derby City Council, South Derbyshire District Council, and Erewash Borough Council.
Option 2 - In the second option, the structure remains the same, except Amber Valley Borough Council would move from the northern unitary council to join the southern unitary council instead.
Both options maintain the integrity of the historic county of Derbyshire and reflect the existing boundaries of the district, borough and city councils.
These new unitary councils would be responsible for delivering all local council services in their area, bringing everything under one organisation. At the moment, services are split between two tiers of local government – with county councils providing things like social care and highways, while district and borough councils are responsible for services such as bin collections, planning, and leisure centres.
Amber Valley Borough Council continues to support the joint submission for a two-unitary model and remains committed to working collaboratively with partner councils.
However, the Council felt it was also important to consider whether an alternative structure might better reflect the long-term needs of Derbyshire’s communities. That’s why, alongside the joint proposal, an additional interim proposal for a three-unitary model has been submitted - to ensure all viable options are explored and given proper consideration.
This alternative approach reflects the view that Derbyshire’s varied geography, local identities, and mix of rural, urban, and post-industrial communities may be better served by three slightly smaller unitary councils, each more closely aligned to existing community ties and local needs.
This is particularly relevant in a county like Derbyshire - home to rural villages, market towns, former coalfield areas, and the city of Derby - where a single focus on creating councils of 500,000 people or more could risk overlooking local identity and alienating communities that are proud of their heritage and sense of place.
The proposed model could include:
Each of the proposed councils would serve a population between 324,000 and 381,000, following indications from Government that flexibility can be applied to the original 500,000 population figure.
It is the Council’s view that three unitary councils would better reflect the reality of existing local communities and the social bonds that tie them together. The aim is to find a structure that maintains a close connection between communities and the local services they rely on, meets Government criteria, supports long-term growth, and, most importantly, keeps community identity at its heart.
The joint interim proposal and the individual three unitary proposal was submitted to Government on 21 March 2025.
A full public consultation will take place later in 2025, ahead of the Government’s deadline for final proposals to be submitted in November 2025.
You will have the opportunity to share your views before any final decisions are made. We’ll provide more details on how to take part as soon as they are available.
A decision is not expected from the Government on the final proposals that are submitted for Derbyshire until spring 2026.
In the meantime, please view our frequently asked questions to learn more about local government reorganisation, the interim proposals and what this could mean for Derbyshire.
Contact the team directly on 01773 570222 or email enquiry@ambervalley.gov.uk
