Update:
On the 7th of September 2026, the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, the Rt Hon Angela Rayner MP, announced a pause to Local Government Reorganisation in the 14 areas that were announced on the 16th of July 2026, by her predecessor.
This means that the Greater Lincolnshire Local Government Reorganisation is paused while an urgent review is carried out. As a result, the elections scheduled for May 2027, will be West Lindsey District Council elections.
West Lindsey District Council, Lincolnshire County Council along with all of remaining district, city and unitary councils in Lincolnshire will continue to provide all of their current services, until a decision has been made on Local Government Reorganisation.
The letter from Jim McMahon OBE, MP, the Minister for Local Government, Devolution and Regional Growth to the Leaders of the Councils affected by this pause can be viewed here.
West Lindsey District Council have provide the following FAQs:
1. Has Local Government Reorganisation in Greater Lincolnshire been cancelled?
No. The Government has said it is pausing and reviewing the decisions made in July 2026. WLDC has not received confirmation that the proposals have been cancelled.
2. What does this mean for town and parish councils now?
There is no change to the role of town and parish councils.
3. Will the district elections still happen in 2027?
Yes. The current position is that elections planned for May 2027 will go ahead on existing council boundaries. This means district elections are now planned, rather than elections for new shadow unitary authorities.
4. When will more information be available?
We do not yet know. WLDC has very limited information at this stage but will share regular updates as soon as the Government provides more detail on the timetable and process.
5. What does this mean for existing Council services
There is no immediate change to council services. WLDC will continue to deliver services as normal while the Government review takes place. If this changes, we will update town and parish councils as soon as we can.
Further information will be added here, as more details emerge.
Local Government Reorganisation
In December 2024, the Government published the English Devolution White Paper that invited two-tier authorities, such as those here in Greater Lincolnshire with District, Borough or City Councils and a County Council to submit plans for creating one or more Unitary Councils. Greater Lincolnshire includes the Unitary Councils of North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire. A Unitary Council delivers all of the services of both the District and County combined.
During 2025 and early 2026, Councils worked on proposals, there were around 16 different proposals that were discussed in Greater Linclonshire, eventually these were whittled down to four.
The Greater Lincolnshire Local Government Reorganisation Hub contains details of the four proposals that were put out to public consultation in February and March 2026. Toft Newton Parish Council's response to this consultation can be read here.
On the 16th of July 2026, the Sectretay of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government set out which proposals the government has accepted.
Greater Lincolnshire Local Government Reorganisation
The proposal as submitted by the City of Lincoln Council was accepted. This proposal will keep, North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire as separate Unitary Councils, it will expand the City of Lincoln Council taking in 12 wards from the current North Kesteven District Council area and seven wards from the West Lindsey District Council area - including the Dunholme and Welton Ward which is the District Council ward that the parish of Toft Newton is based in. The remaining wards of West Lindsey and North Kesteven will be merged with the rest of the District and Borough Councils to form a new Lincolnshire Unitary Council.
The new Councils will have a lot of work to do in the coming months. The government have now confirmed the names of the Councils, they will be Lincolnshire Council and Lincoln Council. Lincolnshire Council will have 100 Councillors and Lincoln Council will have 65 Councillors.
Lincoln Council will include a much larger area. The parish of Toft Newton is located 11 miles from Lincoln, yet we will come under their control firstly as a shadow authority following elections to the new Council in May 2027, and then fully when the new Councils are launched on what is known as vesting day - the 1st of April 2028.
There will be changes that affect residents of our parish, however, it should make it easier to work out which Council to contact as the City of Lincoln Council will be responsible for Council Tax, Bins, Roads, Parking, Schools, Social Care and Public Health Commissoning, as well as Democracy and Elections. All of the current functions of West Lindsey District Council and Lincolnshire County Council will be the responsibility of the City of Lincoln Council.
Toft Newton Parish Council is not expected to change, as this reorganisation does not impact Town or Parish Councils.
We shall continue to share future updates on this page.
Documents and Links
The current West Lindsey District Council ward boundaries were reviewed in 2011 and 2012, you can see the details here, those wards that will be transferring to the new, expanded City of Lincoln (as will those becoming part of the Lincolnshire Council) will have new boundaries for the shadow elections, and those boundaries will be reviewed in time for the first proper elections four years after the shadow elections.
The City of Lincoln Council full proposal.
The Sectary of State's announcement.
The Government's Final Decision on all two tier areas
The Government's Press Release.
The Decision Letter to Council Leaders.
Guidance Documents; Sector support, Staffing issues, Adult social care, Public health and Children's services, Ofsted and the CQC shared principles, Administering Pension Schemes.
Letter to the Chief Executives of Lincolnshire County Council, North Lincolnshire Council and North East Lincolnshire Council.
Responses from Greater Lincolnshire Councils
West Lindsey District Council
City of Lincoln Council
Lincolnshire County Council
As well as sharing future updates, we will try and cut through the confusion and legal jargon.
West Lindsey District Council have created a page for specific Local Government Reorganisation consultations, this page will be updated over the coming weeks and months.
