One Derbyshire, Two Councils: Frequently Asked Questions

What is your proposal for local government reorganisation in Derbyshire?

Derbyshire’s eight district and borough councils submitted a joint interim proposal to Government in March 2025.  

Working with the other district and borough councils, and Derby City Council, we have done some further work to develop a proposal for consultation with the public.

Our proposal would see Derbyshire's 10 existing councils be replaced by two new authorities:

• A council for northern Derbyshire
• A council for southern Derbyshire

Under the proposal, each of the two new councils will deliver all services in their local area.

There are three possible options for how the area currently covered by Amber Valley Borough Council could be included in the new structure: placed entirely in the northern council, entirely in the southern council, or with different parishes joining each of the two councils, depending on where they may best fit.
 

Option A

A north / south split of the county, with Amber Valley being part of the northern council.

Northern council: Amber Valley, Derbyshire Dales, High Peak, Chesterfield, Bolsover, North East Derbyshire (Population: 584,000). 
Southern council: Derby City, South Derbyshire, Erewash (Population: 494,000).

Benefits
Potential to boost the economic potential and output (Gross Value Added) of the northern council area 
Aligns with current health and police structures.

Constraints
Northern council covers a large geographical area which may create service delivery challenges and loss of efficiencies.
Growth northwest of the city may add additional financial pressures to the southern council. 
Potential imbalance in the demands for social care on each council.
 

Option B

A north / south split of the county, with Amber Valley being part of the southern council.

Northern Council: High Peak, Derbyshire Dales, North East Derbyshire, Chesterfield, Bolsover (Population: 456,000) 
Southern Council: South Derbyshire, Erewash, Amber Valley, Derby City (Population: 622,000)

Benefits 
More equal geographical areas 
Provides growth potential for both councils 
Better reflects commuting patterns

Constraints 
Disparity in population and the economic potential and output (Gross Value Added) between council area.

Option C

A north / south split of the county, with different parishes from Amber Valley joining each of the two councils, depending on where they best fit.

Northern Council: High Peak, Derbyshire Dales, North East Derbyshire, Chesterfield, Bolsover (Population: 567,000) 
(Joined by the following parishes of Amber Valley - Shipley, Heanor and Loscoe, Denby, Kilburn, Belper, Hazelwood, Shottle and Postern, Idridgehay and Alton, Ashleyhay, Alderwasley, Ripley, Codnor, Aldercar and Langley Mill, Ironville, Riddings, Somercotes, Alfreton, Swanwick, Pentrich, South Wingfield, Crich, Dethick, Lea, and Holloway.)

Southern Council: Derby City, Erewash, South Derbyshire (Population: 511,000) 
(Joined by the following parishes of Amber Valley - Kirk Langley, Mackworth, Kedleston, Ravensdale Park, Weston Underwood, Quarndon, Turnditch and Windley, Duffield, Holbrook, Horsley, Horsley Woodhouse, Smalley, Mapperley.)

Benefits
More balanced population and demand for services between the council areas

Constraints:
Potentially more complex to split between the north and south, including the need for boundary changes
Disaggregation of services may be more complex

The map below shows the detail of option C - with different parishes from Amber Valley joining each of the two councils, depending on where they best fit.

Why do you think creating two unitary councils is the best option for Derbyshire?

This is a complex issue, but our key priority is to make sure the needs of our communities are met – proposing new councils that:

• keep councils connected to local people – big enough to deliver but close enough to listen and respond to local needs
• can provide effective and value for money services – and the staff and funding to continually improve the services residents receive
• protect Derbyshire’s historic boundaries in terms of the area councils cover – including the city of Derby, which is a key centre of economic growth
• meet the Government’s criteria for reorganisation – if we don’t, or where agreement can’t be reached, Government has indicated it will impose a solution that they think works best for Derbyshire
• has indicated it will impose a solution that they think works best for Derbyshire

What are the benefits of your proposals?

Big enough to deliver but close enough to listen and respond to local needs.
Derbyshire stretches from the borders of Manchester to Leicestershire, encompassing diverse communities from rural Peak District villages to market towns and the city of Derby. 
Our approach recognises that local services cannot be one-size-fits-all. Two councils will be large enough to deliver efficiently whilst remaining close enough to our communities to understand and meet local needs.
The two new councils will collaborate where it makes sense to do so but can also tailor services to the needs of the local the areas they serve.

Opportunities for savings

Early forecasts suggest this restructure could save between £56m - £93m*over five years through:

• Reduced duplication of services
• Fewer council buildings
• Fewer councillors and senior managers
• Better economies of scale

* Note: These figures are estimated using figures of similar Local Government Reorganisations. They do not take account of Derbyshire’s particular circumstances and are indicative only. 

Maintains Derbyshire’s historic border

Our proposal protects Derbyshire’s historic boundaries in terms of the area councils cover – including the city of Derby, which is a key centre of economic growth.

Creates new opportunity for our future 

At a strategic level, reorganisation offers opportunities to:

• Eliminate artificial boundaries that can hamper service delivery
• Create stronger local leadership with enhanced capacity for transformation and modernisation
• Develop more strategic approaches to economic development, regeneration and county-wide infrastructure development
• Improve coordination between local services and external partners
• Strengthen Derbyshire's voice in regional and national forums 

The new councils will also be able to work more efficiently with the new East Midlands Mayor and East Midlands Combined County Authority, which guides large-scale investment across Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire.

Meets Government criteria

Importantly, this approach also meets the Government’s criteria for reorganisation – if councils don’t come up with a viable proposal for their areas, the Government has indicated it will impose (through legislation) a solution that it thinks will work for Derbyshire.

Have you considered other options?

Leaders of the district and borough councils, together with Derby City Council, have been working together in response to the Government’s request for proposals for local government reorganisation.  

A range of potential options were explored and assessed in line with our priority to put people and places first, along with the Government’s criteria for reorganisation.  

We believe the proposal and options we have set out put us in the strongest position to create councils which are big enough to deliver, but close enough to listen and respond to our communities.

Are there any other proposals for Derbyshire?

Derbyshire County Council submitted a separate initial proposal to the Government in March 2025, which would also see Derbyshire split into two unitary councils – one new council covering all of Derbyshire (except Derby city), and the current Derby City Council. This was submitted before the change in the political administration at the county council in May 2025 and, at the time of writing, their formal position is unclear.

How will these changes be paid for?

Initial estimates suggest that the one-off costs to move services and set up the two new councils could be between £15m - £25m*. This will be funded from a mix of existing council reserves and Government support. 

* Note: These figures are estimated using figures of similar Local Government Reorganisations. They do not take account of Derbyshire’s particular circumstances and are indicative only. 
Which services would the new councils provide?

Each of the two new councils would provide all council services to their area, rather than being split between the two tiers of local government as currently happens.

What will it mean for my council services? 

If you live in a borough or district, where services are split between a district or borough and the county council, it means your services will ultimately be provided by a single ‘unitary’ council. 
If you live in Derby, all your services will continue to be provided by a single council, but the area covered by the council might change.

Will you be closing any of the main council offices?

We are committed to ensuring councils have a strong and visible presence in their communities. However, there will definitely be opportunities to rationalise our ‘assets’ including council offices and we will consider this as part of the development of our plans.

Will Council Tax go up or down following reorganisation?

The new councils would not take over until April 2028 and it’s too early to say what would happen then as many other factors affect levels of Council Tax.

What will happen to Erewash Borough Council's cash reserves?

All councils are expected to have minimum operating reserve balances/reserves as part of their budget management. Erewash Borough Council will continue to prioritise, plan and budget for services for our residents until March 2028. At the point of local government reorganisation (the Government intend this to be April 2028), Erewash Borough Council assets, funds, staff, contracts and liabilities would transfer to the new unitary council that covers Erewash.

How can I have a say on the proposals?

Council services have an impact on the everyday lives of people and organisations across our communities – and it’s important that local people have a say about how these services are delivered in the future.

You can have your say in our public consultation running between Monday 30 June and Sunday 10 August 2025. Your views will be used to shape our final proposal to the Government in November 2025.
Our consultation seeks views from people across the whole of Derbyshire, including residents, businesses, and our workforce, as well as the various partner organisations and community / voluntary groups that we routinely work with.

Once a proposal has been submitted, it will be for the Government to decide on whether it should be taken forward and there will be a further statutory consultation at that time. This will likely take place mid to late 2026.

Will there be a referendum to allow residents to vote on proposals?

The Government has said publicly that a referendum is not part of the statutory process which has already begun. 

There is nothing to stop councils having one, but the Local Government Minister Jim McMahon says he won’t be obliged to take any notice of the outcome. Government does expect councils to engage and consult with residents, but it is their strong opinion that the ending of the two-tier system of local government is an essential part of the wider project to fix the foundations of local government, and create a system which is fit, legal and decent. 

The Minister’s decisions on the most appropriate option for each area will be judgements taken in the round, having regard to the statutory guidance and the available evidence. It should be noted that running referendums can be a costly exercise for councils with limited resources.

FAQS about the consultation 

When is the consultation open?

Our public consultation ran between Monday 30 June and Sunday 10 August 2025.

What impact will the replies to the questionnaire have?

The results of the consultation will be used to shape the final proposal to the Government in November 2025.

How can I take part?

The easiest way to have your say in the consultation is to complete the online questionnaire. You will be provided with background information, and the questionnaire should take around 10 minutes to complete.

We will be running some engagement sessions across the borough if you would like to discuss the plans in person. More information about these sessions will be published shortly.

Who is carrying out the consultation?

The consultation is being conducted on behalf of Derbyshire’s eight borough and district council, and Derby City Council, by an independent and specialist research company called Public Perspectives This is to ensure the consultation process is robust and impartial.

Will my answers be anonymous?

Your personal details are managed securely and within data protection laws. Your responses are anonymous and confidential, which means your personal information will not be reported alongside your answers. Each of the partner council privacy notices will apply and anonymised data will be shared between councils. Please visit the following to read Public Perspectives' privacy notice.

Why do you want to know my postcode as part of the questionnaire?

You don’t have to provide your postcode information when completing the questionnaire, but it is valuable as it helps us build a picture of the views of people from different parts of the county.

Your responses are anonymous and confidential, which means your personal information will not be reported alongside your answers.

Are my personal details protected, if I choose to share this information?

Your personal details are managed securely and within data protection laws. Your responses are anonymous and confidential, which means your personal information will not be reported alongside your answers. Each of the partner council privacy notices will apply and anonymised data will be shared between councils. Please visit the following to read Public Perspectives' privacy notice.