About devolution
Devolution is when some powers of decision making and funding are transferred to an area (Norfolk in our case) from central government so decisions around how money is invested into the economy can be based on local intelligence and made by people who understand local needs best.
The Government launched a public consultation on devolution in February 2025. This is open for comments until 13 April 2025. You can read the city council’s draft response to the Norfolk and Suffolk devolution consultation as outlined in the scrutiny committee report of 20 March 2025.
About LGR
The Government is reorganising local government in the UK to create more efficient and streamlined structures. The Government’s long-term vision is for simpler council structures, which make it clear who is responsible for services.
For Norfolk this means fewer and larger unitary councils compared to the current two-tier model which has a total of eight local councils covering the county. The exact number and shape and size of any new unitary councils for Norfolk is to be determined.
Norwich City Council has made it clear that it firmly backs the creation of a Greater Norwich Unitary Authority as part of a wider three-unitary proposal for Norfolk.
High level timeline
- Friday 21 March 2025 – submission of LGR interim plan to Government
- September 2025 – submission of LGR full business case to Government
- New unitary councils up and running in Norfolk by 2028
Key committee meetings
Full council – 18 March 2025:
The case for a Greater Norwich Unitary Authority
Local Government Reorganisation – interim submission
Cabinet - 19 March 2025:
The case for a Greater Norwich Unitary Authority
Local Government Reorganisation - interim submission
News releases
A new Greater Norwich Council gets official endorsement as one of Norfolk's three unitary councils (20 March 2025)
New report uncovers further evidence for a Greater Norwich Unitary Council (18 March 2025)
Transforming Norfolk: the case for a three-unitary solution for our county (11 March 2025)
Ambition for a new Unitary Norwich backed by city’s political leaders (21 January 2025)
Updated 24 March 2025
