Building a lasting legacy through reorganisation

Every generation of local government leaders faces a defining challenge. For today's chief executives and elected members, it is local government reorganisation (LGR).Much has changed since I led Salisbury DC through the reorganisation that created Wiltshire Council almost two decades ago. The financial pressures are greater, public expectations higher and the devolution landscape considerably more ambitious. Yet, as I watch the latest wave of reorganisations unfold, I am struck by how familiar the leadership challenges remain.Looking back, I have come to believe that successful LGR is not principally about structures, governance diagrams or business cases. It is about leadership, relationships and legacy. Organisational charts eventually disappear into archives. The culture you create, the confidence you inspire and the opportunities you seize will shape communities for decades. Reflecting on my own experience, three lessons stand out.Leadership before structureOne of the toughest moments I faced came at the very beginning of the process.There was significant concern within the county council about Salisbury DC's financial position and discussion of whether a section 114 intervention might become necessary. As a relatively new chief executive, it was a challenging introduction to LGR.Fortunately, working alongside experienced colleagues, including Rob Whiteman, the then chief executive of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy, we undertook a rigorous review of the council's finances.The picture that emerged was very different from the perception.Salisbury had a balanced budget, prudent financial management and a clear determination to continue delivering an ambitious capital programme. Members had consciously chosen to invest in projects that would leave a lasting legacy for the city while remaining financially responsible.That experience taught me one of the most valuable lessons of my career. During major organisational change, perceptions can quickly become accepted as fact unless leaders respond with evidence, openness and transparency. Building trust between organisations is every bit as important as designing the future structure.Leadership is also about presence. Staff, members and communities rarely expect every answer immediately, but they do expect honesty, visibility and reassurance. Organisational charts can wait. Trust cannot.Transformation, not simply mergerWhat surprised me most during the Wiltshire reorganisation was not the complexity of bringing five councils together, it was the people's resilience.After the uncertainty, shock and sense of loss, something remarkable happened. Officers and elected members adopted a genuine ‘we're all in this together' mindset. Conversations moved away from protecting individual organisations and towards creating something better.Salisbury was determined to safeguard the city's legacy while ensuring that officers and members were supported as they built their future careers within the new authority.I remember a remarkable sense of collective purpose. People recognised that, while their existing organisations were coming to an end, they had a unique opportunity to shape the future of local government in Wiltshire.Another lesson has stayed with me. Salisbury was sometimes perceived as the political outsider because it was under different political control from the county council. Yet, as colleagues worked together, those assumptions quickly changed. Salisbury became recognised not as a problem to solve, but as an ambitious, collaborative authority with strong leadership, responsible financial management and a clear commitment to its people and its communities.Respect replaced preconceptionsToday's leaders have an even greater opportunity. LGR should never be viewed simply as an exercise in achieving financial savings. If that becomes the overriding objective, we will simply create larger councils.Instead, LGR is the opportunity to redesign services around residents, rather than organisational boundaries. Could supported housing and adult social care be better integrated around people rather than departments? Could planning, infrastructure, regeneration and economic development operate as one place-shaping function, working seamlessly with combined authorities? Could LGR accelerate double devolution by giving parish councils, neighbourhoods and communities greater responsibility and influence over local priorities? If we merely bolt organisations together, we will inherit yesterday's structures. If we redesign services around outcomes, we will create tomorrow's local government.Respecting legacy while building the futurePerhaps my strongest reflection is the importance of respecting legacy. Every council involved in reorganisation has served its communities with pride. Members have dedicated years of public service. Officers have built careers improving the places they love. Successful reorganisation acknowledges that history while inspiring confidence in the future.Leadership during LGR cannot be concentrated solely within programme boards or senior management teams. Middle managers become the guardians of service continuity. They reassure staff, support elected members, maintain performance and ensure residents continue receiving high-quality services while senior leaders focus on designing the future organisation. Their leadership matters as much as ours.It also reinforces another truth: people support change when they feel respected. Honest communication, recognising achievements and acknowledging uncertainty create trust.If I were offering advice to today's chief executives and political leaders, it would be this: Invest first in relationships. Trust creates the foundation for shared mindsets and shared mindsets create successful organisations.Communicate constantlyBe honest about uncertainty while providing confidence in the direction of travel. Respect the history and achievements of every council involved because people embrace change more readily when they know their contribution has been valued. Above all, be bold.Do not see LGR as simply an opportunity to redraw boundaries or reduce costs. Use it to rethink how local government serves communities, how services integrate around people, how neighbourhoods are empowered and how councils work alongside combined authorities to create stronger places.Nearly 20 years after Wiltshire's reorganisation, my strongest memories are not of governance structures, constitutional changes or organisational charts. They are of people – staff who stepped forward, members who placed future generations ahead of institutional loyalties and leaders who understood they were creating more than a new council.Every LGR leaves a legacy. The question facing today's leaders is not whether they will leave one, but what that legacy will be.Manjeet Gill is a former local authority chief executive who led Salisbury DC through the creation of Wiltshire Council

Title

REORGANISATION

Building a lasting legacy through reorganisation

By Manjeet Gill | 07 August 2026

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