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Suffolk CC is pursuing its legal challenge to local government reorganisation (LGR) following revelations communities secretary Steve Reed defied civil service advice by opting for a three-unitary model for the county.The county's cabinet has agreed to set aside £500,000 to fund the challenge and council leader Cllr Michael Hadwen admitted that going to court was ‘always a risk' but added: ‘I wouldn't have taken this decision if I weren't confident in our case.'Whitehall officials had advised Reed that the county's preferred single unitary option was the ‘strongest proposal for Suffolk'. A three-unitary model was ‘complicated by a significant boundary change request modification', said the letter, released to the council earlier this month.Cllr Hadwen claimed the communities secretary had potentially overstepped his powers, saying two of three proposed unitaries would face serious financial difficulties while special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) problems would become even more acute.The move widens the legal fight over LGR between affected councils and the Government. Last week two of the largest councils in Hampshire also launched legal challenges against the process.Portsmouth City Council and Hampshire CC both announced they would seek judicial reviews of the Government's decision to create four unitary authorities covering Hampshire and the Solent.Hampshire CC, which had backed a three-council model, claimed there had been a ‘lack of full and transparent explanation' and no ‘justification of the financial case' from the Government.Hampshire's Conservative leader Cllr Nick Adams-King said: ‘Having taken detailed legal advice, we believe there are proper grounds to challenge the Government's decision through the courts. ‘We fully recognise the cost of legal action, but that must be set against the potentially far greater cost of getting reorganisation wrong.'Lib Dem-led Portsmouth's cabinet also agreed to challenge the decision, under which it will form a South East Hampshire unitary authority also covering neighbouring Fareham, Gosport and Havant.Portsmouth, which previously asked ministers to exclude it from reorganisation, will argue it is not part of the two-tier system reorganisation seeks to eliminate, larger than many other unitaries excluded from the process and financially sustainable.Opposition members questioned the strength of the case and costs, which could be up to £215,000 if the challenge goes to a two-day hearing and fails, leaving the council to cover the Government's costs.The legal challenges come as research suggested more than one in four council officers involved in reorganisation lack confidence their authority will be viable on vesting day.A survey of more than 60 council professionals by public sector AI specialist ICS.AI found that service delivery disruption during transition was the most cited risk, identified by a third of respondents.A Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government spokesperson said: ‘Decisions on local government reorganisation are taken transparently and in line with the published criteria.'

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REORGANISATION

Suffolk CC to push on with LGR legal challenge

By Neil Merrick, William Eichler | 30 June 2026

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