Residents are meeting at The Forum in Norwich, Norfolk, today to discuss major changes to how the county is run. The event, known as The Big Debate 2026, focuses on plans to create a new regional mayor and secure about £1.1 billion in government funding for the area over the next 30 years.
The proposed deal would see Norfolk and Suffolk share a directly elected mayor leading a Mayoral Combined County Authority, with new powers over transport, housing, skills and wider strategic planning. The change is part of the government’s devolution programme to shift some decision‑making away from Whitehall and give more powers to local leaders.
Cllr Kay Mason Billig, leader of Norfolk County Council, has been a primary advocate for the deal. A joint statement from Norfolk and Suffolk councils said: “The devolution proposals and annual investment fund give us a major opportunity to improve lives in Norfolk and Suffolk by boosting our economy, jobs, transport and housing.” Some critics, however, worry about the potential abolition of smaller district councils and the loss of hyper‑local decision‑making. Opposition figures have also warned that a single mayor for two large, largely rural counties could struggle to represent distant villages effectively.
The government’s statutory consultation on local government reorganisation ran from 19 November 2025 and closed on 11 January 2026. The Secretary of State is expected to issue a decision in March 2026. County council elections that were originally scheduled for May 2025 were postponed to May 2026; ministers have also indicated they are ‘minded’ to delay a mayoral poll until 2028 to align the timetable with the planned abolition and replacement of district councils, leaving the election timetable unclear.
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