Residents in Gloucester, Gloucestershire, are being asked to share their views on a proposal that could change how local services like bin collections and planning are managed. Gloucester City Council is encouraging people to take part in a seven-week consultation that looks at three different ways to reorganise local government across the county.
The current system, which uses both a county council and six smaller district councils, could be replaced by either one or two larger organisations. The three options being considered include a single council for the whole of Gloucestershire, an east-west split, or a Greater Gloucester model that would expand the city’s boundaries to include 21 nearby parishes from Tewkesbury, Stroud, and the Forest of Dean.
According to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, the public has until 11:59pm on March 26, 2026, to submit their feedback. Jeremy Hilton, the leader of the city council, supports the Greater Gloucester option to ensure that city-specific needs like housing and regeneration are not overlooked by a larger county-wide body.
A final decision on the new structure is expected from the government in the summer of 2026. If the changes are approved, elections for the new councils would take place in May 2027, with the new system officially starting in April 2028.
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