Ministers are minded to merge Rugby with Nuneaton and Bedworth and North Warwickshire from April 2029, overruling Rugby's wish for one county council.
Rugby Borough Council would be abolished in April 2029 and merged into a new North Warwickshire council, under a fresh provisional decision from the Government. The new council would also cover Nuneaton and Bedworth and North Warwickshire, and would serve about 323,000 people.
It is the same split that ministers chose in July and then paused in September. What has changed is the date. The new councils would now be elected in May 2028 and take over in April 2029, a year later than the old plan.
Rugby argued against this outcome, and the minister’s letter says so.
What the letter says
Jim McMahon, the Minister for Local Government, wrote to Warwickshire’s council leaders on Thursday 29 October. The letter is published on gov.uk.
It says the Secretary of State is “currently minded to implement” the two-council plan put forward by North Warwickshire, Nuneaton and Bedworth, Stratford-on-Avon and Warwick councils. The July decision has been formally withdrawn, and the proposals are being considered afresh.
The two councils would be:
| Proposed council | Made up of | Population |
|---|---|---|
| North Warwickshire | North Warwickshire, Nuneaton and Bedworth, Rugby | 323,000 |
| South Warwickshire | Stratford-on-Avon, Warwick | 295,000 |
Warwickshire County Council would go too. Its functions, from social care to roads and schools, would be split between the two new councils.
Rugby wanted one county council
Rugby backed the other option. The letter records that the single-council proposal “was submitted by Warwickshire County Council and supported by Rugby Borough Council”. That council would have covered about 618,000 people.
The minister acknowledged the objection directly. “We have considered the concerns raised by Rugby about its inclusion in the northern council,” the letter says. It adds that neighbourhood arrangements “will be important in addressing local concerns about place and identity, but we appreciate that there remain differences of view.”
The letter also notes that the Police and Crime Commissioner and the Integrated Care Board preferred one council. Most residents and organisations that responded to the statutory consultation, and most Warwickshire MPs, preferred two. The consultation drew around 2,000 responses.
Ministers gave three main reasons for choosing two councils:
- the north and south of the county have different economies, housing needs and levels of deprivation
- two councils could tailor services more closely to each area
- two councils leave more room for whatever devolution deal Warwickshire ends up with
The letter is frank about the weaknesses. It says the Government has “lower confidence” in the two-council plan’s savings estimates. It also accepts the northern council “would face higher levels of deprivation, which is likely to put pressure on its finances”, but says that can be managed.
What the councils said
All six Warwickshire councils, including Rugby, issued a joint response on 29 October. “Councils across Warwickshire have held different views on the best structure for local government,” they said. “We remain committed to working together constructively and responsibly now that the Government has confirmed the way forward.”
They said they now need “clear information from the Government about the timetable, funding and next steps”, and confirmed: “We do know that the new unitary councils will be in place from April 2029.”
It is not final yet
This is a provisional view, and the letter says so in terms. “This letter does not constitute a final decision,” it says. The Secretary of State “remains open to reaching a different conclusion”, including changing the plan or not going ahead at all.
Councils and other interested parties will be invited to make representations for at least three weeks. The Government has not yet set the dates. Any final decision would then need a structural changes order approved by Parliament.
Warwickshire will also receive £900,000 in transition funding in November, half of the £900,000 promised for each new council.
What it means for you
- Nothing changes yet. Rugby Borough Council still empties your bins, sends your council tax bill and decides planning applications. Warwickshire County Council still runs the roads, schools and social care.
- The handover moves to April 2029. Plans written around an April 2028 switch, such as the town centre delivery plan, now have an extra year under the current councils.
- You can have your say. When the representations period opens, anyone with an interest can respond. We will publish the dates and how to take part as soon as the Government confirms them.
- The first election to the new council would be in May 2028, a year before it takes over.
The borough’s three party group leaders had already set out what Rugby wants from a northern council, including its name and four demands. We covered that letter in Rugby’s priorities for reorganisation.
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