Currently, local government in Derbyshire is split into 2 tiers:
- Derbyshire County Council is the largest provider of council services in Derby and Derbyshire and runs large scale services including education, adults and children's social care, waste disposal and highways across the county
- 8 district and borough councils which focus on more localised services including social housing, homelessness, leisure and waste collections in smaller areas
Derby City Council is a unitary council which means it delivers all services within the city.
This 2-tier system has been in place since 1974. The way we live our lives and do business has changed significantly, so the government asked us to rethink things and create new councils by 2028.
These new 'unitary' councils would bring all council services for a particular area under one roof, except services provided by town and parish councils which would remain unchanged. The aim is to create a system which is simpler and more efficient, saving money and making it clearer which council is responsible for what.
Why this matters for Derby and Derbyshire
Derbyshire residents deserve a modern, efficient and effective system of local government. We need councils that can meet current and future challenges and support the area to grow and prosper, working closely with the East Midlands Combined County Authority.
We're committed to submitting a 'preferred option' to the government which recognises these benefits and:
- is in the best interests of local Derby and Derbyshire residents and businesses
- delivers better results and value for money for local taxpayers
- maintains the county's strong identity and delivery of high-quality local services
- doesn't create an undue advantage or disadvantage for one part of the area
One council option
All of the evidence we have gathered and the analysis we've carried out suggests that reducing 10 councils in Derby and Derbyshire into a single unitary council covering the whole area is in the best interests of all residents and businesses:
- it unites Derbyshire and retains the area's strong spirit and identity
- it saves the most money compared to options we assessed for splitting Derby and Derbyshire into 2 unitary councils and has less set-up costs
- it would be less disruptive as the largest proportion of council services in Derby and Derbyshire are already run on a countywide basis including essential services with high demand and costs such as adult social care, children's social care, highways and transport, public health, and waste disposal
This option will be considered at a meeting of our Full Council on 13 November 2025.
A Cabinet meeting will be held on 27 November 2025 to formally approve the final version of the proposal to be sent to the government. The deadline for submitting a final proposal to the government is 28 November 2025.
Read more about the one council option.