EPIC Conference to focus on local government reorganisation and devolution

The EPIC AGM & Conference 2026 will be taking place on the 8th October, with a focus on local government reorganisation and devolution. The event will feature a keynote speech from UK100 CEO Christopher Hammond and will be chaired by EPIC Committee member James Langley.

Find out more and register for the Conference. Free and open only to EPIC members.
 

James Langley, Conference Chair and Group Leader in Environmental Protection at Cornwall Council, reflects on the Conference theme: Making It Work: Environmental Delivery in Changing Local Government Systems.

Across England, local government is entering one of its biggest periods of change in decades. Following the publication of the Government’s English Devolution White Paper in 2024, and the passing of the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act into law in April 2026, councils in many parts of the country have been preparing for major local government reorganisation (LGR) and the expansion of devolved powers through new mayoral and strategic authorities. 

In practical terms, this means many existing two-tier systems (where county and district councils separately deliver services) are expected to be replaced by larger single-tier “unitary” authorities over the coming years. At the same time, new combined authorities and elected mayors are taking on greater responsibilities for transport, planning, housing, economic growth, skills, infrastructure, climate policy, and public service reform. The reforms are expected to affect around 41% of England’s population by 2028, making this the largest wave of reorganisation since the 1990s.

These changes are not simply structural; they fundamentally reshape how local services collaborate, prioritise resources, and deliver outcomes for communities. For environmental protection, climate action, planning, air quality, public health, and regulatory services, the stakes are especially high. Larger authorities can create opportunities for more strategic, joined-up environmental delivery and stronger partnerships across disciplines, but they can also present challenges around local identity, community connection, consistency of practice, and maintaining place-based services during periods of significant organisational change.

While England is now moving rapidly through this process, other parts of the UK have already experienced significant local government restructuring. Scotland moved to single-tier unitary councils in 1996, Wales reorganised into unitary authorities the same year, and many areas of England have already undergone reorganisation over the past two decades.

This includes Cornwall Council, which became a unitary authority in 2009, bringing together six district councils and the County Council into a single organisation. At the time, I was three years into my career as a Pollution Control Officer within a district council. The transition did not happen overnight; in my experience, it has taken closer to a decade for the organisation to evolve into a truly cohesive entity.

For me, local government reorganisation created significant opportunities. It enabled closer collaboration across disciplines, particularly within environmental protection, where previously this was delivered in separate teams in vastly different ways. The integrated approach that Local Government Reorganisation has allowed us to form has created stronger and more innovative partnerships, including organisations that would once have been external to us.

A clear example of this progress can be seen in our work on local air quality and climate change. Here, colleagues from a wide range of disciplines have come together to deliver meaningful change. Similarly, we have strengthened our collaboration with planning teams, contributing to the development of the Local Plan and working collectively on strategies that support sustainable, high-quality places to live across Cornwall. Being part of a larger organisation has also provided a level of financial resilience, particularly in the early years following reorganisation.

However, reorganisation has not been without its challenges. Progress, at times, has been slow. In the initial years following 2009, structures largely mirrored the former district arrangements, with area-based teams and management reflecting old boundaries. Although further restructuring in 2011 (and several times after that!!), moved my service toward a county-wide model, elements of localised and non-consistent practices persisted particularly in the first few years.

One of the key downsides has been a gradual loss of connection with local communities. As services have become more centralised and staffing levels have reduced in the drive for efficiency, there has been a shift away from place-based working. There has been increasing emphasis in recent years on reintegrating services within local communities, reflecting a renewed focus on place-based working; however, in a climate of shrinking resources this approach becomes more challenging, and rebuilding those connections remains tricky with less front line officers on the ground.

Another challenge of working within a larger organisation is the potential to feel less visible, with multiple layers of management and more complex structures and governance. That said, this scale can also bring benefits, including greater opportunities for career progression and professional development.

Ultimately, the greatest strength of local government reorganisation, from my perspective, is the shared purpose it creates, particularly in Cornwall. Bringing services together under one organisation aligned efforts and ambition toward improving outcomes for residents. Cornwall’s distinct identity and minority status foster a strong sense of pride among both residents and council staff. That shared commitment to deliver the best possible outcomes for the communities we serve, continues to be the defining benefit of reorganisation in Cornwall.

It is against this backdrop that the EPIC Conference 2026 - Making It Work: Environmental Delivery in Changing Local Government Systems - will bring members together to explore how environmental services can adapt, collaborate, and continue delivering meaningful outcomes through one of the most significant transformations local government has seen in a generation.

About EPIC

The Environmental Policy Implementation Community (EPIC) is a member-led, specialist interest group at the IES. The community works together to understand delivery challenges, support pracitioners and advocate for implementation-minded policy. Our members are local authority officers and others delivering action on air quality, climate change, nature recovery, contaminated land and noise pollution on the ground.

Membership of EPIC is free to all IES members, and all environmental professionals working in local authorities. You can register for membership here. EPIC members working in contaminated land in local authorities will also be able to join the National Contaminated Land Officers Group (NCLOG).

Image credit: Norwich City Council City Hall building. Richard O'Donoghue via Adobe Stock