Local government is entering a significant period of change. Through devolution and the push towards unitary authorities, the structure and responsibilities of councils across England are evolving.
Across the country, authorities are transitioning to larger, single-tier structures to reduce financial pressure, simplify governance and enable faster decision-making. But with so much change underway, what does this mean for communication – and how can councils manage the transition without disrupting critical services?
Local government reorganisation refers to the process of reconfiguring existing authorities, moving away from the traditional two-tier system of district and county councils. In line with the English Devolution White Paper, published in December 2024, the government has set out plans to create larger unitary authorities, typically serving populations of 500,000 or more. At the time of writing, around 65% of the population is governed by unitary authorities, with 62 English unitary local authorities in total.
The government maintains that bringing council services together under a single organisation can deliver efficiency savings and create opportunities to improve public services. However, a common concern is that larger unitary authorities may feel more distant from local communities, potentially reducing responsiveness to local needs and priorities.
The move to unitary authorities changes how councils operate day to day. Throughout the transition, services must continue without interruption, with critical communications such as billing, statutory notices and service updates delivered as normal, alongside more nuanced requirements like electoral mailings.
This transition period introduces additional complexity, with multiple systems and processes often running in parallel. Over time, councils are likely to review suppliers, systems and workflows, moving away from fragmented arrangements towards more integrated and scalable solutions, with procurement becoming centralised and more aligned. It's worth mentioning, however, that this won’t happen overnight.
Reorganisation brings a unique set of pressures, affecting stakeholders across the council. Financially, authorities must manage high transition costs and, in many cases, inherited debt, while the integration of IT systems and services across multiple organisations introduces complexity and risk. At the same time, leadership teams are tasked with establishing a unified way of working.
Workforce capacity adds further strain, with teams balancing day-to-day service delivery alongside large-scale transformation programmes and the losses of jobs. Alongside this, one of the most significant areas of change will be the inevitable shift in processes and suppliers, as councils look to simplify, standardise and operate more efficiently under a single authority.
Councils will inherit multiple suppliers, systems and workflows, creating a clear need to rationalise and align services across the organisation. This could represent everything from back-office systems and IT platforms to – importantly – communications providers. While this presents challenges, it also offers a valuable opportunity to reset and adopt more consistent, joined-up approaches.
Service adjustments during this period are rarely straightforward, and meaningful change takes time when such significant disruption is involved. The most successful councils will be those that partner with providers capable of delivering secure, scalable and integrated solutions that support continuity throughout the transition. Strong accreditations will remain essential, alongside proven experience managing high-volume, time-sensitive communications within local government.
Even during periods of change, councils can’t simply press pause on day-to-day operations. Billing, service updates and statutory messaging must continue to reach residents clearly and reliably. Working across multiple authorities, CFH is experienced in managing complex workflows and varying operational requirements. The team already supports a wide range of local authorities with hybrid mail services and managed communication solutions, delivering across both print and digital channels.
Boasting a team of public sector communication specialists, solutions from CFH are designed to help council teams maintain continuity during transition, helping local authorities handle increased demand while reducing pressure on internal teams. During 2025 alone, CFH supported over 100 councils, including several of the UK’s largest operational unitary authorities.
Looking ahead, the move to unitary authorities represents a hugely significant development in how local government is structured and delivered. While the transition brings clear challenges, it also creates a valuable opportunity to rethink how services operate – from streamlining established processes to improving consistency and building stronger, more effective supplier relationships.
To learn more about how CFH can support your transition with secure, scalable communication solutions, explore our services or take a look at our latest case studies.
