Essex County Council said it intends to launch a legal challenge against government plans to reorganise councils in the county.
This is believed to be one of the first direct challenges to the programme.
Councillor Peter Harris, leader of the Reform UK group and council leader-elect, wrote to housing minister Steeve Reed on 13 May setting out his opposition.
He described the proposals as ‘Ill-thought, expensive, purely ideological in nature’ and warned they would create ‘further democratic distance between the people of Essex and their elected local politicians’.
Harris said he had instructed lawyers to prepare a pre-action protocol letter, the first step towards judicial review, subject to approval from his group.
He also wrote: ‘We will utilise all resources at our disposal to challenge and resist LGR,’ adding ‘Please be in no uncertainty. We will resist the premise of Local Government Reorganisation robustly on behalf of the 1.6 million residents of Essex that have sent us to County Hall to do exactly that.’
Despite the stance, he said he remained open to talks with the government, particularly on ensuring continuity in the council’s workforce and preparing for possible outcomes.
The government’s Local Government Reorganisation plan would merge district, borough and county councils into larger unitary authorities. Ministers say it will improve efficiency, whereas critics argue it reduces local accountability.
Essex County Council is among several councils developing responses, with any legal change likely to be closely watched nationally.
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