Proposals

Gloucestershire councils worked together, and with local partners, to develop Local Government Reorganisation proposals detailing both single-unitary and two-unitary options.

• Proposal for one unitary council for the whole of Gloucestershire
• Proposal for two unitary councils: one for the west (Gloucester, Forest of Dean, Stroud) and one for the east (Cheltenham, Cotswold, Tewkesbury)
• Proposal for two unitary councils: one would be an expanded Gloucester City, called Greater Gloucester, which includes several nearby parishes; the other would cover the rest of the county, called Gloucestershire Unitary.

Each of the seven councils considered the proposals through their own democratic processes and voted on their preferred options. Links to council discussion papers and outcomes can be found below.

The three proposals were submitted to the government on 28 November 2025.

A joint covering letter – signed by Gloucestershire County Council, Cheltenham Borough Council, Cotswold District Council, Forest of Dean District Council, Stroud District Council and Tewkesbury Borough Council – was also submitted to accompany the proposals.

In addition, each council had the option of submitting their own letter to set out their preferred option.

The government will be taking views on the proposals submitted, and will make a decision on which best meets their criteria, following a government-run consultation that took place in early 2026.