By Councillor Nadine Peatfield and Councillor Ethan Radford

Across England, councils have spent months preparing for local government reorganisation.

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Significant public resources have been committed and countless hours of officer and member time invested in developing proposals and planning for change.

That is why this week's decision to pause and review local government reorganisation proposals raises important questions for councils. Whatever views authorities may hold on reorganisation itself, many now want greater clarity on the next steps and how to plan for the months ahead.

For many authorities, local government reorganisation has been a major programme of work, undertaken alongside the day-to-day challenge of delivering services and managing ongoing financial pressures.

Over recent months, authorities have commissioned specialist advice, undertaken detailed legal and financial analysis, engaged with residents and partners, developed proposals, and dedicated significant officer capacity to meeting Government expectations and deadlines. Senior officers, finance teams, legal specialists, and elected members have collectively invested........

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