Critics of the government's decision to abolish all the county's councils and replace them with three new ones covering the west, east and Greater Norwich have threatened to mount a legal challenge to it.

They claim ministers did not follow their own criteria when coming up with the three-way split.

Separately, others are warning disputes over boundaries could create such long delays that changes at Westminster might mean the new authorities are never actually created.

Daniel Elmer, leader of South Norfolk Council, has branded the three-way split a “disastrous decision” which is "doomed to failure".

Daniel Elmer, leader of South Norfolk Council (Image: Simon Finlay)

He confirmed his authority is talking to lawyers about the prospect of challenging the decision in the courts via a judicial review.

South Norfolk had proposed two councils, but the government's decision for three will see parts of that authority absorbed into a Greater Norwich unitary council.

The area which will be covered by the Greater Norwich Council (Image: Future Norfolk)

Mr Elmer said: “The three unitary model does not meet any of the criteria set out by the government at the start of this process.

"I was elected to look after the best interests of our residents, and I see it as my duty to do all I can to have this disastrous decision overturned.”

Criteria the government set included that new councils should be for “sensible economic areas", avoid “unnecessary fragmentation” of services and should cover populations of 500,000 or more, although the government acknowledged that might not always be the case.

A judicial challenge would have to use taxpayers' money and Mr Elmer is keen to establish if lawyers can assure him the authority would have good grounds for a legal challenge.

Kay Mason Billig, leader of Norfolk County Council (Image: Norfolk County Council)

Kay Mason Billig, leader of Norfolk County Council, who was left bitterly disappointed that County Hall's single council model was rejected, has also questioned whether the criteria was followed correctly.

She said she believed the shake-up could yet be hamstrung by the complexities of drawing up new wards and establishing how many councillors will be required.

She said: "We still do not know how many councillors there will be or what the wards are going to be. Are they going to be able to have all that in place for 2027?

"Excuse me if I don't believe that. I would not be surprised if that all gets pushed down the line because it is something that they simply cannot do."

The area which would be covered by the East Norfolk Council (Image: Future Norfolk)

However, it is understood that the government's timetable - which will see elections to 'shadow' unitary councils in May next year before they formally replace the current eight councils in 2028 - has factored in the possibility of legal challenges.

Mike Stonard, leader of Norwich City Council (Image: Norwich City Council)

Mike Stonard, leader of Norwich City Council, insisted that, in any case, the three county model proposal - backed by Broadland, Breckland, Great Yarmouth, North Norfolk and West Norfolk - had followed the government's criteria.

He said: "The six districts who produced the Future Norfolk proposals for three unitaries were very, very careful to ensure they complied with the criteria set out by the government.

"It was very clear in our proposal that we were doing that. We had to ensure that the answered the exam question or we were not going to pass."

Local government secretary Steve Reed (Image: James Manning/PA)

Local government minister Steve Reed, in his letter to council leaders, said all the submissions met the government's criteria.

He said: "Although each of the proposals met all of the criteria, the proposal for three unitary authorities best met the criteria overall.

"While the single and two-unitary proposals met the criteria, I found that the three unitary proposal would better reflect Norfolk’s communities and local identities, drawing on a detailed understanding of local need.

"It establishes councils that are better aligned to Norfolk’s distinct communities and will therefore be able to design and deliver public services that respond more effectively to local priorities across Norfolk’s different urban, rural, and coastal areas."

The area which would be covered by the West Norfolk Council (Image: Future Norfolk)

The changes would see all eight of Norfolk's councils - Norfolk County Council, Norwich City Council, South Norfolk Council, North Norfolk Council, Great Yarmouth Borough Council, Broadland District Council and West Norfolk Council abolished.

The three new councils would provide all services across the areas they cover, unlike the current two-tier system where County Hall provides some services and the district, borough and city councils other ones.

Tories in the House of Commons accused Labour of "gross gerrymandering" over the shake-ups, which are also happening in other parts of the country.

Shadow communities secretary Sir James Cleverly claimed Labour's decisions to “maximise party political advantage”.

But communities minister Alison McGovern said the proposals had been put forward by the communities, supported by two thirds of councils within those areas.

© Norwich Evening News