Hello PPMA members and friends
The Government’s decision to review its local government reorganisation programme has created another significant moment of change for councils across England. Following updated legal advice, decisions relating to Essex, Hampshire, Norfolk and Suffolk have been withdrawn. Reorganisation decisions covering a further 14 areas have been paused and will now be reviewed, alongside two areas where decisions had not yet been confirmed.
There will inevitably be considerable debate about what this means for the future shape of local government. Questions will be asked about structures, boundaries, timescales, costs and what happens next.
All of those questions matter. But, as people professionals, we must also focus on what this latest development means for the thousands of employees working in the councils affected.
The human impact of another period of uncertainty
For many employees, uncertainty about local government reorganisation is not new.
They may already have spent months wondering whether their council will continue to exist, where their role might sit within a new organisation, whether teams will be merged or restructured, and what the changes could mean for their career and livelihood.
Some will have been involved directly in preparing for reorganisation, contributing significant amounts of time and energy to workforce planning, organisational design, consultation, transition arrangements and the development of new operating models.
The decision to pause and review the programme may bring relief to some and frustration to others. For many, however, it is likely to extend the period in which they simply do not know what their future holds.
That uncertainty has consequences. It can affect morale, wellbeing, engagement and retention. It can distract people from their day-to-day roles and make it harder for organisations to recruit and retain the skills they need. It also places additional pressure on leaders and managers, who are expected to support their teams while often having very few answers themselves.
Communication matters – even when there are no answers
One of the greatest challenges for HR and leadership teams during periods of uncertainty is knowing what to say when so much remains unresolved.
The temptation can be to wait until there is something definitive to communicate. But silence creates a vacuum, and that vacuum is quickly filled by rumour, speculation and anxiety.
Employees need honest and regular communication, even if the message is simply that there is no further information yet. They need clarity about what is known, what remains unknown and when they can expect to hear more. You may need to consider more than just the standard EAP services and check whether they can do more to help and support our colleagues.
This is also a time to listen. Different people will experience this pause in very different ways, and organisations need mechanisms through which employees can ask questions, raise concerns and feel that their voices are being heard.
Managers will also need particular support. They are often the first people employees turn to, but they cannot be expected to provide reassurance or certainty without the information, guidance and space to process the situation themselves.
The role of HR and OD
HR and OD teams have already played a central role in helping councils prepare for potential reorganisation. That work has not been wasted. Transformation was happening for so many outside of LGR too, and that still continues.
The workforce insight, relationships and organisational understanding developed during this process remain valuable, whatever form the next phase takes. But the immediate priority must now be supporting people through this extended period of ambiguity.
That means:
● communicating openly, consistently and with empathy;
● equipping managers to have honest conversations with their teams;
● monitoring the effect on wellbeing, morale and retention;
● continuing to recognise and value the work employees are doing every day;
● engaging constructively with trade unions and employee representatives; and
● remaining prepared for different possible outcomes without presenting any one of them as inevitable.
There is also an important leadership challenge here. Employees will be watching not only what their organisations say, but how their leaders behave. Visible, calm and compassionate leadership can make a profound difference when certainty is in short supply.
Keeping people at the heart of what comes next
Whatever conclusions emerge from the Government’s review, local government reorganisation cannot be treated solely as a structural or financial exercise.
Councils are not simply boundaries, governance arrangements or organisational charts. They are made up of people who deliver vital services to communities every day, often while managing extraordinary levels of pressure and change themselves.
If reorganisation is to deliver stronger and more sustainable local government, the workforce implications must be considered from the outset, not addressed as an afterthought once structural decisions have been made.
For now, our message to HR and OD colleagues working in affected councils is simple: your role has never been more important and your work so far has not been wasted.
You may not yet be able to give people the certainty they want, but you can provide honesty, compassion, consistency and a sense that they will not be left to navigate this uncertainty alone.
At PPMA, we will continue to support our members, share learning and advocate for the workforce voice to remain at the heart of the conversation as the position develops.
Sandra Farquharson
PPMA President
