Norwich City Council

Timeline for unitary developments

Date Papers
October 2006Publication of government white paper 'Strong and Prosperous Communities'
January 2007Submission of Norwich City Council’s business case for a unitary Norwich
February 2007Submission of Norwich City Council’s supplementary bid information
March 2007Submission of Norwich City Council’s further bid information
June 2007Submission of Norwich City Council’s refined bid proposals
June 2007 Publication of details of government consultation
July 2007 Norwich City Council’s core bid is rejected, but Boundary Committee review of Norwich and Norfolk is to be commissioned
October 2007Boundary Committee starts informal work across Norfolk
November 2007 Submission of Norwich City Council’s conceptual outline business case for unitary government across Norwich and Norfolk
December 2007 Minister announces that the boundary review of Norfolk will be extended to include the whole of Suffolk
February 2008 Government formally commissions Boundary Commission to review Norfolk and Suffolk
3 March-11 April 2008Stage 1 of boundary review:
Submission of Norwich City Council's enhanced conceptual outline business case
Boundary Committee provides briefing on financial requirements (8 April)
14 April-4 July 2008 Stage 2 of boundary review:
7 July-26 September 2008Stage 3 of boundary review:
29 September-19 December 2008 Stage 4 of boundary review:
  • Boundary Committee to review all information gathered
  • Boundary Committee to agree final advice and recommendations to the secretary of state
December 2008Boundary Committee announce that their 31 December 2008 deadline has been replaced by a new deadline of 13 February 2009
23 December 2008Norwich City Council writes to the Boundary Committee setting out initial reasons why the independent financial assessment is flawed
October 2006Publication of government white paper 'Strong and Prosperous Communities'
January 2007Submission of Norwich City Council’s business case for a unitary Norwich
February 2007Submission of Norwich City Council’s supplementary bid information
March 2007Submission of Norwich City Council’s further bid information
June 2007Submission of Norwich City Council’s refined bid proposals
June 2007 Publication of details of government consultation
July 2007 Norwich City Council’s core bid is rejected, but Boundary Committee review of Norwich and Norfolk is to be commissioned
October 2007Boundary Committee starts informal work across Norfolk
November 2007 Submission of Norwich City Council’s conceptual outline business case for unitary government across Norwich and Norfolk
December 2007 Minister announces that the boundary review of Norfolk will be extended to include the whole of Suffolk
February 2008 Government formally commissions Boundary Commission to review Norfolk and Suffolk
3 March-11 April 2008Stage 1 of boundary review:
Submission of Norwich City Council's enhanced conceptual outline business case
Boundary Committee provides briefing on financial requirements (8 April)
14 April-4 July 2008 Stage 2 of boundary review:
7 July-26 September 2008Stage 3 of boundary review:
29 September-19 December 2008 Stage 4 of boundary review:
  • Boundary Committee to review all information gathered
  • Boundary Committee to agree final advice and recommendations to the secretary of state
December 2008Boundary Committee announce that their 31 December 2008 deadline has been replaced by a new deadline of 13 February 2009
23 December 2008Norwich City Council writes to the Boundary Committee setting out initial reasons why the independent financial assessment is flawed
9 JanuaryNorwich City Council writes to the Boundary Committee setting out an alternative financial model, which meets the "affordability" criterion
9 February 2009Boundary Committee announce that their deadline of 13 February 2009 has been replaced with another deadline of 15 July 2009 and invite Norwich City Council to submit new financial workbooks
19 March 2009Boundary Committee announce new draft proposals for consultation
14 May 2009Response to boundary committee
15 JulyBoundary Committee to announce final advice and recommendations to the Secretary of State
September - December 2009Awaiting Boundary Committee appeal outcome
December 2009Appeal Court decision ruling announced. Boundary Committee submit final recommendations to the Secretary of State
December - January 2010Six week consultation period on the Boundary Committee’s final recommendations, during which time the Secretary of State invites representations on the proposals
January 2010Secretary of State to decide to implement the original Norwich bid (with or without modification), or implement the Boundary Committee alternative proposal (with or without modification), or take no action .
February 2010Local government minister Rosie Winterton announces the government’s intention to make Norwich a unitary authority on its existing boundary after considering recommendations made by the Boundary Committee for England.

An implementation order was laid before Parliament the same day, which if approved, would create a unitary council for the city providing all key services, including children’s services and adult social care.

March 2010As part of the parliamentary process the Merits Committee considers the implementation orders, and Norwich City Council submits its response to this committee. To read this submission, click here.

Debates and votes to be held in both houses of parliament on the implementation order to determine if approval is to be given.

April 2010If the implementation order has been approved by parliament an Implementation Executive would be established to take all the key decision on the design and implementation of the new council.

Detailed implementation work for the new council would formally get underway.

May 2010-May 2011Implementation work of new council on-going.
April 2011Start date for new unitary council (vesting day), which formally takes over responsibility for all local government services in Norwich.
May 2011All out elections for the new Norwich unitary council will be held based on the current 13 wards returning three members each.

back to main