About this episode
The episode discusses the implications of the 2026 local elections and local government reorganisation on planning and decision-making.
The 2026 local elections will likely turn out to be significant for a number of reasons. Westminster psychodrama aside though, one area of immediate interest, for example, is what the increased number of councils under no overall control will mean for local plan-making. That is a topic to which Sam Stafford hopes the podcast will return in due course. Of similar immediate interest is the possible impact upon local government reorganisation (LGR), the whys and wherefores or the pros and cons of which might have been thought to be settled up until recent events. For now though it is to be assumed that, despite perhaps some spanners being thrown into some works, LGR remains the direction of travel for the foreseeable future at least. What has to be happening right now to make it a success? What lessons can be learnt from the most recent round of unitisation? How will reorganisation affect decision-making in the authorities about to be abolished? And how does planning get a place at the top table in the authorities that will replace them? These are the themes that were explored in a conversation recorded online in March 2026 between old friends of the podcast Catriona Riddell (who…
People in this episode
Host: Samuel Stafford
Guests: Catriona Riddell, Jonathan Werran, Claire Tester, Jane Meek, James Hood
Topics covered
- local elections
- local government reorganisation
- planning
- decision-making
- councils under no overall control
Keywords
- local elections
- government reorganisation
- planning
- councils
- decision-making
- unitisation
- local plan-making
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Catriona Riddell & Associates, Localis, South Downs National Park Authority
More episodes of 50 Shades of Planning
- The Shard Inquiry · June 13, 2026 · 1h 23m
- The Tip of the AIceberg · June 6, 2026 · 56 min
- Meet the MPs - Labour · May 30, 2026 · 1h 5m
- Reform, reform and more Reform · May 23, 2026 · 57 min
- The West Midlands Problem (plus Grey Belt and some other stuff) · May 2, 2026 · 57 min
- What is really wrong with the Habitats Regulations? · April 18, 2026 · 1h 8m
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the 50 Shades of Planning podcast page.