In setting out its statutory criteria and guidance for reorganisation, the government has recognised the need for any proposals to consider the impact on crucial services such as adults’ and children’s social care and SEND. Areas have been given clear guidance that any proposals should show how new structures will improve local government and service delivery, and most importantly, avoid ‘unnecessary fragmentation’ of people- based services. Nonetheless, this programme’s engagement with senior officers in county councils suggests that there is a severe lack of confidence that the risks associated with disaggregation are, or will be, adequately considered in central government policy, including potential decisions by ministers on competing proposals from areas (Figure 4 below). Fewer than one in 10 (6%) of county council Chief Executives and Directors of Adult Social Care and Children’s Services are confident they will be fully considered. Equally, in the local context, it appears that there is also a lack of confidence that all emerging proposals from within a county area are fully considering the risks of disaggregation in the development of LGR proposals (Figure 5 below). 3.3 How associated risks are being considered and mitigated centrally and locally
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