This edition of our fortnightly update covers:
· One of the first big decisions taken: SAP selected as system to power the finance and HR/payroll operations in Gloucestershire’s future council(s).
· Creating the legislation for LGR in Gloucestershire: Government invites representations on some key details to include in the Structural Changes Order (SCO) that will set out reorganisation of councils in Gloucestershire
· Dates set for all staff and member briefings before decision: join sessions next month to hear key updates on work being undertaken to prepare for LGR in Gloucestershire
· Understanding services as we plan for the future: Discovery work underway to build a full picture of how services are delivered by councils across Gloucestershire, informing how and when services are combined or split once we have an LGR decision from government.
It goes without saying that one of (if not the) most vital systems for any council or organisation is the one that is used to pay staff, pay suppliers, and manage finances.
Having this crucial system in place early helps make sure everything runs smoothly from day one of any new council arrangements.
The LGR Portfolio Board – which comprises CEOs from every council – has agreed to move forward with SAP, an enterprise resource planning system used extensively around the world, as the core system for finance, HR, payroll and procurement.
Several system options were carefully evaluated. SAP represents the most cost-effective choice because of the significant recent investment already made in the platform, which is currently in use across multiple public-sector organisations, including the County Council. It is also a proven platform capable of handling the scale and complexity required.
SAP will act as a transitional solution, supporting whichever model of local government is chosen by government. The current system already supports shared services across county, district, schools, fire and police organisations, and can be adapted to support one or two new councils if needed. Over time, the new council(s) will be able to review and choose different systems if they wish.
This is one of the first major decisions in the LGR programme and will affect many staff across different organisations. Taking the decision early gives more time to plan properly, design the system carefully, and support staff through the changes.
More detailed planning will now take place, including how the system will be rolled out, what it will include, and what resources are needed. This will involve working closely with specialists and managers across Gloucestershire to design the system together.
Further decisions will follow as work continues to bring systems together, with Portfolio Board taking informed decisions on budgets, scope and governance in due course. Updates will be shared regularly as this important work progresses.
Last week, the Government wrote to council Chief Executives across Gloucestershire to ask for their views on key details to be included in a future Structural Changes Order.
This is the legal document that will formally create any new councils and set out how the change happens. This includes things like governance arrangements, elections, council names and how the transition will be managed.
Councils have been asked to work together and where possible provide their collective views by answering questions on those key aspects. This will help inform decisions taken by the Secretary of State.
Responses have been requested by Tuesday,16 June, much sooner than had previously been anticipated. As such, in recent days chief executives at each council have moved quickly, in conjunction with leaders, to work up arrangements to carefully consider representations from Gloucestershire councils.
Each council will work up its own representations to the questions, but a single representation will be sent to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government – setting out where there may be any differences in opinion among councils.
The Government will then consider these alongside the wider proposals before making decisions on reorganisation.
A draft Structural Changes Order will be drafted by MHCLG taking account of Gloucestershire councils’ representations and shared later in the year, with further updates provided as the process moves on.
Prior to the announcement of the Government’s decision, staff working for every authority in the county are invited to join one of two all staff briefings. These sessions will provide the latest updates on work being undertaken, share detail on what happens next, and enable you to meet (virtually!) key members of the team tasked with delivering LGR across our councils.
You should have received a calendar invite from your council’s communications team.
The first session will take place at 2pm on Monday 15 June 2026.
The second session will take place at 2pm on Tuesday 16 June 2026.
Look out for calendar invites from your council’s communications team later this week. You’ll only need to attend one!
Following April’s all member briefings, the latest briefings for members are also in the diary. As before, there will be two sessions with identical content (and members only need to attend one).
These events will take place on Monday 15 June at 6pm, and Wednesday 17 June – also at 6pm. Invites for these events have been sent to you already.
Work is starting to better understand how council services are currently delivered across Gloucestershire. This will build a clear and shared picture of how things operate across all councils, as we plan to implement the government’s decision on LGR here.
This work is being supported by Newtrality, a specialist organisation with experience of similar projects elsewhere in the country. They will help bring together information and develop a consistent understanding of services.
At this stage, the focus is not on changing services. Instead, the aim is to understand how services are currently set up and operate, how complex they are, and any risks involved in moving to a new council structure. This will help ensure future changes can be planned safely and effectively.
The work will build on information that already exists and avoid duplication, by filling gaps and updating knowledge where needed. This will help identify priorities and support future decision-making.
Over the coming weeks, Newtrality will work with services across Gloucestershire’s seven councils and Publica, to gather insight and understand how things work in practice. This initial phase is expected to run until early July.
Staff may be asked to share information or take part in discussions as part of this work. This input will be important in building an accurate picture and supporting planning for the future.
Many thanks to all the Heads of Service who attended and contributed to the briefings held by the Portfolio and Programme Management Office.