Councils must submit unitary plans by end of March

County councils, such as Cambridgeshire, would no longer exist under the new plans

All councils in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough have been told to submit initial plans for new unitary authorities before the end of March.

Local Government Minister Jim McMahon has written to council leaders this week.

Cambridgeshire currently has a two-tier system of local government, with a county council and five smaller district and city councils. Peterborough runs as a city-wide unitary authority.

New proposals outlined by the government in December will see all councils become unitary, meaning that they will provide all local services in that area.

Peterborough already has a unitary authority but has been asked to talk to its neighbouring council areas about its plans

The five districts with lower-tier authorities are South Cambridgeshire, East Cambridgeshire, Huntingdonshire, Fenland and the city of Cambridge

The letter asks the leaders of all seven councils to submit their initial plans by 28 March.

The government would then like a full submission by 28 November.

The area already has a combined authority with a mayor.

The letter says the area could have just one unitary council or a number of smaller ones.

The councils also have the option to talk to authorities in neighbouring counties.

The letter says that the government also expects councils to "meet transition costs over time from existing budgets."

However, it also says the government "intend to provide some funds for preparing to take forward any proposal."

When the changes were first announced, they were described as a threat to democracy by some council leaders.