Shake-up could mean six council bosses lose jobs

Gloucestershire will soon undergo a major local government reorganisation

Several council chief executives may lose their jobs in an upcoming local government reorganisation.

It is expected that the heads of Gloucestershire's six district authorities will no longer have roles following the county-wide shake-up but that most other staff will be retained.

Three proposed models for the reorganisation are to be submitted to the government on 28 November.

The models are being developed by the six district authorities and Gloucestershire County Council. The government is expected to consult residents early in 2026 before making a decision.

One of the models would see a single unitary authority created, while the second would divide the county in two, with east and west authorities.

The third option would create an authority for Gloucester and its surrounds, with remaining county areas governed by one other authority, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Expectations about job losses were discussed at a public meeting organised by Gloucestershire Association of Trades Council at the Gloucester Irish Club on Monday.

Stroud District Council's Chloe Turner said: "The only thing we really know about staff is that as we go into the new unitary or unitaries, the chief executives of the districts will no longer have a job but everything else will be a decision for the new authority or authorities to make."

Councillor Chloe Turner answers questions at a meeting at the Gloucester Irish Club

Gloucestershire County Council's Richard Stanley said council workers providing services would be needed.

"Whether we're looking at one unitary or two unitaries, ultimately, we aren't going to need seven chief executives of the council," he said.

"But those doing the work on the ground – those emptying the bins, those delivering services to our children... I think we're going to be wanting to retain and look after them and keep as many of those people as possible."