Norfolk County Council and district councils are under pressure to agree and submit proposed ward boundaries for the three new unitary authorities by 29 May 2026 — just weeks away.

The deadline was flagged as a concern at the Strategic and Corporate Select Committee meeting on 22 April, with chair Cllr Dan Roper describing the timescale as "short and tight". District councils are currently developing their proposed arrangements, and Norfolk Leaders Group has agreed to share the information as soon as it is available.

The Secretary of State's decision letter has already set out the total number of councillors for each new authority: 63 for the Greater Norwich City unitary, 65 for East Norfolk, and 72 for West Norfolk. However, how those seats will be carved up between existing district areas has not yet been determined.

The committee was told that some wards could have populations of around 8,000 people while others may have up to 10,000, and that some divisions could return more than one councillor.

The Boundary Commission will not conduct a formal boundary review until after Vesting Day in April 2028. Until then, ward boundaries will be set by the Secretary of State based on the submissions now being prepared.

The Select Committee unanimously passed a recommendation expressing support for council Leader Cllr Kay Mason Billig in her efforts to ensure transparency from district councils on warding arrangements. The issue is expected to return to the committee's July 2026 meeting, where members have requested a full update on proposed arrangements.

Separately, the committee asked the Monitoring Officer to consider changes to the council's constitution that would allow appointments to shadow joint committees to be made at the Council's Annual General Meeting, once the Government's Structural Changes Order provides the necessary information.