Councils told: follow Publicity Code in reorganisation
If you live in East Sussex and Brighton and Hove, Essex, Southend-on-Sea and Thurrock, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton, Norfolk, Suffolk or West Sussex, the way your council communicates about potential structural change matters. On 19 November 2025, Minister of State for Local Government and Homelessness Alison McGovern wrote to leaders in these areas to remind them to stick to the Publicity Code while developing and pursuing reorganisation proposals, according to GOV.UK. These letters sit alongside the government’s formal consultations on reorganisation now under way. GOV.UK has also published area‑specific letters confirming consultation launches, such as West Sussex and Norfolk.
So what is the Publicity Code? It’s statutory guidance issued under the Local Government Act 1986. Councils must have regard to it whenever they put information into the public domain, and “publicity” covers any communication to the public. The current Code has applied in England since 31 March 2011.
The Code sets seven simple standards for council communications: be lawful, cost‑effective, objective, even‑handed, appropriate, mindful of equality and diversity, and take extra care during periods of heightened sensitivity (for example, close to elections or referendums). Think of this as the baseline for every newsletter, web page, social post and press release you see.
During reorganisation, one idea matters most for residents: information over persuasion. The Code says councils shouldn’t use public money for campaigns whose main purpose is to steer you towards a particular policy choice. They can explain proposals, set out their views and reasons, and correct inaccurate claims-but the tone should be calm, factual and balanced.
You should also see fair framing when issues are contentious. Where there are different positions, the Code expects councils to present them in a fair way. If individual councillors’ quotes appear, it should be clear when those views are personal and not the official position. If councils host blogs or public comments, they must moderate responsibly-and they may need to pause forums during sensitive periods to avoid breaching legal limits.
Look for clear labelling and political neutrality. Council publicity should say who it’s from, and paid‑for adverts should be obvious as adverts. Nothing in the Code changes the legal ban on party‑political material, and political advertising on TV or radio is prohibited. Councils are told not to spend public money on lobbyists or party‑conference stands, and any council‑run newsletters must not mimic commercial newspapers or be issued more than quarterly.
Where is this happening right now? The GOV.UK notice lists East Sussex and Brighton and Hove; Essex, Southend‑on‑Sea and Thurrock; Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton; Norfolk; Suffolk; and West Sussex. If you live in one of these places, council updates should explain the proposals, the timeline and how to respond to the government’s consultation-without nudging you towards a preferred model.
What to look for as a reader: is the language factual and even‑handed? Does the message clearly show it’s from the council? Are different options explained fairly, with a route to the official consultation on GOV.UK? If something feels more like a campaign than an explainer, you can ask the council’s communications team-or the Monitoring Officer-how the Publicity Code has been applied. The Code is statutory guidance that authorities must consider whenever they make decisions about publicity.
Why this matters. The Code exists to protect trust in public information. The 19 November 2025 letters are a timely reminder that, during big local decisions, councils must focus on helping you understand the choices and take part confidently-not on telling you what to think. That’s the standard to expect, and to ask for, in your area.