Rutland County Council is scheduled to merge with Leicestershire County Council in spring 2028. This change is part of government plans to establish 15 new councils across England, replacing smaller district and county councils with larger, single unitary authorities.
The government states its aim is to reduce duplication in the existing two-tier system and enable the new, larger councils to concentrate on priorities such as housebuilding. The new authorities are expected to serve populations of approximately 500,000 people, while Rutland's estimated population is just over 41,000.
Conservative MP for Rutland and Stamford, Alicia Kearns, has stated on her website that for the people of Rutland, this marks "having our identity stripped from us." A campaign named 'Save Rutland' has been initiated, and a petition presented to Parliament earlier in the year gathered 7,141 in-person signatures.
Rutland is often referred to as England's smallest county. The Historic Counties Institute notes that there are 39 historic counties in England, with Rutland being the smallest at 382 sq km (147 sq miles), a status that will not change due to local government alterations. However, Rutland is not the smallest ceremonial county; it ranks fourth after the City of London, Bristol, and the Isle of Wight. The 'Save Rutland' campaign is also working to preserve Rutland's ceremonial status, which is not protected by legislation.