Labour's group leader at Warwickshire County Council insists the government remains "very much committed" to bringing in unitary councils despite the process being put on hold this week.

Cllr Sarah Feeney revealed she and others had been reassured that the government hopes to conduct its review into local government reorganisation, triggered by a backlash and legal challenges to the decisions it has taken, "in a matter of weeks".

Warwickshire was due to have its six biggest councils – the county and its five districts and boroughs – abolished by April 2028 with two unitary councils forming to deliver services from one level of local government in the north and south of the patch.

Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government Angela Rayner MP (Lab) paused work towards that on Monday (September 7) on the back of legal advice, stating that she wished to ensure that the right calls had been made in each of the areas going through those changes.

Political opponents badged it as a U-turn and waste of resources but Cllr Feeney said that written communication from new prime minister Andy Burnham MP last week and a call on Monday night suggested Labour plans to press ahead with increased devolution, including the rollout of unitary councils in every two-tier area, plus strategic or combined authorities across the board.

"I am told it is a pause, not a cancellation," said Cllr Feeney, who went on to defend the need for a delay.

"It is better now than February," she said.

"I feel sorry for the government in that they cannot do right for doing wrong but Angela Rayner has taken sharp, decisive action since coming into post.

"They clearly want to examine what the legal challenges are and whether the processes are working and right. Surely it is better to hold back for a year and get it right.

"The government is taking the judicial reviews very seriously and it would have been ridiculous to pause five councils where reviews are in and let the other 14 (including Warwickshire) carry on.

"They need to assess whether there is a significant issue that hasn't been anticipated or looked at."

When asked, Cllr Feeney confirmed that she expects the shake-up to be delayed by one year but was less certain about whether the argument on Warwickshire having two new councils as opposed to one to serving the whole county would be revisited.

"I was on a call last night and it was very clear that they wanted to do the review quickly," she added.

"When asked whether this was kicking it into the long grass the answer was an emphatic no and that the plan is to do this review in a matter of weeks.

"I don't know the ins and outs of the review, I'm told it is about ensuring processes have been done properly, et cetera. I don't know whether that will impact the decision over one or two – my guess is probably not but I genuinely don't know."

The leader of Warwickshire County Council and Nuneaton & Bedworth Borough Council Councillor George Finch (Reform UK, Bedworth Central/Bede) has argued the government should foot the bill for any cost implications but Cllr Feeney believes the money will not be wasted.

"Unitarisation has been on the cards for a long time in Warwickshire," she said.

"The Conservatives wanted it, (ex-leader) Izzi Seccombe was very keen in the dying days of the last Conservative government. It was close to happening.

"For me, getting rid of two-tier local government has always been the right decision. Having two councils on the same patch, passing people between them is nonsense. It is not good for the residents, it is not good for the taxpayer and in the long-term it is a change that needs to happen."