Rutland County Council is set to be dissolved and incorporated into a larger local authority that will span the area surrounding Leicester.
Local campaigners argue that the change threatens the centuries‑old identity of the historic county, while Conservative MP Alicia Kearns emphasizes that residents did not choose to merge with a broader jurisdiction.
A petition titled “Save Rutland” has attracted more than 7,000 signatures, reflecting widespread public concern over the proposed restructuring.
Kearns warned that without government intervention, Rutland could lose its ceremonial county status, with official signage removed and a long‑standing identity effectively erased.
The reform is part of a nationwide plan to abolish 134 existing districts, replacing them with new authorities responsible for delivering all local services within their areas.
Rutland functioned as an independent county until 1974, when it was merged into Leicestershire, and later regained unitary authority status in 1995 following a public campaign.
