Consultation outcome

Technical consultation on street naming

This was published under the 2019 to 2022 Johnson Conservative government

Applies to England

This consultation has concluded

Read the full outcome

Detail of outcome

On 11 April 2022, the government published the technical consultation on street naming seeking views on both the principles but also the detailed questions of how to define the electorate (i.e. who should have the right to vote on a street name change), the process for engaging with the electorate, and other issues that might be covered in regulations and any statutory guidance.

The consultation closed on 22 May 2022 and this publication summarises the responses to the consultation along with next steps.


Original consultation

Summary

Consultation on the content of regulations that would be needed to help deliver reforms to the process for changing the name of a street.

This consultation ran from
to

Consultation description

The current system relies upon 3 Acts which date from the early 20th century and create nationally inconsistent and unclear procedures for changing street names. Under the existing legislation, many local authorities have the power to change the name of a given street without engaging residents or businesses on that street.

The government is considering the case for modernising these multiple and dated Acts by replacing them with a single clear requirement for a residents’ vote on any changes to street names based on the principles set out in 1907 legislation. The government is also considering the case for regulations (and any statutory guidance) to local authorities on changing the name of a street.

This consultation seeks views on both the principles and the detailed questions of how to define the electorate (i.e. who should have the right to vote on a street name change), the process for engaging with the electorate, and other issues that might be covered in regulations (and any statutory guidance).

Documents

Updates to this page

Published 11 April 2022
Last updated 5 July 2022 + show all updates
  1. Added consultation response.

  2. First published.

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