The legal battle over plans to axe all Norfolk's councils has been stepped up, after County Hall officially lodged a request for a judicial review of the government's plans.
Norfolk County Council, led by Reform UK, has formally submitted its request to the Royal Courts of Justice for a judicial review of Labour's local government reorganisation (LGR) decision.
Judges will now decide whether the case should be considered in London to hear Norfolk County Council's claims that government ministers acted unlawfully in deciding three new unitary councils should replace the current nine in Norfolk.
Reform, which took control of Norfolk County Council at last month's election, has made clear that stopping LGR is one of its top priorities and had already sent a pre-action protocol letter warning the government of its intention to mount a legal challenge.
Deputy leader Robin Hunter-Clarke recently wrote to Steve Reed, the secretary of state for local government - who went against the advice of civil servants to decide LGR should see three councils in Norfolk - making clear the authority will not support any work to pave the way for the transition to the new councils.
Mr Hunter-Clarke said he had received no response to that letter and the authority has now submitted its judicial review request.
What Reform UK leaders say
Mr Hunter-Clarke said: "As I have made clear, we will continue to oppose local government reorganisation in Norfolk.
"Local people have not asked for it, they do not want to pay it and they should not have it imposed upon them.
"Instead of forcing through costly and disruptive reorganisation, the government should focus on delivering devolution and all the opportunities that brings us.
"Local government reorganisation will cost millions, risks disrupting vital services and comes at a time when every pound should be spent on frontline services, not bureaucracy.
"The government should trust Norfolk to govern Norfolk."
However, a legal challenge will come at a cost. Brian Watkins, leader of the 13-strong Liberal Democrat opposition group at County Hall, warned the taxpayer will have to pick up the bill for the challenge.
How did we reach this point?
On March 25, Mr Reed confirmed all Norfolk's councils will be abolished and replaced with three new unitary councils.
It will mean the abolition of Norfolk County Council, Norwich City Council, South Norfolk Council, Broadland District Council, Breckland District Council, North Norfolk Council, Great Yarmouth Borough Council and West Norfolk Council by 2028.
They will be replaced by three new unitary councils - Greater Norwich City, West Norfolk and East Norfolk - providing all services in the areas they cover.
Councils had been invited to put forward proposals, with Norfolk County Council proposing one council South Norfolk two and the other councils - Norwich, Broadland, Breckland, Great Yarmouth, North Norfolk and West Norfolk three
Suffolk and Essex councils - both Reform UK-led - are also pursuing a judicial review.
And Conservative-run South Norfolk Council has also put the government on notice that it intends to do so.
This newspaper recently revealed how documents showed Mr Reed went against the advice of civil servants to decide three, rather than one or two new unitary councils, should be created in Norfolk.
Officials in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government recommended he adopt the one unitary council model, because that met the criteria he had set out more strongly than the two and three council models.
But Mr Reed expressed his "apprehension" over such a large unitary - which would have made Norfolk the second largest single-tier council in the country after Birmingham.
Mr Reed also emphasised the importance of local government reorganisation's role in increasing housing supply, and the need for councils to be close enough to their communities to understand that.
He decided to implement the three-council model.
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