Since 1997, 26 proposals for unitary structures were submitted in January 2007 following the Invitation to Councils in England issued in October 2006. A further Invitation for unitary structures in Bedfordshire was issued in November 2007 and one proposal was received in response to it. From these proposals, nine unitary councils were established on 1 April 2009, and orders creating a further two on 1 April 2011, Exeter and Ipswich, have now been made following their approval by Parliament.