Posted on Wednesday 5th March 2025
The best interests of residents remain at the heart of Staffordshire County Council's approach to reorganisation.
A proposal to create a new Staffordshire unitary authority has been backed by the county council’s Cabinet today.
If approved by Government, the plans would see one council replacing the county council and the eight districts and borough councils. A new Mayoral Strategic would also be created across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent.
Alan White, Leader of Staffordshire County Council, said:
The county council and our neighbouring district and borough councils have a track record of delivering for the residents and businesses of Staffordshire.
This county council is a well-run, ambitious and financially stable authority, so it makes sense to build on this legacy by creating a Staffordshire unitary, rather than break up something that is proven to work.
A Staffordshire unitary would be set up for success and would also avoid risking the dismantling of critical services such as the care currently provided to the most vulnerable children and adults in Staffordshire.”
Councils in Staffordshire, including Stoke-on-Trent City Council were asked by Jim McMahon, the Minister for Local Government and English Devolution, to submit outline plans for reorganisation to government by 21 March 2025.
Staffordshire’s leader stressed that due to the very short time scales today’s proposals were still very much an outline plan.
Alan added:
The Government has made it clear that we must submit a proposal, whether we agree with local government reorganisation or not.
The ambitions, interests and welfare of the communities we serve is what drives this county council and our proposal for a Staffordshire unitary keep this at the heart of the new face of local government.
The hard work on shaping exactly how this will look will now gather pace over the coming weeks and months before a final option is agreed by Government.”
Following today’s approval by Cabinet, the outline proposal will now be considered by Staffordshire County Council’s Full Council on March 13
The interim plan must be submitted by March 21. More detailed proposals for local government reorganisation must be submitted to government by November 28. The earliest that changes are expected to be fully implemented is 2028.
Notes to editors:
The English Devolution White Paper can be found here.
The councils who have been invited by the Minister to be part of local government reorganisation in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent are:
- Staffordshire County Council
- Stoke-on-Trent City Council
- Staffordshire Moorlands District Council
- Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council
- East Staffordshire Borough Council
- Stafford Borough Council
- Cannock Chase District Council
- Lichfield District Council
- Tamworth Borough Council
- South Staffordshire District Council