New East and West Staffordshire councils option for reorganisation

| New East and West Staffordshire councils option for reorganisation

Councils across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent have been asked by government to submit proposals for Local Government Reorganisation in November this year. These proposals will change the number and size of Staffordshire’s councils and who is responsible for what.

This topic has sparked a lot of local debate and a range of options have been put forward. This isn’t surprising, as reorganising how councils will work in the future is a difficult and complicated task – especially with tight deadlines and a set of criteria from central government.

Despite this, we are committed to getting the best possible result for our residents and businesses.

Since our interim proposal in March, we’ve looked at eight different options for reorganisation and carefully considered the government’s six criteria for change, as well as their feedback on interim plans.

The government have been clear that any proposal must cover the whole of the county – including Stoke-on-Trent – and must help to address the city council’s financial challenges to put ‘‘local government in the area as a whole on a firmer footing.”

As a result, we’ve published papers setting out a new preference for Local Government Reorganisation today.

These papers recommend an option for two new unitary councils – one covering the East of Staffordshire and one covering the West.

The East Staffordshire council would provide services for 689,784 people in Staffordshire Moorlands, East Staffordshire, Lichfield, Tamworth and Stoke-on-Trent using the existing district and borough council boundaries. The West Staffordshire council would serve 487,794 people in Newcastle-Under-Lyme, Stafford, Cannock Chase and South Staffordshire.

Of the options that meet the government’s criteria for change, our research shows that the East-West option would give both new councils the best chance of success.

Council success means better services and better value for all of our residents and businesses.

Subject to Cabinet approval, the new preference will replace the interim plan submitted by the county council in March and will be developed into a full business case for submission to government in November.