Devolution and Local Government Reorganisation

The Government wants to replace councils in the remaining two-tier areas (where county councils exist alongside district and borough councils and smaller unitary councils) with a simpler and more efficient system as part of Local Government Reorganisation (known as LGR).

It has decided to create more unitary councils across England to deliver the full range of local authority services. In Staffordshire, it means all existing districts, boroughs, the county council and Stoke-on-Trent City Council will be abolished in March 2028.

Following the submission of proposals to reorganise council areas by the affected councils, in November 2025, and a Government statutory consultation in February and March 2026, the Government made the decision in July 2026 to replace the 10 councils in Staffordshire with two new unitary councils:

• North Staffordshire Council - taking in Staffordshire Moorlands, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Stoke-on-Trent
• South and Mid Staffordshire Council - taking in Stafford, East Staffordshire, South Staffordshire, Cannock Chase, Lichfield, Tamworth

The new unitary councils will begin operating from April 2028.

There are no immediate changes to council services, and residents should continue to access services in the usual way. The existing councils' priority remains delivering high-quality services for our communities while we work through the next stage of the process.

What is Devolution?

The changes to local government follow publication of the Government's White Paper on English Devolution in December 2024, which set out plans to extend devolution across the country - as well as to introduce local government reorganisation. The paper can be found here.

In England, devolution is the transfer of powers and funding from national to local government. It is important because it ensures that decisions are made closer to the local people, communities and businesses they affect.

What is Local Government Reorganisation?

The Government wants to merge areas where there is currently more than one tier of local authority - like Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent.

At the moment, there are three different systems in this area:

• Stoke-on-Trent City Council, which has been a unitary authority since 1997, meaning it is in charge of all council services in the area it covers; and
• A two-tiered system where Staffordshire County Council is in charge of services like roads and social care, whilst district and borough councils, like Staffordshire Moorlands, take care of services like bin collections, planning, leisure and parks.

What has happened to date?

Interim Plan

An Interim Plan was submitted to Government in March 2025 by several councils calling for a North Staffordshire council and a Southern and Mid-Staffordshire council, and by Staffordshire County Council seeking a Staffordshire council with Stoke-on-Trent staying as it currently is.

Staffordshire Moorlands decided it needed time to consider all the options and set up a politically balanced Devolution and Local Government Reorganisation Sub Committee to do precisely that.

In July 2025 it decided on its own proposal called Option D, now known as Enhanced North Staffordshire.

Proposals submitted to the Government

Five proposals in the county were worked up and submitted to Government in November 2025 as follows:

North Staffordshire council and Southern and Mid-Staffordshire council - preferred by Stoke-on-Trent, Stafford, Cannock Chase and East Staffordshire councils. It would see Stoke-on-Trent, Newcastle-under-Lyme and Staffordshire Moorlands forming a northern council, and Stafford, Cannock Chase, East Staffordshire, Lichfield, Tamworth and South Staffordshire forming a southern council.

North Staffordshire council and Southern and Mid-Staffordshire council but with an Enhanced North Staffordshire - preferred by Staffordshire Moorlands council. As above except proposing Stone, Uttoxeter and their surrounding villages become part of a northern council.

North Staffordshire council and two South Staffordshire councils - preferred by Lichfield, Tamworth and South Staffordshire councils. Northern council comprising Stoke-on-Trent, Newcastle-under-Lyme and Staffordshire Moorlands, but with a South West Staffordshire council comprising South Staffordshire, Stafford and Cannock Chase, and a South East Staffordshire council comprising Lichfield, East Staffordshire and Tamworth.

Staffordshire East council and Staffordshire West council - preferred by Staffordshire County Council - Staffordshire East to include East Staffordshire, Lichfield, Staffordshire Moorlands, Stoke-on-Trent and Tamworth. Staffordshire West to include Cannock Chase, Newcastle-under-Lyme, South Staffordshire and Stafford.

Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council - wants to be a unitary council on its own, based on its existing boundary. It would also see a new unitary council serving Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Moorlands, a new unitary council serving Stafford, Cannock Chase and South Staffordshire, and a new unitary council serving East Staffordshire, Lichfield and Tamworth.

Why we pushed for an Enhanced North Staffordshire

• It follows the Government's criteria for unitary councils to serve a population of 500,000. Our Enhanced North Staffordshire would see populations of 536,172 in North Staffordshire and 598,128 in Southern and Mid-Staffordshire.
• Stoke-on-Trent as a city (258,400) would not dominate as the rest of North Staffordshire would be 277,772.
• Gives fair democratic representation - of a proposed 92 councillors, 48 of these would be from outside Stoke-on-Trent with 44 covering Stoke-on-Trent.
• It follows key transport links: A50/A500 linking the M1 to the M6 and bringing in Uttoxeter and Blythe Bridge. Uttoxeter and Stone both have direct rail lines to Stoke-on-Trent and beyond.
• Recognises travel to work patterns - a large number of Uttoxeter and Stone residents work in Stoke-on-Trent, with a significant number from Uttoxeter working in Cheadle and at Alton Towers.
• We know Stoke-on-Trent has financial challenges (as do many other unitary councils), but under the Government's Fair Funding for Local Government it is likely to benefit from millions of pounds more funding in the coming years.
• Whilst the extra council tax and business rates from Stone, Uttoxeter and surrounding villages improves revenue generation potential of our Enhanced North Staffordshire unitary council compared to the North Staffordshire unitary proposed by Stoke-on-Trent and other councils.
• Economically, it meets the Government's `sensible economic area criteria` and would include major employers such as JCB, Alton Towers and bet365.
• North Staffordshire as an identity has a long history, including being the home of the former North Staffordshire Regiment, used by the health service, and recognised culturally by the county's biggest daily newspaper and is the main broadcast area of BBC Radio Stoke.
• It builds on strong parish and town council networks, especially in Staffordshire Moorlands, supporting community engagement and neighbour empowerment which the Government wants to see from LGR.
• Our Enhanced North Staffordshire works for the whole of Staffordshire - a fundamental requirement set by the Government.

Read our Proposal document - Creating Two Balanced and Financially Sustainable Unitary Councils (PDF, 7 MB)
A shorter Executive Summary document is also available - Executive Summary (PDF, 965 KB)

What happens next?

The Government's current timetable is below.

The next major step will be elections for new shadow unitary authorities which will take place in May 2027. Elected councillors will shape the successor councils including appointing senior teams.

Staffordshire Moorlands District Council will cease to exist at the end of March 2028, along with its Strategic Alliance with High Peak Borough Council in Derbyshire.

We will keep you updated as things move along.

Statements issued

Statement following submission of the Interim Plan on 21 March 2025 can be found at: Staffordshire Leaders' Board Submits Interim Plan for Council Reorganisation

Statement ahead of the Cabinet Meeting on 8 July 2025 can be found at: Cabinet recommended to `Say Yes to North Staffordshire` as local government reorganisation progresses

Statement following Cabinet Meeting decision on 25 November 2025 can be found at: Cabinet agrees an Enhanced North Staffordshire council is the best option for the Staffordshire Moorlands

Release issued on 06 February 2026 can be found at: Government launches consultation on how councils work in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent

Release issued on 16 July 2026 can be found at: Government confirms new structure for councils in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent

Release issued on 16 July 2026 can be found at: Staffordshire Moorlands welcomes Government decision on Local Government Reorganisation

Current Government timetable