Devolution and Local Government Reorganisation

In a Nutshell

The Government is replacing Staffordshire's existing councils with a simpler and more efficient system as part of Local Government Reorganisation (known as LGR). It is creating unitary councils to deliver the full range of local authority services. It means all existing districts, boroughs, the county council and Stoke-on-Trent City Council will be abolished in March 2028.

New unitary councils in Staffordshire will take over from April 2028. This is happening across England.

Staffordshire Moorlands District Council has proposed an Enhanced North Staffordshire, which would see the Moorlands, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Stoke-on-Trent - and Stone and Uttoxeter and surrounding villages - become part of a new North Staffordshire unitary council. This is a modification of a Base Proposal submitted to Government, of having a North Staffordshire council and a Southern and Mid-Staffordshire council (as supported by Stoke-on-Trent; Stafford, Cannock Chase and East Staffordshire councils).

On devolution, the Staffordshire local authorities are united in wanting devolutionary powers for the county and the funding that comes with it, as has happened in other parts of England. They wrote to Government in September 2024 to express their interest in devolution.

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)

All proposals for reorganisation were submitted to Government in November 2025.

The five proposals from Staffordshire:

North Staffordshire council and Southern and Mid-Staffordshire council - preferred by Stoke-on-Trent; Stafford, Cannock Chase and East Staffordshire councils.

North Staffordshire council and Southern and Mid-Staffordshire council but with an Enhanced North Staffordshire - preferred by Staffordshire Moorlands council.

North Staffordshire council and two South Staffordshire councils - preferred by Lichfield, Tamworth and South Staffordshire councils, with one council, South West Staffordshire, comprising South Staffordshire, Stafford and Cannock Chase, and the other, South East Staffordshire, comprising Lichfield, East Staffordshire and Tamworth.

Staffordshire East council and Staffordshire West council - preferred by Staffordshire County Council - it previously suggested one Staffordshire council with Stoke-on-Trent City Council as it is now.

Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council - wants to be a unitary council on its own, based on its existing boundary.

Why Staffordshire Moorlands District Council prefers 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 linking M6 to M1 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 Bet 365.
• 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.

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 has announced that it 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 so far?

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.

Since then, five proposals in the county were worked up and submitted to Government in November 2025.

What happens next?

Following the submission of the proposals, the next stage in the process is statutory consultation by the Government. This will take place from early February 2026 and last seven weeks. The Government will make a final decision about which model of local government reorganisation will be implemented during summer 2026. Elections for new shadow unitary authorities will take in place in May 2027. New councils will start to operate from April 2028.

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

Current Government timetable