Government confirms Stone will stay with Stafford Borough neighbours in major council shake up

Stone will remain grouped with Stafford Borough and the rest of southern Staffordshire when local government is reorganised, after the government confirmed its preferred structure for councils across Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent.

The decision means Stone will become part of a new south Staffordshire unitary council, alongside Stafford, East Staffordshire, Cannock Chase, Lichfield, Tamworth and South Staffordshire.

The government has opted for a two council model, replacing the current two tier system of Staffordshire County Council and the county’s district and borough councils, along with Stoke on Trent City Council.

The new arrangements will create:

• A north Staffordshire unitary council covering Newcastle under Lyme, Stoke on Trent and Staffordshire Moorlands, serving around 494,800 people.
• A south Staffordshire unitary council covering Stafford, East Staffordshire, Cannock Chase, Lichfield, Tamworth and South Staffordshire, serving around 682,800 people.

The new councils will use the existing district, borough and city boundaries.

The decision follows the submission of five competing proposals in November 2025 and a government consultation which ran between 5 February and 26 March.

Under the current timetable, shadow councils will be elected in May 2027 ahead of the new authorities officially taking over in April 2028.

For residents, there will be no immediate changes to council services. Waste collections, street cleaning, parks, highways maintenance, children’s services and adult social care will all continue as normal while the transition takes place.

Councillor Martin Murray, Chair of the Staffordshire Leaders Board, said

“Councils across the area have expressed different views through this process, but the government has made its decision clear, and we are focused on making it work for Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent. We already have strong and well-established partnerships, and all councils are united in our commitment to a smooth transition with no disruption to the services residents rely on.

“This is a significant and complex programme, but we will put residents first, protect essential services, and work together to deliver a system that works for the people we serve.”

Speaking separately in his role as leader of Staffordshire County Council, Councillor Martin Murray said the north and south structure was not the authority’s preferred option.

He said

“While the North-South option was not what we put forward, it also follows the Government’s rules, has clear strengths and is financially viable in the long term.

“The test now is simple: residents must see stable services, clear decisions and no unnecessary disruption.

“We will work professionally with neighbouring councils to make the change happen safely, with residents’ needs at the heart of the process.”

Councillor Jane Ashworth, Vice Chair of the Staffordshire Leaders Board, said

“Our priority is to make sure residents, communities and partners continue to have confidence in the services they rely on every day as we work through this change.”

Councils across Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent will now begin preparing detailed transition plans, including how services and decision making responsibilities will transfer to the two new authorities.