Six councils consider creation of southern Staffordshire unitary authority

Six councils, including Stafford Borough Council, are considering joining forces to create a new unitary authority to provide services for the south of Staffordshire.

The county’s eight district and borough councils, which currently provide services such as bin collections, emergency housing, planning and leisure facilities, are all facing the axe as part of national government plans to reorganise the local authority system.

Staffordshire County Council and Stoke-on-Trent City Council have already agreed a draft proposals for potential future unitary authorities ahead of a March 21 deadline set by the Government. And this week meetings have been taking place across the south of the county to consider a third proposal, which would see East Staffordshire, Cannock Chase, Stafford, South Staffordshire, Lichfield and Tamworth joining a new southern Staffordshire unitary authority.

The outline plans will now be considered by the Government before more detailed proposals for local government reorganisation are submitted later this year, but the earliest that changes are expected to be fully implemented is 2028. New town councils covering Stafford and Cannock could also be created as part of the changes, and both areas are now set to commission reports to consider the process, including what costs would be involved.

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Cannock Chase Council members backed the draft proposals at a meeting on Monday (March 17). Concerns were raised by Green group leader Councillor Andrea Muckley about the future management of the district’s social housing stock and how effectively residents would be represented by an authority covering a larger area however, and she abstained from the vote.

Council leader and Labour member Tony Johnson said that historically there had been North Staffordshire and South Staffordshire regiments and coalfields.

“We need to act in the best interests of the Cannock Chase people – and I believe their interests would be best served by a unitary authority covering six (current) authorities”, he added

“Democratic deficit is a real concern, but there is a potential for town and parish councils to step up. The White Paper is silent on housing stock.”

Conservative opposition group leader Councillor Olivia Lyons said:

“It does feel quite rushed. We have to put in an interim submission so we make our position clear for residents.

“I do support the southern and northern authorities that are in the paper. We are quite fortunate that Staffordshire has the Leaders’ Board and we have close relationships with our neighbours – we share services with Stafford so it is absolutely vital we work with them as a larger authority.”

Councillor David Williams said the proposed reorganisation could help residents however, as current divisions of responsibilities such as roads and bin collections between two levels of local government left some unsure of who to approach when they had an issue. “It offers us a genuine chance to address structural problems in local government”, he added.

Stafford Borough councillors considered the proposals at a meeting on Tuesday (March 18). Conservative opposition group leader Councillor Jeremy Pert put forward an amendment to add an option to the borough’s submission, proposing a unitary authority based along current county boundaries, to include all eight districts and boroughs rather than splitting them up.
His amendment failed to gain enough support from fellow borough councillors to be carried however. And Staffordshire County Council agreed a draft proposal involving the creation of a single authority to replace the county and eight district and borough councils at a meeting last week.

Council leader Aidan Godfrey said:

“The two tier local government system works well for the borough, but sadly we must change and we have no choice. We have to make the changes ourselves or the Government will do it for us.

“Stoke-on-Trent City Council has put forward a proposal for a north Staffordshire unitary authority, made up of Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough, Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Moorlands District. Leaders of the six southern districts and boroughs are united in putting forward a south Staffordshire unitary authority plan.

“It is my belief a southern Staffordshire unitary is the best option for Stafford Borough. We already share services with Cannock and we have a close working relationship.”

Councillors raised concerns on Tuesday that Stafford Borough could be divided between two unitary authorities. And they stressed the importance of retaining Stafford’s historic Mayoralty, which was first established more than 400 years ago.

Councillor Tony Pearce said:

“I have supported the creation of a town council in Stafford – years ago I campaigned for a town council. I’m really pleased we are considering a realistic prospect of creating one – it could be able to take over the Mayoralty.”