Devolution in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent
In February, the government asked councils in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent to think about whether they wanted to take part in the next stage of devolution.
Devolution is the process of moving powers and funding out of Westminster and into local areas.
All ten councils in the area sent a joint response to government confirming that they are interested in devolution and ready to have a Foundation Strategic Authority (FSA) for our area as soon as possible.
Read the full expression of interest below:
What is a Foundation Strategic Authority?
A Foundation Strategic Authority, or FSA, is a new type of local authority partnership offered by the government.
It would give our area extra powers and funding which means that more decisions about things that affect you will be made locally.
These are additional powers that existing councils cannot access on their own.
Devolution is the process of moving powers and funding out of Westminster and into local areas.
What’s the difference between devolution and local government reorganisation?
Devolution gives local areas more powers and money from government.
Local government reorganisation is about changing the number or structure of councils.
Devolution and local government reorganisation are two separate processes, although they may happen at the same time.
What could the benefits be for the area?
With a Foundation Strategic Authority (FSA), our area could:
- Get extra money to help grow jobs and businesses
- Make better decisions about buses and transport
- Have more control over training and skills, such as adult learning
- Help people with specialist employment needs
- Work with Homes England on new homes and regeneration
- Work more closely with government on major projects, including rail
- Have a stronger say in the skills local employers need
Why does this matter?
These extra powers could help us:
- Give people better chances to learn new skills
- Bring in more jobs and investment
- Improve transport and travel
- Make decisions that suit our local area
How could it affect local councils and services?
The FSA would sit alongside local councils, not replace them.
It would not run day-to-day council services such as household bin collections, social care, children’s services and street cleaning.
Timeline
- December 2024: The government published the English Devolution White Paper which set out plans to reform the way local government works in England.
- February 2026: The government asked councils in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent to think about whether they wanted to take part in the next stage of devolution.
- March 2026: All ten councils in the area sent a joint response to government confirming that they are interested in devolution and ready to have a Foundation Strategic Authority (FSA) for our area as soon as possible.
We have not received a response from government about the next steps for devolution. We are pressing them for a decision and will update this timeline as soon as we know more.
