Local Government Reorganisation (LGR)
What does local government reorganisation mean for Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent?
In July 2026, the government confirmed its decision on local government reorganisation in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent.
This means that, in the future, two new councils will be created to deliver local services across the area.
What will change?
In the future, there will be two new unitary councils covering:
North Staffordshire
- Newcastle-under-Lyme
- Stoke-on-Trent
- Staffordshire Moorlands
Population: 494,803
South Staffordshire
- Stafford
- East Staffordshire
- Cannock Chase
- Lichfield
- Tamworth
- South Staffordshire
Population: 682,775
The new unitary councils will make use of the existing district, borough and city council boundaries.
These new councils will be responsible for delivering all council services including:
- Waste collections
- Children's services
- Planning
- Adult social care
- Highways
- And more
They will replace Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent's ten existing county, city, district and borough councils.
When will this happen?
Under the government's timetable:
- May 2027: Elections to shadow councils
- April 2028: New councils established
See the Timeline of Activity page for more details.
What this means for you
There will be no immediate changes to council services, and all councils will continue to provide services as normal.
You should continue to use services in the same way as you do now and contact the same council teams for help and support.
Working together
Councils across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent are working together on what comes next. We will prioritise:
- Supporting residents and communities
- Protecting essential local services
- Making sure the changes happen as smoothly as possible
What happens next?
Councils across the area will now work together to understand the full details of the government's decision and plan the next steps to make sure that the changes work well for residents.
Keeping you updated
This is a big change, and we know you will have questions.
We will share updates as soon as we have more information and provide clear guidance before any changes happen
