The government has decided that two new councils will cover Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent in the future.
The government decision will see:
- A new unitary council covering the north of Staffordshire including Newcastle-under-Lyme, Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Moorlands. This is 494,803 people.
- A new unitary council covering the south of Staffordshire including Stafford, East Staffordshire, Cannock Chase, Lichfield, Tamworth and South Staffordshire. This is 682,775 people.
The new unitary councils will make use of the existing district, borough and city council boundaries.
This decision follows the submission of five proposals by councils in November 2025, followed by a public consultation which ran from 5 February to 26 March.
Under the government’s timetable, the new councils are expected to be established in April 2028, with elections to shadow councils held in May 2027.
The two new unitary councils will replace Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent’s ten existing county, city, district and borough councils. There will be no immediate changes to council services, and day-to-day services such as household waste collection, street cleaning, parks and highways maintenance, children’s services and adult social care will continue to be provided as normal.
Councillor Martin Murray, Chair of 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.”
Councillor Jane Ashworth, Vice Chair of 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 will now work together to develop detailed plans, including arrangements for how services will move to the new councils and how council decisions will be made.
More information about local government reorganisation can be found on the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent LGR Hub.
