Staffordshire County Council’s Leader has given his reaction to the government’s decision that two new councils will cover Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent in the future.
Martin Murray, Leader of Staffordshire County Council, 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.”
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.
