Latest update – 7 September 2026
The government has announced that it is pausing and reviewing Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) in a number of areas, including Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent.
This means the plans announced by government in July to replace the existing councils across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent with two new unitary councils will now be reviewed.
The government has also confirmed that local elections in May 2027 will go ahead on existing council boundaries.
For residents, nothing changes at this stage. Lichfield District Council will continue to provide services as normal and you do not need to take any action.
We will update this page as soon as we know more about what the review means for Lichfield District and what happens next.
What had previously been announced?
In July 2026, the government announced that local government across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent would move to two new unitary councils. Under those plans:
- a new southern unitary council would serve Stafford, East Staffordshire, Cannock Chase, Lichfield, Tamworth and South Staffordshire
- a new northern unitary council would serve Newcastle-under-Lyme, Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Moorlands
The new councils were expected to replace the existing county, borough and district councils in April 2028, following elections to shadow councils in May 2027.
These plans are now subject to the government's review and the previously proposed timetable will now change.
What does this mean for residents?
There are no immediate changes to council services - waste and recycling collections, planning, housing, leisure, parks, customer services and other services provided by Lichfield District Council will continue as normal.
We will continue to keep residents updated as the government provides more information about its review and the next steps for local government in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent.
