Frequently asked questions
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 plans to replace the existing councils across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent with two new unitary councils:
- a southern unitary council serving Stafford, East Staffordshire, Cannock Chase, Lichfield, Tamworth and South Staffordshire
- a northern unitary council serving Newcastle-under-Lyme, Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Moorlands
The new councils were expected to replace the existing county, city, 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 change.
What has the government announced now?
On 7 September 2026, the government announced that it is pausing and reviewing Local Government Reorganisation in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent.
This means the two-unitary model announced in July will now be reviewed.
The government has also confirmed that local elections scheduled for May 2027 will go ahead using existing council boundaries, rather than being elections to the proposed new shadow councils.
We are awaiting further information from government about the review and what it means for the future structure and timetable for local government reorganisation in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent.
What does this mean for me right now?
For residents, nothing changes.
You do not need to do anything differently and should continue to access council services in exactly the same way as you do now.
Lichfield District Council remains your district council and will continue to provide its services as normal.
Will my council services change?
There are no immediate changes to the services you receive.
Your household waste and recycling collections, planning services, leisure centres, parks, car parks, housing services, environmental services and customer services will all continue as normal.
Our priority remains delivering high-quality services for residents while we await further information from government.
What happens next?
The government will review the Local Government Reorganisation plans for Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent.
We are waiting for further details about how the review will work, how long it will take and what it will mean for the proposals previously announced.
What we do know is that local elections in May 2027 will go ahead on existing council boundaries.
The previous timetable, which anticipated shadow council elections in May 2027 and new unitary councils taking over in April 2028, will therefore change.
We will update residents as soon as the government provides further information.
Are the two new unitary councils still going ahead?
The government announced plans in July 2026 for two new unitary councils covering Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent.
Those plans are now being reviewed, so we are waiting for government to confirm what happens next.
Until that review is complete and further information is provided, the existing councils will continue to operate as normal.
Are the May 2027 elections still happening?
Yes.
The government has confirmed that local elections in May 2027 will go ahead on existing council boundaries.
This replaces the previous expectation that elections would be held in May 2027 to establish shadow councils for the proposed new unitary authorities.
Is Lichfield District Council still being abolished?
The government had previously announced that Lichfield District Council and the other existing county, city, borough and district councils across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent would be replaced by new unitary councils.
Those plans are now being reviewed.
For now, Lichfield District Council continues to operate as normal, and there are no immediate changes to the council or the services we provide.
We will provide further information when the government confirms the outcome of its review.
Why is local government reform and devolution being proposed?
The government's long-term vision has been to create simpler local government structures, making it clearer for residents which council is responsible for local services and enabling more strategic decisions about areas such as economic growth and public services.
The government has also sought to devolve more powers and funding from national government to local areas.
The latest announcement means that the Local Government Reorganisation plans for Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent are now being reviewed.
What is devolution?
Devolution is the transfer of powers and funding from national to local government. It is intended to enable more decisions to be made locally and closer to the communities and businesses they affect.
Devolution and Local Government Reorganisation are related but separate processes.
What is Local Government Reorganisation?
Local Government Reorganisation, often shortened to LGR, is the process of changing the structure of local councils.
The government's proposals have involved replacing areas with both county and district or borough councils with unitary councils, where one council is responsible for delivering local government services in its area.
The government is now reviewing the Local Government Reorganisation plans for Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent.
What is a unitary council?
A unitary council is a single council responsible for providing local government services in its area.
Staffordshire currently has a two-tier system in most areas, where responsibilities are divided between Staffordshire County Council and district or borough councils such as Lichfield District Council.
Under a unitary system, those responsibilities would be brought together within a single council.
Are parish and town councils affected?
Parish and town councils are separate from the county, district and borough council structure.
The previously announced Local Government Reorganisation proposals did not include abolishing parish or town councils.
We will update residents if the government's review results in any information relevant to parish and town councils.
Will the review affect council staff?
There are no immediate changes as a result of the announcement.
Lichfield District Council and our services continue to operate as normal while we await further information from government about the review.
Will the review affect council tax?
There are no immediate changes to council tax as a result of the announcement.
The existing councils remain in place and residents should continue to pay their council tax in the normal way.
What was Lichfield District Council's preferred proposal?
Together with Tamworth Borough Council and South Staffordshire Council, we proposed creating three unitary councils across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent.
Our proposal was:
- South-East Staffordshire - Lichfield District, Tamworth and East Staffordshire
- South-West Staffordshire - Cannock Chase, Stafford and South Staffordshire
- Northern Staffordshire - Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire Moorlands and Stoke-on-Trent
Each would have served around 300,000 to 400,000 residents.
Our guiding principles were:
- Residents first – one local council delivering all services, keeping support close to home and reducing bureaucracy
- Local democracy matters – councils built around shared identities so decisions stay connected to communities
- Strong economic foundations – aligning areas with real economic, transport and business links
- Better public services – simplifying structures, removing duplication and improving value for money
This model was shaped by feedback from more than 16,700 residents and businesses.
The government did not select this proposal when it announced its preferred two-unitary model in July 2026.
The government has now announced a review of Local Government Reorganisation in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent. We do not yet know what the review will mean for the previous proposals or whether alternative options will be considered.
Where can I find the latest information?
We will keep this page updated as more information becomes available from government.
You can also:
- View our proposal which is not being taken forward.
- Read our statement