With just one week remaining, residents, businesses and community organisations are being urged to take part in the Government’s consultation on the future of local government in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent.
The consultation, part of a national programme of local government reorganisation, is asking for views on five different proposals that would replace the current county, district, borough and city councils with new unitary councils.
These changes would shape how local services are delivered for decades to come, from waste collection and planning to social care, roads and community services.
We have submitted a proposal to Government, setting out a strong, locally focused vision for the future of council services.
It is built around key principles:
- Keeping decision-making as local as possible
- Creating balanced councils that reflect real communities
- Protecting local identity and civic pride
- Ensuring services are efficient, sustainable and accessible
Unlike larger, more wide-ranging models, we believe this approach would avoid creating councils that are too remote from the communities they serve, helping to protect local voice, responsiveness and trust.
The proposal has been shaped by extensive local insight and engagement, including strong feedback from residents who consistently favour councils that remain close to their communities.
With multiple proposals under consideration, we are encouraging people to take a few minutes to review the options and make sure their views are heard.
Councillor Doug Pullen, Leader of Lichfield District Council, said:
“This is the final opportunity to shape how local services are delivered in the future, and it’s really important that people across Lichfield District take part.
“There are a number of different proposals being considered, each with different implications for our communities.
“Our proposal is clear, we believe local government should remain close to the people it serves, with councils that reflect local identity and are the right size to deliver effectively.
“I would strongly encourage residents, businesses and community organisations to take a few minutes to respond before the consultation closes.”
The consultation closes at midnight on Thursday 26 March 2026. Existing councils will continue to deliver services as normal in the meantime, with any changes not expected to come into effect before April 2028.
Residents can read all proposals and submit their views online.
Find out more and respond here: www.staffordshirestokeLGR.org.uk