SIX councils are debating plans which could see them join forces to create a new unitary authority covering south Staffordshire.
The county’s eight district and borough councils provide services such as bin collections, emergency housing, planning and leisure facilities, are all facing the axe as part of national Government plans to reorganise the local authority system.
Staffordshire County Council and Stoke-on-Trent City Council have already agreed draft proposals for potential future unitary authorities ahead of a deadline tomorrow (21st March).
And this week meetings have been taking place across the south of the county to consider a third proposal, which would see East Staffordshire, Cannock Chase, Stafford, South Staffordshire, Lichfield and Tamworth joining a new southern Staffordshire unitary authority.
The alternative outline plans will now be considered by the Government before more detailed proposals for local government reorganisation are submitted later this year – but the earliest that changes are expected to be fully implemented is 2028.
Lichfield District Council backed the southern Staffordshire plan at a meeting earlier this week.
Leader Cllr Doug Pullen said:
“Before going into any detail of the proposal, we agreed the principles to ensure any proposal has residents at the heart of it, remained close to communities, has strong economic foundations and will exist to provide better public services.
“Amongst all councillors, it was agreed that a Southern Staffordshire Unitary would best achieve our guiding principles as well as meeting the Government’s criteria for a unitary authority.”
New town councils covering Stafford and Cannock could also be created as part of the changes, and both areas are now set to commission reports to consider the process, including what costs would be involved.
Cannock Chase Council members have also backed the draft proposals, although the Green group leader Cllr Andrea Muckley abstained from the vote after raising concerns about future management of social housing stock and how effectively residents would be represented by an authority covering a larger area.
Meanwhile, Stafford Borough Council rejected a proposed amendment by Conservative opposition leader Cllr Jeremy Pert to add all eight current Staffordshire districts and boroughs in a new unitary.
Staffordshire County Council agreed an alternative draft proposal involving the creation of a single authority to replace the county and eight district and borough councils at a meeting last week.
So gross