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# Burntwood councillor warns new unitary authority plans could do more harm than good
- URL: https://lichfieldlive.co.uk/burntwood-councillor-warns-new-unitary-authority-plans-could-do-more-harm-than-good/
- Published: 2025-09-13T06:03:00.000Z
- Updated: 2025-09-10T09:13:54.000Z
- Description: A Burntwood councillor says the latest proposals for local government reorganisation “could do more harm than good”.
- Author: Lichfield Live
- Tags: Burntwood, Politics, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-07-22 18:45, News

A BURNTWOOD councillor says the latest proposals for local government reorganisation “could do more harm than good”.

The Government is seeking to axe two-tier authority areas in favour of unitary bodies.

It would mean services currently provided by Lichfield District Council and Staffordshire County Council run by a single council instead.

A range of proposals have been discussed, including a county-wide unitary authority or several smaller ones.

Staffordshire County Council’s Reform UK administration is now set to discuss plans for an East-West split which would see Lichfield and Burntwood in with the likes of Stoke-on-Trent, Tamworth, East Staffordshire and Staffordshire Moorlands.

It comes despite the deputy leader of Staffordshire County Council admitting the financial challenges of dealing with Stoke-on-Trent would be a “burden” on taxpayers in a new unitary authority.

Now the leader of Burntwood Town Council has warned that the Reform UK proposals are “ill-conceived”.

Labour’s Cllr Darren Ennis, who also sits on Lichfield District Council, said:

> “If Burntwood thinks it gets less being run from Lichfield, will it be improved run from Stoke?  
>  
> “Reform’s idea of creating a super-unitary council for over 690,000 residents and merging Lichfield with Stoke-on-Trent raises serious concerns.  
>  
> “Such a large council risks disconnecting local decisions from the communities they serve, making it harder for residents to have a real say on their local services.  
>  
> “This plan seems ill-conceived and could do more harm than good for local democracy.  
>  
> “We need to question whether this is the right approach and insist on a system that keeps community voices at its heart.”

Cllr Martin Murray, deputy leader of Staffordshire County Council, said:

> “In an ideal world, we would avoid the burden of Stoke-on-Trent City Council’s financial distress on people across the wider county, but the Government are likely to dismiss any option that does not help to solve these long-running financial problems or meet their wider criteria for change.   
>  
> “We will follow the rules of the game set by Government so that they are compelled to consider the option we put forward.   
>  
> “We want the best for our residents and businesses – this isn’t about politics, it’s about giving Staffordshire the best chance of success in the circumstances.   
>  
> “Of the options that meet the Government’s criteria, analysis is showing that an East-West option gives the best chance of success for both new councils.  
>  
> “A council’s success means better services and better value for residents and businesses.”