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.”
