Time running out to have your say to help shape future of local government in Staffordshire

There is still time to have your say to help shape the future of local government in Southern and Mid Staffordshire.

A survey was launched late last month (July) by six councils covering the Cannock Chase,
East Staffordshire, Lichfield, South Staffordshire, Stafford Borough and Tamworth council
areas asking residents, businesses and organisations for their views.

Nearly 13,000 people have already shared their views and you have until Monday (1
September) to take part go here.

Leaders from the six councils have been working together as part of plans for Local
Government Reorganisation (LGR). LGR is taking place across the country and will see
unitary councils created that will cover everything from household waste collections and
fixing roads, to street cleaning and looking after elderly and vulnerable people. It will mean
all six councils being abolished in 2028.

As well as the online survey, paper copies are available in many libraries as well as at
council offices. Council staff have attended community events, and engagement sessions
have been run to urge people to fill in the questionnaire.

With less than two weeks to go until the survey closes the six councils are calling on people
to make their views heard before it is too late. There will also be more opportunities for
people to share their feedback over the coming days with further engagement sessions

going on - which residents can find out about from their council’s website and social media
channels.

The Government set out plans late last year which will see all councils in shire areas
including Staffordshire replaced with fewer councils, known as ‘unitaries’, which are then
responsible for all services in their area - with the Government indicating that these should
be established using existing district boundaries.  

The six councils have worked together for many years on various projects, or sharing
functions, to help deliver more efficient services for residents and businesses - and they
submitted an interim proposal to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local
Government (MHCLG) in March.  In that proposal to MHCLG the councils said that using
existing local authority boundaries would result in a smoother, and more cost-effective
process of reorganisation. 

A full business case must be submitted to the Government for consideration in November. 

More information on Local Government Reorganisation can be found on the websites of all
six councils.

Other councils across Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent are also expected to put
forward proposals for new authorities.