By Kerry Ashdown

Copyright expressandstar

Staffordshire County Council cabinet members remain opposed to local government reorganisation, which the national government set out plans for at the end of 2024.

Across England the current two-tier local government system in many counties is set to be axed, with borough, district and county councils set to be replaced with unitary authorities. Existing authorities are required to submit business cases for proposed new councils by November 28.

Staffordshire County Council is set to put forward proposals for Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire Moorlands, East Staffordshire, Lichfield and Tamworth to merge together to form a new East Staffordshire unitary. Newcastle, Stafford, South Staffordshire and Cannock Chase would merge into West Staffordshire.

This proposal contrasts with the North Staffordshire Council option backed by Staffordshire Moorlands councillors, which would see the district join with Newcastle Borough and the city of Stoke-on Trent, alongside a number of towns and villages currently in Stafford Borough and East Staffordshire, including Stone and Uttoxeter. Meanwhile the county’s other district and borough authorities are working on proposals for a Southern Staffordshire unitary, covering Stafford Borough, East Staffordshire, Cannock Chase, Lichfield and Tamworth.

On Wednesday (September 17) Staffordshire County Council’s cabinet voted to back the development of a business case for east and west unitary authorities. But members said they did not wish to see the county split up – and would continue to press for a united Staffordshire.

Deputy leader Martin Murray told fellow cabinet members eight possible options had been looked at in depth and the work had been “immense”. The reality is local government reorganisation is complicated and there is no perfect option, especially under these rules”, he added.

“We do not ask for devolution, we do not want devolution. Staffordshire does not need devolution, but Westminster are driving forward with these changes regardless, setting out a criteria we have to meet and set out by an unrealistic and frankly unachievable timescale.

“We have less than 12 months – other areas on the fast track have had five to six years. It misses the highest metric and that is local community and culture, it does not put the greatest emphasis on that point.

“In an ideal world, Staffordshire people would not be forced to take on everyone’s debt and Stoke City’s debt is considerable. We’ve been left with two options – do nothing and have the changes imposed upon us or follow the rules and put the best business case options, which give the unitary authorities the best possible chance of success now and into the future.”

Council leader Ian Cooper said: “We’ve done our due diligence on the government’s plans around local government reorganisation and identified an option that meets their criteria. We didn’t ask for this process, we don’t want it, but we are prepared.

“We’ve used the data commission (produced by PWC), made available to all; and put forward the business case asked of us by the government, using their rules and criteria. With the Chancellor facing a £50 billion shortfall and reports of inadequate financial analysis around reorganisation, perhaps it’s time for a government rethink?”

“This is a model based on a business idea – it takes no account of the different areas of the county, its geography, its culture, its regions. I as leader of Staffordshire County Council am in the position where we have to deliver something which nobody wants – we are against this 100%.

“The only reason we are engaging in this is because we have a duty to do so. I will discharge my duties as required, but when I leave that element behind I will campaign for a whole Staffordshire, to keep this county as one.”

Councillor Chris Large, cabinet member for finance and resources, said: “I think this is not only shuffling deckchairs around the Titanic – what we’re doing is gold painting them. It’s not what everybody wants here and it’s not what everybody in Staffordshire wants.

“What you’re seeing is a model that spreads debt across the place. What we need to be focussed on is lowering the debt in Staffordshire individually through all those councils, keeping and maintaining the services to the public.

“We will with prejudice vote for this, because that’s what the current government wants us to do. But after this we should strongly defend our position about a united Staffordshire.”