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The county’s eight district and borough councils, which currently 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. Earlier this year six borough and district authorities covering East Staffordshire, Cannock Chase, Stafford, South Staffordshire, Lichfield and Tamworth considered proposals for a new Southern Staffordshire unitary authority. An interim plan was submitted to the Government in March. A public survey on the future of local government in the south of the county was carried out across the six districts and boroughs during the summer. And now three councils – Lichfield District, South Staffordshire District and Tamworth Borough, have united behind a proposal for three unitary authorities, rather than two, to cover Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent. The model includes the previous proposals for a North Staffordshire council covering Newcastle Borough, Staffordshire Moorlands District and the city of Stoke-on Trent. The southern part of the county would be split, with an eastern authority covering East Staffordshire, Lichfield and Tamworth and a western authority covering Cannock Chase, South Staffordshire and Tamworth. South Staffordshire Council’s cabinet is due to consider the proposal at a meeting on Tuesday (November 4). Council leader Kath Perry said: “This proposal is built on what our communities have told us they need; local services that are responsive, accountable, and unique to local community needs. “It’s the right decision for communities in South Staffordshire. By creating councils that are closer to the people they serve, we’re safeguarding the future of public services and ensuring they continue to support growth, wellbeing, and prosperity for years to come.” Councils covering Cannock Chase District, East Staffordshire Borough and Stafford Borough are continuing to put forward the option that would see six districts and boroughs come together as “Southern and Mid-Staffordshire Unitary Council” however. Cannock Chase Council will consider the proposal at a full meeting on Wednesday, November 5, and Stafford Borough Council will hold an extraordinary council meeting on Tuesday, November 11. In a foreword in the proposal document, the three council leaders Mick Fitzpatrick, Aidan Godfrey and Steve Thornley said: “Our proposal has been designed to complement a second strong Unitary Council for the North of Staffordshire, covering Stoke-on-Trent, Newcastle-under-Lyme, and Staffordshire Moorlands. We recognise the challenges facing local government; rising demand, constrained resources, and increasing complexity, and we believe that this proposal demonstrates a clear way forward. “By coming together under a single structure, we can remove duplication, streamline decision-making, and build an organisation that is capable of responding to the evolving needs of our communities with agility and confidence.” Existing authorities are required to submit business cases for proposed new councils to central Government by November 28.
