Councillors in Staffordshire have been given further details on the merging of local authorities in the county, which will see two distinct organisations from 2028.
The Government has confirmed plans to replace Staffordshire's current county, district and borough councils with two new unitary authorities, one covering the north of the county and one covering the south.
What's changing and when?
Gnosall falls within Stafford Borough, which means residents here will be served by the new southern Staffordshire council. That authority will also cover Lichfield District, East Staffordshire Borough, Cannock Chase District and South Staffordshire District, serving a combined population of more than 680,000 people.
The northern council will cover Stoke-on-Trent, Newcastle Borough and Staffordshire Moorlands, serving more than 490,000 people.
Key dates to know
- May 2027 - Elections to the new authorities take place. They will initially operate as "shadow councils", developing budgets, staffing structures and key policies.
- 1st April 2028 - "Vesting day", when the new councils formally take over. All existing councils continue operating in full until then.
What are councillors saying?
Members of Staffordshire County Council's corporate overview and scrutiny committee were updated on progress at a recent meeting. While councillors agreed that engaging with the process was essential, several raised concerns about the tight timescale and the pressure it places on council staff across the county.
Residents were reassured that day-to-day services will continue as normal throughout the transition. A formal legal framework, known as a Structural Change Order, will set out how the reorganisation will be governed.
