The government has confirmed that Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent will be restructured into two new unitary councils. The decision follows five proposals submitted by councils in November 2025 and a public consultation that ran from 5 February to 26 March.
The two new unitary councils will replace the current ten county, city, district and borough councils across the area. They will use the existing district, borough and city council boundaries.
Timeline for Change
According to the government's timetable, the new councils are expected to be established in April 2028. Elections to shadow councils will be held in May 2027.
No Immediate Service Disruption
There will be no immediate changes to council services during the transition. Day-to-day services including household waste collection, street cleaning, parks and highways maintenance, children's services and adult social care will continue to be provided as normal.
Council Response
Councillor Martin Murray, Chair of Staffordshire Leaders Board, said councils across the area have expressed different views but are now focused on making the reorganisation work. "We already have strong and well-established partnerships, and all councils are united in our commitment to a smooth transition with no disruption to the services residents rely on," he said.
Councils will now work together to develop detailed plans, including arrangements for how services will transfer to the new councils and how council decisions will be made.
More information about local government reorganisation is available on the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent LGR Hub.