The government has confirmed that two new unitary councils will cover Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent in the future, replacing the current ten county, city, district and borough councils.
The new councils will use existing district, borough and city council boundaries. The reorganisation follows five proposals submitted by councils in November 2025 and a public consultation that ran from 5 February to 26 March.
Timeline for change
Under 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.
There will be no immediate changes to council services. Day-to-day services such as household waste collection, street cleaning, parks and highways maintenance, children's services and adult social care will continue as normal during the transition.
Council response
Councillor Martin Murray, Chair of Staffordshire Leaders Board, said councils across the area have expressed different views during the process 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.