The petition of residents of the constituency of Staffordshire Moorlands,
Declares that the Government has consulted on a proposal to create a new unitary council across north Staffordshire, encompassing Staffordshire Moorlands, Stoke-on-Trent and Newcastle-under-Lyme; further declares that this is despite continued fears of bankruptcy in Stoke-on-Trent, with the Government having to intervene in February 2024 with a £42.2 million bailout package; and further declares that a merger could leave Moorlands residents on the hook for future costs, and that it would place the unique identity and heritage of Moorlands towns and villages at risk.
The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Government not to proceed with any plan to include Staffordshire Moorlands in a new combined or unitary authority or regional devolution deal without the clear consent of local people in Staffordshire Moorlands.
And the petitioners remain, etc.—[Presented by Dame Karen Bradley, Official Report, 07 July 2026; Vol. 789, c. 280.]
[P003215]
Observations from the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government (Jim McMahon): On 7 September 2026, the Secretary of State announced a pause to the local government reorganisation programme. This will allow the Government to consider the programme afresh as part of its wider work to reform the state and devolve power to local communities, while ensuring that future decisions support effective and sustainable local government and commands broad support wherever possible.
As part of this announcement, local government reorganisation activity in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent, together with a number of other areas across England, has been paused while the Government consider the next steps for the programme. Elections scheduled for May 2027 will go ahead on existing council boundaries.
The Government recognise the significant amount of work that councils, stakeholders and local communities have already invested in taking forward local government reorganisation proposals. The Department will continue to engage with councils and local partners as it considers the future of the programme and will share the outcome of those considerations at the earliest opportunity.