Devolution Q & A as SMDC Cabinet Decision Imminent

Submitted by Lori Wood Williams

Cheadle Tow Councillor

Chair of BTEC committee

SMDC Devolution Debate

The Backstory...

You might remember that we've been discussing a process called Devolution at COGNEWS for several months. This means that Staffordshire Moorlands District Council and Staffordshire County Council are expected to cease to exist by 2028. A decision from the central government regarding their plans for our county will be announced starting on the 28th of November this year. They have made it clear that all remaining district, borough, county, and small unitary councils will be dissolved by April 2028 and replaced by unitary councils serving approximately 500,000 people, with responsibilities for all services.

All boroughs and districts, along with the county and city councils in Staffordshire, were invited to present their preferences to the central government regarding their preferred local government option for the future. Unlike many other regions, there was no consensus in the Moorlands, which reduces the time available for the transition. This situation generates significant uncertainty for all staff, disrupts the balance of town and parish councils, and implies that the individuals we elected to manage matters on our behalf are likely to change.

What's really happening, and how will it impact me?

In reality, it can impact every aspect of our lives. Who determines if the bins are emptied? Are we fixing the potholes in Cheadle? What events are we organising? What grants are we securing? What are we constructing, and what are we selling? - Whatever it is, it could all potentially change.

In South Moorlands, you could be forgiven for thinking that one remote council is much the same as another, and that might be true. However, what is also true is that you currently know your town, district, and county councillors; they live locally, work locally, and most will take your call. Whether that will be true for the new administration is too early to tell, and if it isn't, it will be too late to change.

It's not all bad news. We have a real opportunity to locally manage and operate our own assets and services in much the same way as we used to do until 1975, when all assets were transferred to the newly established SMDC. Did they perform well? That's something we decide at the polls, and considering the seismic shift towards a new party, it appears the electorate (you and I) is leaning towards a firm no.

There are many good people at our councils, including both staff and councillors who are committed to making this imposed change successful.  However, for this to happen, South Moorlands must have an audible cohesive voice. Along with a group of colleagues, I have been advocating at the town level for us to explore the local management of potential assets, similar to how we operated before 1975. This is not without risk; if we get it wrong and take on things which we can't do, services will suffer and there will be costs to meet, so careful consideration and good quality decisions must be made even at Town Council level.

Another consideration is that is Stoke operates with one recycling centre, about two leisure centres, fewer libraries, and town/parish councils. If the new authority adopts this model, we might lose our three recycling centres, three leisure centres, and many other amenities.  This is necessary to balance the budget, as Staffordshire Moorlands and Newcastle-under-Lyme are financially stable, whereas Stoke-on-Trent is not, or wasn't, without recent government bailouts. Stoke's situation is not unique, as government cuts have led to challenging decisions. This is important because a merged authority will face tough choices.

It would be difficult to justify the inability to afford emptying city centre bins while maintaining an unprofitable and inaccessible leisure centre. This is a hypothetical scenario rather than an actual decision, but these are precisely the kinds of choices the new authority will need to make.

Why Does This Matter to Me Now?

This is because SMDC, despite intense debate in mid-March, did not reach a consensus on preferred governance. Instead, they assigned the task to a working group, which appointed a consultant who has only recently provided a recommendation. Although this is technically past the deadline set by the Secretary of State, it will likely serve as the foundation for future decision-making. This is significant because it will definitely shape how they operate in the interim as they prepare for the handover, impacting our assets and services.

What recommendations did the consultant make, and what actions should be taken next?

The Moorlands’ proposal would see Staffordshire Moorlands District, Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough, Stoke-on-Trent City, Stone, Uttoxeter, and some villages around Stone and Uttoxeter become part of a new North Staffordshire Council serving a population of around 536,000.

When the Cabinet Members of Staffordshire Moorlands District Council convene on 8 July, they will be advised to choose an expanded North Staffordshire Council as their preferred option for local government.

The population figure is important as it satisfies the central government's requirement of at least 500,000, a standard that some other councils' proposals failed to meet. It would also create a balanced approach alongside the option from other Staffordshire councils for a Southern and Mid Staffordshire Council serving 598,000.

The Government is looking for proposals to ensure that new unitary councils are complementary, emphasising the importance of `sensible geographic and economic areas, financial sustainability, and a sense of place and community`.

Writer's POV: Personally I think, this gives us the potential for a successful marriage; whilst our new partners are not perfect, neither are we. There are aspects in all the partners which are spectacularly good and some which are not so good. Included in the dowry are: 2 universities, 1 teaching hospital, a world-class theme park, a national park, 22 cinemas and theatres, a city centre, and 2 wildlife parks. This partnership, much like a marriage has the opportunity to become stronger, better and more successful through this union.

You could consider devolution like this: Once established you don't get choose which supermarket to visit, but you do have a say in who manages it and what products they offer.

If you're dissatisfied with the management you have the opportunity to change it every four years.

Unfortunately, once the supermarket has been constructed, altering it becomes quite difficult.

Therefore, we must carefully consider which supermarket we prefer now, as we currently have options and need to determine what is important to us.

What are the leaders at SMDC saying?

Leader of the Council, Councillor Mike Gledhill, says: “We set up a politically balanced Devolution and Local Government Reorganisation Sub Committee at Staffordshire Moorlands in March to consider a range of options.

“We were keen to research all options possible within the criteria set by the Government, in its English Devolution White Paper published last December, especially as this is the biggest change in local government for 50 years. We hope to achieve an outcome that can last for another 50 years.

“We know that economic prosperity, representation and identity are all important to our residents and so it is our responsibility to make sure Staffordshire Moorlands’ interests are well served in the changes that will come.

“We have been considering four options for change. They include Staffordshire County Council’s preference for a Staffordshire wide unitary absorbing all the current district and borough councils, with a population of 876,000 and Stoke-on-Trent staying as it is and serving 258,000 people, and Stoke-on-Trent City Council’s own North Staffordshire Council proposal which covered a smaller area and population than our proposal.

“Our view is that Option D, as we are calling it in the Cabinet papers to be discussed on 8 July at a Cabinet meeting, is the most compelling case for change and future prosperity.

“We asked Mutual Ventures, an independent company that aims to make public services better, to appraise all four options that we have identified. We have also looked at the finances of neighbouring councils and the potential for growth including the key A50/A500 corridor that is vital to the North Staffordshire economy.

“We have looked at how to achieve a broadly equal number of councillors and fair representation for all residents, in the city, towns and villages in a new North Staffordshire Council.

“Cabinet will consider in detail all the data and information gathered when it meets. It will consider if Option D should indeed be our preferred option. Then on 9 July, at a special Council Assembly, all Staffordshire Moorlands councillors will have the chance to consider recommendations, after when we hope to have a clear steer on the next steps we should take as a Council in progressing local government reorganisation.

“What will not change is the identity of the Staffordshire Moorlands, the legacy of this Council and achievements it has made, nor the towns and villages that make up this special part of the county. They will continue but would in future be served by a new unitary council. Town and parish councils will continue to operate as they do now.

“A North Staffordshire unitary council, balanced with a Southern and Mid Staffordshire unitary council offers a great future for Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent. We are recommending an imaginative and ambitious proposal that meets the Government’s criteria, whilst putting the interests of the Staffordshire Moorlands first - in terms of quality of service, finance and representation.”

The Government has asked for final proposals to be submitted by 28 November. Staffordshire Moorlands District Council will be discussing devolution and reorganisation with other councils and its stakeholders before that deadline. The Government will hold a consultation with the public between January and April 2026. It will make its final decision next summer, with new unitary councils to replace the existing councils from April 2028.

Devolution Q & A as SMDC Cabinet Decision Imminent - Created 1.7.25