Ministers have withdrawn July's two-council plan for Staffordshire. New councils now could not take over before April 2029; Lichfield calls it shambolic.

The government has withdrawn its July decision to replace Staffordshire’s councils with two new unitary authorities, and Lichfield District Council’s leader has called the process that led here “shambolic”.

The withdrawal is set out in a letter to council leaders from Jim McMahon, Minister for Local Government, Devolution and Regional Growth, dated 29 October. Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent is one of nine areas whose July decisions were withdrawn on the same day. The letter says “further time is required to consider the outcome” in those areas, and that “all options and proposals in your area will remain under consideration as part of the review”.

That means the abolition of Lichfield District Council is neither confirmed nor cancelled. Under the July decision the district was to be folded into a new South and Mid Staffordshire council, as we reported in September when ministers first told councils to stop work on it.

What the council says

In a statement issued on Thursday, the council welcomed the withdrawal. Councillor Doug Pullen, Leader of Lichfield District Council, said:

“We did not ask for local government reorganisation, and we have never supported the case for imposing it on Staffordshire. However, we have always been prepared to work constructively with the Government to secure the best outcome for our residents.

“Instead, we have seen a process that has become shambolic. Councils have been told to prepare for change, then to pause, and now the decision itself has been withdrawn. This continued uncertainty makes it incredibly difficult to plan for future services, budgets and staffing.

“We welcome the withdrawal of the two-unitary decision, which we have consistently opposed. If reorganisation is to proceed, we firmly believe the three-unitary proposal offers a better balance between effective services and keeping councils connected to their communities.

“We remain willing to work with ministers, but they must now provide clarity and a credible way forward. Our residents deserve better than continued uncertainty.”

The new timetable

The minister’s letter puts dates on what happens next for the areas still under review:

  • Christmas 2026: outcomes for “another set of areas”, with no promise of which ones.
  • Early 2027: “every area will have an outcome announced”.
  • May 2027: elections “go ahead to existing councils”, the position first set out in September.
  • May 2028: elections to the new councils, if reorganisation goes ahead.
  • 1 April 2029: vesting day, when any new councils would take over.

Under the July decision, new councils were to take over in April 2028. The earliest date is now a year later.

The letter also covers money already spent. Where new unitary councils had been announced, the government will pay half of its £900,000 transition support for each new council in the original announcement, and says this is “guaranteed and will be paid in the coming weeks” whatever the review decides. Staffordshire’s July decision named two new councils.

What it means for you

Your services do not change. The council says there are “no immediate changes to council services, which will continue to operate as normal”. Bin rounds, council tax and planning carry on as before: our Lichfield bin collection days and council tax bands pages are unaffected.

May 2027 is a district election. You will vote for Lichfield District Council councillors on the existing boundaries, not for a shadow authority covering south Staffordshire.

Expect another wait. Staffordshire may or may not be in the batch promised by Christmas. The firm commitment is an outcome for every area by early 2027.

Check the date on anything you read. Leaflets and web pages written before September still give April 2028 as the date the district council ends. That date no longer applies.

Sources