Agenda item

(A)           That the recent developments by HM Government in respect of Local Government Reorganisation and English Devolution be noted.

(B)           That the work undertaken to date with stakeholders to prepare the final submission document be noted.

(C)           That it be recommended to Full Council that a unitary council for Newcastle-under-Lyme was the preferred option for submission.

On Devolution:

(D)           That Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council co-developing a submission to Government setting out a devolution growth framework for Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent, be supported.

(E)           That the submission document’s focus on devolution, and Staffordshire’s ability to deliver against devolution themes without recourse to completing Local Government Reorganisation, be endorsed.

(F)            That the proposed Strategic Authority geography at a suitable regional footprint to give the Strategic Authority parity of esteem with other regions, be supported.

On forced reorganisation of local government:

(G)           That it be noted that this Council remains of the belief that the current two tiers of local government in Staffordshire should remain in place as the best governance model for the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme.

(H)           That this Council believes that any new authority must have the highest possible standards of service to residents and any changes to the current governance model in the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme must maintain or exceed the current level of local service provision.           

(I)              That the Government be requested to fully fund their selective forced reorganisation of local authorities in England. Funding of local services should not have to be cut nor council tax increased to pay for reorganisation.   

(J)             That Newcastle-under-Lyme’s Members of Parliament be requested to provide active support for these proposals and advocate them to HM Government.

Final Proposal

(K)           That the Leader, in conjunction with the Chief Executive, be authorised to make any required updates to Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council’s final Submission to Government following the Full Council meeting on 19^th November before submission to the Minister by 28^th November 2025.

(L)            That it be noted that further reports will be brought to Cabinet and Council at the appropriate time.  

The Leader presented the report on the work undertaken by the Council in developing options for a final submission to the Government in the context of the forced local government reorganisation. The proposal followed the release of the English Devolution White Paper in December 2024 and outlined a model of devolution growth framework for Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent.

The Portfolio Holder for Strategic Planning deplored the fact that money was being spent on a reorganisation that was imposed instead of frontline services. Contrary to what the term devolution would suggest powers were taken away from local authorities to higher based ones. Residents of the borough seemed to be opposed to the area being merged with another one and it would be helpful if the local MP could convey this position to the House of Commons.

The Leader supported the statement, adding that the Council had put a paper forward in March ahead of full Council recommending that a borough based unitary authority would be the way forward. Other proposals had since then been investigated and it came out that this original position still stood out as the most appropriate.

The Deputy Leader was also of the opinion that the Council’s resources could be used in better ways than engaging into the reorganisation scheme which he was strongly against.

Resolved:     (A) That the recent developments by HM Government in respect of Local Government Reorganisation and English Devolution be noted.

(B) That the work undertaken to date with stakeholders to prepare the final submission document be noted.

(C) That it be recommended to Full Council that a unitary council for Newcastle-under-Lyme was the preferred option for submission.

On Devolution:

(D) That Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council co-developing a submission to Government setting out a devolution growth framework for Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent, be supported.

(E) That the submission document’s focus on devolution, and Staffordshire’s ability to deliver against devolution themes without recourse to completing Local Government Reorganisation, be endorsed.

(F) That the proposed Strategic Authority geography at a suitable regional footprint to give the Strategic Authority parity of esteem with other regions, be supported.

On forced reorganisation of local government:

(G) That it be noted that this Council remains of the belief that the current two tiers of local government in Staffordshire should remain in place as the best governance model for the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme.

(H) That this Council believes that any new authority must have the highest possible standards of service to residents and any changes to the current governance model in the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme must maintain or exceed the current level of local service provision.           

(I) That the Government be requested to fully fund their selective forced reorganisation of local authorities in England. Funding of local services should not have to be cut nor council tax increased to pay for reorganisation.   

(J) That Newcastle-under-Lyme’s Members of Parliament be requested to provide active support for these proposals and advocate them to HM Government.

Final Proposal

(K) That the Leader, in conjunction with the Chief Executive, be authorised to make any required updates to Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council’s final Submission to Government following the Full Council meeting on 19^th November before submission to the Minister by 28^th November 2025.

(L) That it be noted that further reports will be brought to Cabinet and Council at the appropriate time.  

Watch the debate here