Agenda item

The Leader introduced a report seeking endorsement and support of Members for actions to enable the submission of a proposal to the Government setting out a model for the invitation area of Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent.

The Leader believed from the outset that the two tier system of County and Borough worked well.  Strong local services were delivered, there was local accountability and financial stability.

Reorganisation was not a priority and pursuing it risked diverting resources from what truly mattered – delivering services to the residents of the Borough and securing real devolution.

The Borough had a proud history, going back over 850 years and in 2023, the passion and pride of its residents and businesses  and past and present Members of the Council was evident. The local governance of the Borough should therefore be protected.

The Save our Borough petition now had over 9,300 signatories which was a testament to local feeling.  If the Government insisted on enforcing change it must be ensured that the Borough remained strong and independent.

The proposal being put forward was for a unitary authority for the whole of the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme, based on its current boundaries  as part of a full unitary model for the County of Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent.

This was the preferred model that came from the investigation of options agreed by the Council last March.  A unitary Borough Council would meet the Governments local government reorganisation criteria.  Newcastle Borough Council was financially strong with balanced budgets, well managed reserves and no long term debt and was therefore ready to take up the challenges of taking on the extra services of a unitary council.

Any merger with Stoke on Trent City Council would harm the residents of Newcastle financially and by hitting service delivery.

There were other proposals – such as Staffordshire County Council’s creation of east and west Staffordshire councils but the investigations showed that the key criteria were not met.  Members of the County Council had all signed a letter to the Prime Minister asking him to stop local government reorganisation.  The Leader asked that Members at Newcastle do the same, as outlined in an email that he had sent to all Members last week.

The Deputy Leader seconded the recommendations stating that he could not understand the point of local government reorganisation.  In a recent survey, only 6% thought that it was a good idea.  Work to develop the submission brought to committee this evening cost nearly £200,000 – money which could have been better spent on local services.  A further £400,000 had been put into this years budget for local government reorganisation.

Councillor Dave Jones stated that the Labour group would be supporting the recommendations outlined in the report.  Councillor Jones stated that his preferred model since 2018 had been for a Newcastle-under-Lyme unitary authority  to allow for more services to be run locally as it was in the best interests of residents.  Becoming a unitary authority would break up the control from upper tier services.  Councillor Jones agreed with the Leader that this Council was in the best place to step up and run the upper tier services and better decisions could be made locally.

Councillor Holland referred to Appendix C, stating that it was confirmation that the Council’s principles were the right ones with 59% of survey respondents backing a unitary authority.  Appendix B demonstrated that Newcastle could succeed as a unitary authority.  The Borough had been opposing the annexation into Stoke on Trent for 95 years and very little had changed.  The arguments of 1930 were the same arguments of today.

Councillor Gorton stated that to date, only five responses had been published which seemed to indicate that there was no consensus  and also showed how difficult it was to unpick the  present two tier system.  Councillor Gorton felt that it would be better for ministers to call a halt to local government reorganisation in Staffordshire and focus on the devolution aspect of last year’s White Paper.

It was very clear from respondents to the survey that many questioned the value and benefit arising from a reorganisation.

Councillor Whieldon stated that local government reorganisation was trying to force a mandate with non-comparable regions with no evidence or reasons why and no thought had been given to cultural compatibility. It would cause serious imbalance in the widely different demographic and cultural development.

Councillor Stubbs stated that the proposal put forward sought to safeguard this Council’s identity and accountability.  It argued for a single unitary authority within Newcastle’s current boundaries – a model that reflected the Council’s community and history.

Councillor Skelding stated that the reorganisation was a ‘hostile takeover bid’.  It would strip away Newcastle’s heritage and would decimate representation and dilute democracy.  There had been no consultation with residents on this.

Councillor Paul Waring stated that the general feeling of residents within his wards was that it would lead to more levels of management and cost.  The savings for local government reorganisation in comparison with the cost were miniscule at 0.4%.

Councillor Adcock stated that the reorganisation was a pull towards centralisation with fewer elected representatives per head of population  and decisions being taken further away from where people were living.

Councillor Hutchison stated that local government reorganisation would significantly change local services such as waste and recycling and street scene.   A Newcastle unitary authority would give a clear picture of who controlled and was responsible for local services. 

Councillor Fear stated that this was not devolution – it was the reverse.   Instead of passing powers down they were being sucked upwards to a fewer distant people.   Although it was stated that reorganisation would save money, it had since emerged that it had not been costed at all. 

In summing up, the Leader thanked everyone for their contributions in agreeing to support the submission  on 28 November, 2025 for a Newcastle unitary authority but this Council did not accept that there was a need for change.  A two tier system did deliver.

Local government reorganisation could mean the loss of Newcastle’s Aldermen and Burgesses.

The Leader stated that the offer was there for a letter to be drafted to the Prime Minister asking for local government reorganisation to be stopped and it could be sent round to all Members for them to add their signature if they wished to do so.

Newcastle’s proposal was strong, practical and represented local identity.

A named vote was called for and taken:

In Favour (Y) –  35

Against (N) - 0

Abstain – 1

Resolved:    (i)       That the work undertaken in the preparation of a final Local

Government Reorganisation submission to UK Government from Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council be noted; and

(ii)             That the case for a single unitary council for Newcastle-under-Lyme within the current Borough boundaries, be endorsed.

Councillor Sweeney raised a point of personal explanation and informed Members that Councillor Bryan’s abstention was due to her holding paid employment with a local authority which may be impacted by the changes.

Watch the debate here