Villagers on 'battle front' of councils shake-up in call for more information

COMMUNITY leaders in a village that could be split from its current borough as part of the creation of new local authorities has urged councils to come forward with more information on the benefits of their proposals.

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Yarnfield, currently part of Stafford Borough, could become part of a new North Staffordshire council covering the Staffordshire Moorlands, Newcastle Borough and Stoke-on-Trent under proposals backed by Staffordshire Moorlands District Council.

But Stafford Borough Council, which is involved in proposals for a Southern Staffordshire council alongside Cannock Chase, East Staffordshire, Lichfield, South Staffordshire and Tamworth, opposes the borough being split between northern and southern unitary authorities. The North Staffordshire council plans could also include Stone, Barlaston, Fulford, Swynnerton and Oulton.

The Government plans to replace the two-tier council system in counties such as Staffordshire with unitary authorities and has called for detailed proposals for new local government systems to be submitted by November 28.

Stafford Borough's public survey on the future of local goverment in Staffordshire closed last week.

On Monday, members of Yarnfield and Cold Meece Parish Council considered their response.