'Plan does not seem to be really good fit'

COUNTY COUNIL BID TO MERGE COUNTY WITH AN EAST-WEST DIVIDE - IN RESPONSE TO GOVERNMENT'S PLANS FOR BIGGEST SHAKE-UP OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT SINCE THE 1970S - HAS COME UNDER FIRE

- By PHIL CORRIGAN Local Democracy Reporter

COUNCILLORS have criticised plans to merge Stoke-on-Trent with Burton, Lichfield and Tamworth because they belived the areas have little in common.

Staffordshire County Council has proposed dividing the county into eastern and western authorities, in response to the government’s plans for the biggest shakeup of councils since the 1970s.

The proposalwhich the Burton Mail revealed on Friday - would see Stoke-on-Trent join with the Staffordshire Moorlands, East Staffordshire, Lichfield and Tamworth to form a new East Staffordshire unitary authority.

Meanwhile, Newcastle borough would merge with Stafford, Cannock Chase and South Staffordshire in a separate West Staffordshire council.

County council leaders say this model would meet the government’s requirements and result in two authorities with the best chance of succeeding.

But Labour and Conservative elected members on Stoke-on-Trent City Council believe an east-west division makes little geographical or administrative sense, with Tamworth being 40 miles away from the Potteries.