Rayner: 'The shake-up of councils is difficult - but services will be better'

DEPUTY Prime Minister Angela Rayner insists a 'difficult' local government overhaul will mean better services in Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire.

- By Phil Corrigan

The Government is carrying out the biggest reorganisation of councils since the 1970s, which will see most or all of the existing authorities in Staffordshire merged or replaced.

Staffordshire Leaders Board has submitted its interim proposals for reorganisation, including one option that would see Stoke-on-Trent, Newcastle and the Staffordshire Moorlands become part of a new North Staffordshire unitary authority, with another unitary covering the rest of the county. A rival plan would see a county-wide unitary authority, with Stoke-on-Trent remaining separate.

Both proposals have been controversial, with thousands signing a ‘No to Stoke’ petition against the North Staffordshire council plan, which opponents describe as a ‘power grab’ by Stoke-on-Trent City Council.