Local Government Minister Jim McMahon confirmed the withdrawal in an announcement to Parliament yesterday, 29 October. The previous decision, made in July, proposed the creation of two larger unitary authorities for Staffordshire.
Councillor Doug Pullen, Leader of Lichfield District Council, welcomed the decision, stating that the council "did not ask for local government reorganisation, and we have never supported the case for imposing it on Staffordshire." He described the process as having become "shambolic" and highlighted the difficulty in planning future services due to continued uncertainty.
“"We welcome the withdrawal of the two-unitary decision, which we have consistently opposed. If reorganisation is to proceed, we firmly believe the three-unitary proposal offers a better balance between effective services and keeping councils connected to their communities."
Councillor Pullen added, "We remain willing to work with ministers, but they must now provide clarity and a credible way forward. Our residents deserve better than continued uncertainty."
The Government expects to announce further decisions by early 2027. Elections to any new councils are scheduled for May 2028, with new authorities expected to take over in April 2029. There are no immediate changes to current council services, which will continue to operate as normal.
