Introduction
Before you can create a new town / parish council you have to undertake a Community Governance Review.
Following a six-week consultation as part of that ‘review’ a report will go to a meeting of the Borough Council in September recommending that Stafford should have a town council.
The report will also recommend that Doxey parish will not be included in that new town council.
Please see the consultation results (pdf 152kb).
Initial Recommendations
The Stafford Town Council Working Group made the following initial recommendations:
- Stafford Town should be parished
- Doxey parish should not be included in the boundary of the new parish and Doxey parish, and its council, should remain separate
- the new parish should have a Town Council
- the parish should be warded using the same boundaries as existing Borough Council wards, with the unparished area of the Doxey and Castletown Borough ward being merged into the existing Rowley ward boundary
- the new Town Council should be made up of 19 councillors, divided between each ward as follows: Baswich (2), Common (1), Coton (2), Forebridge (1), Highfields and Western Downs (2), Holmcroft (2), Littleworth (2), Manor (2), Penkside (1), Rowley (including Castletown) (2), Weeping Cross and Wildwood (2)
- the names of the 11 Town wards should be as follows: Baswich, Common, Coton, Forebridge, Highfields and Western Downs, Holmcroft, Littleworth, Manor, Penkside, Rowley and Castletown, Weeping Cross and Wildwood
A map of the proposed parish and wards can be found here: Map of Stafford Town parish and wards (pdf 4.5mb)
Final recommendations are intended to be put before a full Council meeting in September 2026 for consideration, with any new arrangements coming into effect in time for May 2027 elections.
More information on Towns and Parish Councils online, and the Community Governance Review process.
Why undertake a review
Staffordshire is currently served by a two-tier system of local government with one County Council and eight district councils.
Areas of the county are also parished and served by respective parish councils.
Stafford does not currently have a town council whereas all other areas of the borough have an existing parish council.
There were concerns that a move to larger unitary authorities as part of Local Government Reorganisation would result in a democratic deficit and loss of local identity.
Stafford also has a history of mayoralty since the 1600s. So as well as preserving the 'Stafford' identity by having a new council, the chair of a new council can take up the position of Mayor enabling that tradition to continue.
Criteria and aim of the review
The law requires us to seek to ensure that community governance within the area under review will be reflective of the identities and interests of the community in that area; and is effective and convenient.
We will take into account a number of influential factors, including:
- the impact of community governance arrangements on community cohesion
- the size, population and boundaries of a local community or parish
The review process
The Community Governance Review got underway on Monday 9 February.
The consultation closed on Sunday 22 March 2026 with feedback supporting the draft recommendations.
Changes resulting from this review will be fully implemented in time to operate at the next full parish elections scheduled to be held on Thursday 6 May 2027.
More information
If you require further information, or need clarification on the review process, please email democraticservices@staffordbc.gov.uk
How we use your personal information
Please note that the consultation stages of an electoral review are public consultations. In the interests of openness and transparency, members of the public will be able to access any representations made by virtue of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Personal data such as names and addresses of respondents will be processed in accordance with Data Protection legislation and will not be shared with third parties unless the law demands or allows (see our Privacy Notice for further detail).