Residents living in and around the centre of Stafford are to be asked whether they want to have a ‘town council.’

Letters are being sent to all households in the county town who would be affected by the move asking them to give their feedback on the proposal.

A report to Stafford Borough Council recently said a cross-party working group had recommended that the area to be reviewed should "encompass the unparished area of the borough and the current parished area of Doxey.”

Stafford is the only ‘unparished’ area of the borough and, with Government plans that will see the local authority abolished in 2028, councillors have said they are worried there will be a lack of representation for the county town.

Local Government Reorganisation will see district, borough, county and city councils in Staffordshire scrapped to be replaced by larger unitary authorities which will deliver all council services.

Currently every village and town in the borough is served by a parish or town council - apart from Stafford. A parish or town council is the most local tier of government and may deliver a range of services - such as managing parks and running events - as well as making representations on behalf of their communities on planning decisions and other local issues. They are funded through an addition to the council tax charge - called a precept.

People in Stafford, including the already parished area of Doxey, will be receiving letters this week asking for their views as part of what is known as a ‘Community Governance Review.’

Stafford was granted a Royal Charter in 1206 and has a history of mayoralty since the 1600s. 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.

Borough Council Leader, Aidan Godfrey, encouraged residents to make sure they have their say on the proposals.

“The views of people who live in the town, as well as organisations and businesses that serve Stafford, will help prepare draft recommendations that will be considered by the Borough Council so I’d urge you not to miss out on filling in this short questionnaire.”

If a new town council receives the green light voting would take place in 2027 to elect councillors that would serve around 49,000 residents.

The six-week consultation will run until Sunday 22 March and a dedicated webpage with more information, and the opportunity to give your views, is available from www.staffordbc.gov.uk/your-say-new-town-council-stafford

And you can find the latest on Local Government Reorganisation from www.staffordbc.gov.uk/devolution-and-local-government-reorganisation

Press Release No 6267