Staffordshire Moorlands Tories: 'We don't want to be part of Stoke-on-Trent'
Community leaders are rallying against government proposals they say would see the Moorlands 'swallowed up' by Stoke-on-Trent. A petition has been launched in response to plans to end two-tier local government as part of major devolution proposals.
Campaigning councillors were joined by Tory MP Karen Bradley outside Staffordshire Moorlands District Council's HQ where they called for the area to be kept out of the city. It follows similar concerns being raised in Newcastle where leaders have vowed to fight against the scheme 'saying it puts the borough's '852 years of independence' at risk'.
As reported by StokeonTrentLive Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner announced plans to end two-tier local government in England as part of Labour's vision for devolution. In Staffordshire, and the county has a county council and eight district and borough authorities, while Stoke-on-Trent City Council is a separate unitary authority combining both levels of local government.
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Currently Staffordshire County Council is responsible for services such as highways and social care, whereas the districts and boroughs deliver things like bin collections. But Labour has cited how unitary councils save money and can be more effective, and so it is inviting local areas to come up with proposals for reorganising local government along unitary lines.
In response council leaders in both Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent have been developing their own proposals - while ruling out any changes to local authority boundaries, or the creation of an elected mayor. In the Moorlands and community leaders opposing the scheme say Stoke-on-Trent remains its 'friendly neighbour' - but the areas should remain distinctly separate.
Conservative MP Karen Bradley said: "We want to stay as Staffordshire Moorlands. The Government has said they are going to force unitary authorities on us and that means we will be part of Greater Stoke-on-Trent. I don't want that. I want to make sure that Staffordshire Moorlands stays as Staffordshire Moorlands. The decisions about where our housing goes, when our bins are collected, all the things that matter to us, are made here at Moorlands House - they are not made in Stoke-on-Trent.
"Nothing against Stoke-on-Trent, it's a great city, but I don't want to be part of it, I want to stay here in Staffordshire Moorlands, so let's fight to keep the Moorlands out of Stoke-on-Trent."
Councillor Joe Porter, a district councillor who is also Chairman of Staffordshire Moorlands Conservative Association, says the Moorlands has its own 'proud and unique history'.
He said: "We want to keep the Moorlands out of Stoke under any Devolution deal. Stoke-on-Trent are our friendly neighbours, but they are very much a distinctly different area. The Staffordshire Moorlands has a proud, unique history and is a beautiful rural area."
Councillor Porter, who represents Endon and Brown Edge on the local authority, added: "Devolution is welcome, especially to unlock economic growth, but it would not be in our best interests to be forced into a North Staffordshire Unitary Authority with Stoke-on-Trent."
Commenting on the gathering outside Moorlands House, the district council's Leek-based HQ, borough council leader Simon Tagg said: "Friends in Staffordshire Moorlands also have concerns that the Government’s forced reorganisation plans will mean their area will also be swallowed up by Stoke-on-Trent."
Councillor Mark Deaville, who represents the Checkley ward on the district council and Cheadle and Checkley for the county, where he is also cabinet member for strategic highways, said: "This is not wanted by the people of the Staffordshire Moorlands and not wanted by the people of Newcastle. We owe it to our residents to not allow this to be imposed on us by this government."
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