Daily Focus has invited the council leaders in Staffordshire to share their views on how local government should be reorganised across the county as part of wider plans for devolution.
Here, Councillor Steve Thornley, leader of Cannock Chase District Council, explains why he favours a single authority in the south of the county.
“We want to ensure any new council will provide excellent services for the people and the businesses of Cannock Chase. And having a unitary council serving Cannock Chase, East Staffordshire, Lichfield, South Staffordshire, Stafford Borough and Tamworth gives us the best opportunity to do this.
We have already reduced the cost of providing council services year on year. As a council we took the initiative to share services with our neighbours Stafford Borough – that’s a combined population of more than 240,000 residents, with savings of tens of thousands of pounds for each council every year, including a shared streamlined senior management team.
So why a single unitary in the south?
The new single council replacing six district councils and the county council in the south would provide a single authority for businesses and inward investors to go to on highways, planning, skills training, business support and grants. It would be a single, strong voice on a regional and national level to work with local business leaders and organisations to promote our economy. It would have the strength to attract investment into the area, create new employment opportunities, and secure funding from central Government.
This new unitary would be financially strong. A single council would reduce duplication of staff, have greater buying power, and would be run by one professional management team.
A unitary council along the lines I am supporting would meet the criteria set in that ‘White Paper’ – with both the north and south unitaries including the around 500,000 population target. We know splitting the south into two unitary authorities, for example, would be considerably below that Government target and more expensive.
We will submit a business case to MHCLG later this month that provides economic stability – with greater strength and geography to compete for investment and opportunities on a regional and national basis – make significant savings while delivering efficient services.”
