Newcastle-under-Lyme will become part of a new single authority covering North Staffordshire from April 2028, following the government's decision to restructure local councils across the county.
The new North Staffordshire Council will replace the current 10 councils in Staffordshire, including Newcastle-under-Lyme borough, Stoke-on-Trent, and the Staffordshire Moorlands. The merged authority will serve a population of 495,000 and handle all services from bin collections to social care.
Council Leader on Merger Benefits
Stoke-on-Trent City Council leader Jane Ashworth described the change as a "big, exciting project" that would deliver "value for money" for residents. Stoke-on-Trent City Council will cease to exist when the new authority launches.
Council Tax and Debt Concerns
A decision has not yet been made on what the merger will mean for council tax rates. Ashworth dismissed the idea that rates could be harmonised with the current cheapest ones in Stoke, which would mean residents outside the city paying less.
Stoke-on-Trent has accumulated £60m in debt over the last four years through a government bailout loan used to keep services running. Stoke-on-Trent Central MP Gareth Snell claimed that councils in other areas undergoing similar restructuring have had debt written off by the government. However, Ashworth said she was not confident the new authority would receive financial relief or a subsidy to wipe the debt.