'Super council would not prioritise our borough'

A council leader has spoken out against potential plans to merge local authorities in Staffordshire to create new, larger, unitary authorities.

Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council's Simon Tagg said he worried a "more distant super council" would not be run in the interests of local people.

He fears the government's proposed reorganisation of local authorities in England might see his council abolished.

The government said simplifying local government and transferring more powers away from London would help drive economic growth – but it has yet to publicly set out plans for Staffordshire.

"Politicians from much larger unitary authorities are more remote from their communities and I doubt that a larger authority, three or four times the size of Newcastle, would prioritise the borough as we do now," Tagg said.

He added this would be "less democratic and not what residents deserve".

The Staffordshire Leaders Board - of which he is a member - wrote to the government last year about potential plans for devolution.

The group comprises the county's eight district and borough councils as well as Stoke-on-Trent City Council, and Staffordshire County Council.

In the letter, the board said it was felt there was no need for an elected mayor - such as those the West Midlands and Greater Manchester - but that the group of 10 councils were open to working together on issues such as regional transport, job creation and economic growth.

Tagg said: "The issue of local government reorganisation has been a recurring threat to the borough independence over the years, one which the residents of the borough have fought off many times.

"I am sure the residents will get behind doing the same again this time."

Follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.