Staffordshire County Council's cabinet met to discuss local government reorganisation, the visitor economy, and funding for local schools. The cabinet reluctantly voted to approve a proposal for local government reorganisation, and also voted to approve funding for an expansion of Thomas Alleynes High School. They also approved the creation of a framework for the appointment of political assistants.

Local Government Reorganisation

The main item discussed was the government's plan for local government reorganisation (LGR) in Staffordshire. Councillor Martin Murray, Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Economy and Skills, explained that the government's devolution white paper would devolve powers to areas with two-tier authorities, similar to those already in place in Manchester and Birmingham. He said that while devolution could have advantages, the current plan did not give Staffordshire full devolved power and missed the key factor of local community and culture.

Councillor Martin Murray stated that Staffordshire County Council had been instructed to submit a case for two unitary councils in Staffordshire, with the preferred option being one for the East and one for the West, including the city of Stoke-on-Trent. He argued that this option would deliver a net saving of £28.4 million over five years and provide a fairer balance between the new councils.

We are therefore compelled to submit a case for two unitary councils in Staffordshire. And our preferred option, our proposal, is one for the East and one in the West. With the great city of Stoke-on-Trents included.

Several cabinet members voiced their opposition to the proposals, including Councillor Peter Mason, Cabinet Member for Strategic Highways, who said he would only support the proposal to meet legal obligations and would campaign for a united Staffordshire afterwards. Councillor Patrick Allen, Cabinet Support Member for Highways (Operations North), raised concerns about the debt that the new councils would inherit, particularly from Stoke-on-Trent.

Councillor Martin Murray responded that the east-west split would scale down the debt per head and that the government was responsible for some of the debt. He also said that the government could choose to ignore the council's proposals and impose its own plan.

The government does not have to choose any of these proposals from Staffordshire. It doesn't have to choose them. It can. And it has already ignored local area proposals and chosen their own.

Councillor Chris Large, Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources, said that the proposals would cost a significant amount of money and that there had been no consultation with the public. Councillor Alex Hunt, Cabinet Support Member for SEND, raised concerns that the west of Staffordshire may do better economically than the east under the proposals.

Despite these concerns, the cabinet voted to approve the proposal, with several members expressing their reluctance. Councillor Ian Cooper, Leader of the Council, said that he would campaign for a whole Staffordshire and that the government model was flawed and would lead to disaster.

Staffordshire Means Business

Councillor Martin Murray provided a verbal report on the Staffordshire economy, noting that the number of people in the county claiming universal credit¹ and required to seek work had increased to 15,300, or 2.8% of the working age population. This is lower than the national and regional averages, but Councillor Murray stressed the importance of continuing to support residents to find work.

Source: www.gov.uk

He highlighted the continued development of the West Midlands Interchange in South Staffordshire, which is estimated to bring 8,500 jobs to the county. He also welcomed the announcement that Colesburg-Brickwick, a brewery, would invest £4 million in a new depot at the site.

I was therefore really pleased to recently see Colesburg-Brickwick have been announced as the first occupier and the company will invest 4 million in its new depot at the site.

Councillor Martin Murray noted the importance of small and medium-sized businesses to the Staffordshire economy and the role of growth hubs in providing support to these businesses. He also reported that the Staffordshire visitor economy is now valued at $2.7 billion, a 30% increase compared to pre-pandemic levels. He said that events such as the Live Golf Tournament at JCB had contributed to these figures.

Thomas Alleynes High School

The cabinet approved the use of £2.278 million in Section 106² developer contributions to support an enlargement of Thomas Alleynes High School in Uttoxeter. Councillor Janet Higgins, Cabinet Member for Education and SEND, said that the expansion would allow the school to accommodate 120 more pupils and enhance its STEM³ education facilities.

Source: planningjungle.com Source: www.sciencebuddies.org

Councillor Gary Hales, the Uttoxeter rural county councillor, expressed his support for the expansion but raised concerns about the provision of safe and accessible walking routes for local pupils.

Political Assistant Appointments

The cabinet approved the creation of a framework for the appointment of a political assistant. Councillor Ian Cooper said that political assistants are routinely employed by councils and that the current local government reorganisation made it more important than ever for the council to be kept informed of national research and events. He said that the assistant would provide detailed research and analysis and would be available to all parties.

Councillor Peter Mason supported the proposal, saying that the council needed to improve its visibility and connections to secure additional funding. Councillor Alex Hunt asked if the role was permanent, and Councillor Ian Cooper confirmed that it was a 12-month contract. The maximum funding level for the two posts is £142,010, but Councillor Hayley Coles, Cabinet Member for Communities and Culture, said that the figures shown were the potential maximum for two people and that the grading and allocation of the post would be determined internally by the council and trade unions.