All-new town council recommended for Stafford

By Livia Gregor 1st Jun 2026

Local News by Livia Gregor 2 hours ago

Stafford could get a town council following the recommendation of a council cross-party working group.

Nearly 65% of residents who took part in a consultation, which opened on 9 February and closed on 22 March, supported a proposal to establish a town council covering the unparished areas of Stafford town.

The consultation comes after it was announced that Stafford Borough Council will be abolished by 2028 along with other existing district, borough, county and city councils in Staffordshire.

It forms part of a Community Governance Review, a statutory process required before any new town or parish council can be created.

A parish or town council is the most local form of government and is responsible for services such as park management and the running of events.

They also make representations on behalf of the communities they represent on planning applications and other local issues.

As Stafford is the only 'unparished' area impacted by the coming change, concerns have been raised that there will be a lack of representation for the county town.

Out of more than 1000 responses received, only 27% disagreed with the formation of a town council.

All households in the affected area were contacted directly and asked to share their opinions.

Despite receiving strong opposition from Doxey residents in the consultation, the working group also recommended that the parish form part of the town council.

Doxey is already served by its own parish council.

In September, a full report, including recommendations, will go before the full council.

Leader of the Council, Aidan Godfrey, said: "We are very grateful to everyone who took the time to participate in the consultation.

"The response demonstrates how strongly people feel about the future governance of Stafford.

"These views have played a vital role in shaping the recommendations, and we will continue to ensure local voices are at the heart of this process as it moves forward."

If the new town council receives the go ahead, voting to elect councillors, who would serve around 47,000 residents, would take place in 2027.