Views sought on Staffordshire's future council map
BBCThe government is asking people for their opinions on a series of options for the future of local government in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent.
Councils were asked to put forward their suggestions for new unitary authorities as part of the biggest shake-up of local government since the 1970s.
The plans will see the abolition of the two-tier county and borough system, to be replaced with a number of unitary authorities.
The move has proved controversial however, with a number of political leaders campaigning against the changes.
"All these proposals have different practical, financial and organisational consequences which, if this goes ahead, we will live with for a generation or longer," said Simon Tagg, leader of Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council.
The government said it aimed to simplify the way local government was run by combining councils to create a single authority for each area.
They argued this would ensure councils were a suitable size to be efficient and effective.
There are five different proposals for redrawing Staffordshire's political map, which currently has one county council and eight district and borough councils, and existing unitary authority Stoke-on-Trent City Council.
One of the more complex proposals, preferred by Staffordshire Moorlands District Council is to have two unitary councils, but also split existing East Staffordshire and Stafford district council areas.
Thousands in Newcastle-under-Lyme and the Staffordshire Moorlands have signed petitions against their areas being merged with Stoke-on-Trent, which is one possible outcome.
The government is expected to make a final decision on its plans for local government reorganisation in the summer.
The new unitary councils are expected to go live from April 2028, with elections to new shadow unitary councils in May 2027.
The consultation is open until 26 March, and people can submit their views online.
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