A Stafford Councillor has today welcomed the proposed changes to the boundaries of County Council areas.

Barry Stamp, County Councillor for Gnosall Division said he fully supported the plans published in the Boundary Committee for England draft report.

"Earlier this year the Boundary Committee asked for suggestions as to how the boundaries of County Council Divisions could be redrawn to reflect the changing population of the County. In response to this request the County Council put forward a plan that would see Haughton, Church Eaton, and Bradley joined with large areas of the town. As one might expect this proposal was objected to by local residents who felt the rural and urban areas had nothing in common. I am pleased to say that these objections have been listen to by the Boundary Committee who have rejected them out of hand. Instead they are proposing that the rural borough wards of Church Eaton, Gnosall, and Seighford are joined with Doxey. I believe this grouping is far more sensible and as such will be supporting this plan. People living in the new division will have more in common than what was originally proposed. Doxey is itself an identifiable community, that sees itself as a village in its own right. Indeed residents have been pressing for sometime to get a parish council established that would only strengthen this feeling. Getting the boundary right for this new division is important, as once it is established they will be no chance of changing it for many years to come," said Councillor Stamp.

"The Boundary Committee are asking for local residents to let them know their views and I would be only too pleased to either pass these on to the Committee before the submission deadline of July 21st," added Cllr Stamp.