A Staffordshire Moorlands councillor has condemned the 'disgusting and immoral' online abuse of Stoke-on-Trent residents in the debate over council reorganisation.

Politicians and members of the public have been debating the future of local government in Staffordshire, which is set to be transformed as part of the biggest overhaul of councils since the 1970s.

A controversial proposal to create a North Staffordshire council covering Stoke-on-Trent, Newcastle and the Moorlands has been strongly criticised by some residents. But Adam Parkes, vice-chairman of Staffordshire Moorlands District Council, says that some of the online discourse has descended into 'abhorrent' abuse of Stoke-on-Trent residents.

The Labour councillor for Biddulph North, who insisted he had an 'open mind' on the issue of reorganisation, called on people to show more compassion in the debate.

Cllr Parkes said: "Calling people 'scum', 'druggies', 'crackheads' and the widely used 'they are different from us' to describe our brothers and sisters down the road is frankly disgusting and immoral.

"I've seen images of some of the most extremely vulnerable, troubled and desperate people being used to disparage, denigrate and dismiss an entire city.

A city that many in this room were born in, have lived in, worked in and certainly done business in. The lack of compassion brings shame not only on those that do it, but to some extent all the people of the Moorlands. We need to be so much better than this."

Cllr Parkes also raised concerns that the people and politicians taking part in the reorganisation debate had forgotten about SMDC staff, who face an uncertain future due to the likely abolition of the council.

He added: "While we are banging heads about direction, fawning over the electorate with sound-bites and trying to score small victories over the internet, these individuals are worrying about their jobs and their futures. Is trying to win an argument more important than human life and empathy?"

Cllr Parkes was speaking during a council assembly meeting on local government reorganisation. Councillors voted to set up a cross-party sub-committee to explore the various options for reorganisation.

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