Claims that a local government revamp in North Staffordshire will mean a Stoke-on-Trent takeover are 'just plain daft', a council leader has said.

Jane Ashworth, leader of Stoke-on-Trent City Council, was speaking during a discussion about devolution and local government reorganisation, hosted by North Staffs Pensioners Convention.

Councils across England are set to undergo their biggest shake-up in 50 years, as the Labour government looks to abolish the two-tier system and roll out new strategic authorities everywhere.

The NSPC invited council leaders in North Staffordshire to their monthly meeting on Monday to talk about what the changes will mean for the area, and discuss the various options that have been put forward.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council is backing proposals for a North Staffordshire unitary authority, which would replace the four existing authorities covering the area.

City councillors believe this would be more efficient and align with the area's economic geography. But critics in Newcastle and the Staffordshire Moorlands claim that it would be a 'power grab' by Stoke-on-Trent.

Cllr Ashworth told the meeting that a North Staffordshire council would be more streamlined, and argued that Stoke-on-Trent, Newcastle and the Moorlands were already intimately linked 'by work, by family and by culture'.

She acknowledged the opposition to the idea, but claimed that bolstering local representation through parish councils and other bodies would help win people over.

Cllr Ashworth said: "I think it's difficult for district councils at the moment, because the district councils won't exist, and the county council won't exist. There will be something new, and that's difficult for people who are personally heavily invested in that institution.

"So I think it's important that the conversations we have are open and fair, and that we heavily build in the local voice.

"I think we can overcome people's difficulties. When it becomes clear that the idea that this is a Stoke-on-Trent takeover is just plain daft, I think that will be reassuring to people."

Staffordshire County Council, under its previous Conservative leadership, had supported proposals for a county-wide unitary that excluded Stoke-on-Trent, while Newcastle Borough Council is opposed to any change to the current two-tier system.

Mike Gledhill, leader of Staffordshire Moorlands District Council, told the meeting that his authority had not 'rushed into a decision', with the various options currently being considered by a cross-party group.

"But he argued that the current two-tier system – with local services being split between two different councils – is confusing for residents and not as cost-effective as it could be.

Cllr Gledhill said: "We empty your bins, but we're not responsible for the tips. We collect council tax, but we only spend about 12 per cent of it – the rest goes to the county council.

"Fortunately we're not responsible for potholes – that's the county council – however, in this system, we get the blame for it, because it's such a complicated system.

"What we're talking about today is putting together a system which will take through the next 50 years."

Both the council leaders who attended meeting said they supported the idea of a Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire strategic authority sitting above the councils, led by an elected mayor.

They said an elected mayor could drive growth and inward investment across Staffordshire, pointing to Andy Burnham's record in Greater Manchester.

NSPC members were given the chance to quiz the council leaders on their proposals for devolution and reorganisation. Stoke-on-Trent resident Mick Jones criticised the idea of having an elected mayor, saying the city had tried the system before and rejected it.

He said: "We had a mayor last time, it was an absolute disgrace. It's another platform which is going to use money that the council hasn't got. I know Andy Burnham is doing a great job, but the mayors we had didn't work, and we got rid of them."

Cllr Ashworth argued that an elected mayor for Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire would have greater powers than any council leader, and that savings could be achieved through the move to unitary authorities.

The NSPC says the leaders of Staffordshire County Council and Newcastle Borough Council were also invited to the meeting, but were unable to attend.

Council leaders are this week expecting to receive feedback from the government on their interim proposals for unitarisation and devolution, with the final plans due to be submitted by November.

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