The impact of Reform UK on Staffordshire County Council

drafted 2026-07-06 · accepted

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This council: flagship · Adult Social Care · Asylum and Migration · Children's services and safeguarding · Climate · Council Spending and Efficiency · Devolution and local government reorganisation · Heritage · Housing, planning and local plans · Outsourcing of public services · Renaming and rebranding · Roads, highways and potholes · SEND and home-to-school transport · Support for (or hostility to) women · Waste, recycling and bins

Reform UK has led Staffordshire County Council since May 2025 (source).

Staffordshire County Council's Reform administration voted to rescind the Climate Emergency Declaration the council made in July 2019.[1] It abandoned the council's long-term net-zero targets, replacing them with a new non-target Environmental Strategy.[1] It adopted its first budget for 2026/27 around £26m of efficiencies and savings.[2] It put in place a council-wide headcount recruitment freeze.[3] It restricted the flags the council flies to a named list that does not include the Pride flag.[4] And it set a position that council taxpayers' money would not be used to subsidise national migration policies.[5]

Climate and environment

Rescinding the climate emergency and net-zero targets

On 9 October 2025 Councillor Mynors moved, and Councillor Murray seconded, a motion to rescind the Climate Emergency Declaration made in July 2019.[1] A Labour amendment to retain the council's climate-mitigation duties was lost and the substantive motion was carried.[1] The motion abandoned the council's long-term net-zero targets, stating that the council "does not need" a climate emergency and long-term net-zero targets.[1] The council's prior framework had aimed for net-zero emissions by 2050, the long-term target these decisions dropped.[6] Cabinet approved a replacement Environmental Strategy on 17 December 2025 that reflects the shift away from long-term net-zero targets.[7]

Downgrading climate in governance

The council no longer has a cabinet portfolio naming climate change or the environment, and the new Environmental Strategy is held by the Cabinet Member for Connectivity.[8] The administration moved climate-change scrutiny off the Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee's work programme and renamed the climate action plan a "Renewable energy strategy".[9] In January 2026 the administration recorded that it did not believe climate change needed to be explicitly referenced to manage extreme weather.[9]

Dropping the emissions metrics

The new Environmental Strategy dropped the emissions-based indicators the previous Climate Change Strategy had used to measure progress.[10] Pressed at scrutiny in November 2025, the Cabinet Member committed only to keep reporting renewable-energy figures informally, not to reinstate the emissions indicators.[10] The Environmental Action Plan keeps quarterly and annual CO2 reporting but drops measurement of those emissions against net-zero targets.[11]

Renewable energy on council land

On 19 November 2025 Cabinet adopted a Renewable Energy Policy Position objecting to the uncontrolled growth of renewable energy and battery storage sites on rural and agricultural land.[12] On 11 December 2025 the council passed a motion, moved by Councillor Mynors and seconded by Councillor Large, resolving not to support renewable energy production and storage on County Council-owned farmland.[13] At the same meeting an amendment asking Cabinet to investigate solar panels and other renewable initiatives on the council's own car parks and buildings was lost.[14] On 18 March 2026 Cabinet endorsed a position that large-scale solar farms and battery farms will not be supported on the Staffordshire County Farms Estate.[15]

EV charging and the pension fund

On 15 October 2025 the council withdrew from the Midlands Connect LEVI consortium, cancelling the procured Phase 1 on-street EV charging rollout, and directed officers to prepare a new business case for the remaining LEVI funding.[16] On 27 March 2026 the Staffordshire Pensions Committee declined to continue the pension fund's dedicated Climate Change Strategy, which had set a 2050 net-zero investment target, folding it into a wider policy to be drafted in 2026.[17]

Spending and efficiency

Headcount freeze and consultancy

At Full Council on 9 October 2025 the Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources said the administration had put in place a headcount freeze, with an exception for key workers, and set up a panel checking costs and recruitment.[3] He disclosed baseline spend of £6.5m on consultants and over £2m on temporary workers, and said a review of temporary and agency staff had begun.[3] On 13 November 2025 officers told the Schools Forum that a wraparound-childcare lead officer post had gone unfilled and its duties absorbed elsewhere because of the recruitment freeze.[18] At Full Council on 11 December 2025 the Cabinet Member said reductions in temporary worker costs and ending consultancy services had been identified as efficiencies.[19]

The 2026/27 budget

The administration adopted its first Medium Term Financial Strategy for 2026-2031 and the 2026/27 budget at Full Council on 12 February 2026.[2] It set £26m of efficiencies and savings against £50m of budget pressures for 2026/27, with the remaining £24m met through council tax.[2] The budget was carried on a named vote of 38 to 13, approving a net revenue budget of £840.8m for 2026/27.[20] An opposition amendment to strip named highways savings, worth £0.1m a year, from the strategy was lost, so those savings remained in the adopted budget.[21]

Flags and culture

In October 2025 the council's scrutiny committee was told that a new flag-flying protocol restricts the flags the council flies to a named list: the Staffordshire County Banner, the Historic Staffordshire County Flag, the Union Flag and the Armed Forces Day Flag.[4] The list does not include the Pride or rainbow flag, and the committee resolved to have the protocol reported back to it.[4]

Asylum and migration

Replying in writing to a Council question on 17 July 2025, the Leader set out a position that council taxpayers' money would not be used to subsidise or implement national migration policies.[5] Where council resources were being used for such purposes, the administration said it would withdraw that funding where legally permissible.[5] On 11 December 2025 the Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources confirmed that adult asylum-seeker accommodation is a district and borough responsibility, not the county's.[22] He also flagged for tighter audit and due-diligence a £2m grant the county had made to a refugee charity.[22]

Adult social care

The care precept

Full Council set its 2026/27 budget on 12 February 2026 with a 3.99% council tax rise, of which the statutory 2% adult social care precept was the maximum permitted for the year, leaving 1.99% for wider services.[23] The budget was carried on a named vote, 36 in favour and 13 against with none abstaining, setting the Band D charge at £1,686.42.[24]

Provider fees

Cabinet approved a new pricing strategy for care home placements for adults aged 65 and over on 17 December 2025.[25] It noted emerging findings from a cost of care exercise for under-65 placements and delegated finalising that pricing strategy to the Director of Health and Care.[25] The minutes record no published percentage or cash uplift for either fee strategy.[25]

Charging

A scrutiny committee heard in September 2025 that self-funders choosing a care home before seeking council support was driving an unsustainable rise in the price of placements for adults aged 65 and over.[26] Cabinet approved the resulting Choice Policy for residential, nursing and supported living placements, and a Top-up Policy for care home placements, on 17 December 2025.[27][26]

In-house services

Cabinet chose to keep the council's own care homes open, extending contracts with its trading company Nexxus Trading Services to keep operating two council-owned care homes rather than close or transfer them.[28] In June 2026 Cabinet approved extending home care contracts to maintain continuity of adult social care during Local Government Reorganisation, rather than decommission provision.[29]

Children's services

Staffordshire added investment to children's services rather than cutting it: the Cabinet Member for Education and SEND told Council in February 2026 that Cabinet-agreed additional investment would provide an extra £3m in 2026/27, rising to £5.5m from 2027, supporting the government's Families First reforms on early help and prevention.[30]

SEND and home-to-school transport

Asked at full council in February 2026 how it would reduce home-to-school travel costs for children with special educational needs, the Cabinet Member for Education and SEND pointed to expanded local provision, route efficiency and promoting personal travel budgets, with the service forecast around £1m under budget; no tightening of eligibility or new charge was recorded.[31]

Roads and highways

Answering a councillor question in July 2025, the Leader acknowledged the highways maintenance backlog and said the administration would work with all councillors to tackle it.[32] A Cabinet decision approved broad allocations of an additional one-off Local Transport Grant of £15.6m for the Highways and Transport Capital Programme, to be invested during 2025/26, with authority delegated to develop and monitor the detailed allocations.[33] Staffordshire's Medium Term Financial Strategy and 2026/27 Budget, approved by County Council in February 2026, named £15m into highways as one of its major investments, funded through service efficiencies and a new delivery model.[34] Cabinet approved the combined Highways and Transport Capital Delivery Programme for 2026/27 in March 2026, to be submitted to the Department for Transport as the council's Local Transport Delivery Plan, alongside proposals to use Local Transport Grant revenue funding to close existing resource gaps.[35] In a Cabinet update in May 2026 the Acting Leader reported the council had filled an average of 845 potholes a week through April 2026, 5% more than the previous five-year average, and said an extra £15m had been put into so-called low-priority defects to begin shifting what he called the decades-old maintenance backlog left for the administration.[36]

Waste and recycling

In June 2025 Cabinet approved procurement of a new food waste disposal framework covering the whole of Staffordshire, brought forward because of new statutory requirements from central government (the Simpler Recycling duty to collect food waste); the Cabinet Member said the single contract would let the council comply with national regulations and cut around 20,000 tonnes a year from energy recovery, and Cabinet delegated authority to execute the contract once suppliers were appointed.[37] Kerbside waste, including garden and green waste, is collected by district-level waste collection authorities under statutory obligations rather than by the county; no Cabinet or Council document in the corpus for the Reform-led period mentions a garden, green or brown bin collection charge.[38] In November 2025 Cabinet took an exempt decision approving recommendations on the potential strategic benefits and risks of using Powers of Direction over kerbside collected recycling, a legal mechanism a county waste disposal authority can use against district collection practice; the substance of the report was withheld as commercially exempt, so the decision's practical effect on collections is not recorded in the public minutes.[39]

Devolution and reorganisation

In a Cabinet update in January 2026 the Acting Leader said he was disappointed that Cannock Chase and Tamworth councils had requested delays to the May 2026 elections because of the government's local government reorganisation programme, and said he did not support delaying elections because it risked undermining democratic accountability.[40]

Housing and planning

Housing targets

When a scrutiny committee discussed a petition against over-development in Eccleshall in November 2025, the Cabinet Member for Economy and Skills criticised central government for imposing housing targets without regard to local circumstances, saying that lobbying central government might be needed to ensure housing is allocated appropriately; the committee's own resolution only referred the matter to Cabinet, with recommendations to liaise with Stafford Borough Council, rather than adopting a formal objection motion.[41]

County Farms and Local Plans

In March 2026 Cabinet endorsed a County Farms Policy Statement (2026-2040), resolving that the council will not promote any County Farms land holdings through the statutory land use planning process and that the farmland will be protected for farming; the Acting Leader said the previous administration had put County Farms sites into the Stafford, South Staffordshire and Newcastle Local Plans, work he paused on taking office.[42] At County Council in March 2026 the Acting Leader confirmed that on 3 March 2026 the County Council had written to Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council withdrawing all County Farms estate land, including sites AB12 (Land East of Diglake Street, Bignall End) and AB33 (Land off Nantwich Road/Park Lane, Audley), from that borough's Local Plan process, after the County Council had submitted representations on those sites during the Local Plan's November-December 2025 main-modifications consultation.[43]

Outsourcing

In July 2025 Cabinet approved a Residual Waste Disposal Framework, appointing suppliers to give the council contingency capacity to dispose of residual waste if Hanford Energy Recovery Facility suffers a planned or unplanned outage.[44] In July 2025 Cabinet also agreed the renewal of the council's Microsoft Enterprise Agreement, its corporate ICT licensing contract, under a report considered in private session.[45] In February 2026 Cabinet approved the contract award for a new finance and HR/payroll system, covering the supply and implementation of a new Enterprise and Resource Planning system and a managed payroll service, heard in private session.[46] In June 2026 Cabinet approved replacing its expiring Large Account Reseller contract for staff laptops and devices with a new agreement through the Crown Commercial Service Aggregation programme, with authority delegated to enter the resulting contracts up to an estimated total value of £3m.[47]

Support for women

Cabinet composition

The attendance list for Cabinet's June 2026 meeting records ten named Cabinet members, of whom two are women (Hayley Coles, Janet Higgins) and at least seven are men, making it a majority-male Cabinet as the document records it.[48]

Domestic abuse support funding

In May 2026 Cabinet resolved to recommission domestic abuse support in safe accommodation, directly awarding contracts to Staffordshire Women's Aid, The Pathway Project and GLOW (Honeycomb charity services) for up to four years, continuing the council's duty under the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 to fund support for victims of domestic abuse and their families.[49]

Renaming and rebranding

Full Council rescinded the Climate Emergency Declaration made in July 2019 in October 2025 and directed Cabinet to produce a new Environmental Strategy in its place; Cabinet adopted the Environmental Strategy in December 2025, describing it as replacing the Climate Emergency Declaration and shifting the council's approach away from Net Zero targets.[50] The Economy, Infrastructure and Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee's work-programme item previously entitled the 'Highways Transformation Programme' was renamed 'Staffordshire Highways: Roadmap to a better road network', recorded at its November 2025 meeting.[51] The Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee's 'Climate change annual report' work-programme item was renamed 'Renewable energy strategy' when moved to the Economy, Infrastructure and Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee, recorded in October 2025.[52] The Crisis and Resilience Fund that Cabinet accepted in June 2026, which replaces the Household Support Fund from April 2026, is a national Department for Work and Pensions scheme: the corpus attributes this renaming to central government, not a Staffordshire decision, and records no council-initiated renaming of an anti-poverty strategy or welfare/crisis fund to soften 'poverty' language.[53] Staffordshire's looked-after-children scrutiny body continued to be styled the 'Staffordshire Corporate Parenting Panel' throughout the Reform-led period, named at the May 2025 Annual Council meeting and still under that name when its Annual Report was considered in October 2025; the corpus records no renaming of this panel, its strategy, or an associated children's service to a 'family' identity.[54] Staffordshire's committee and Cabinet portfolio titles found in the corpus were freshly agreed, not renamed, and the council's constitutional changes on record did not rename any committee, cabinet group, post or civic office: an exhaustive lexical sweep for renaming language across Staffordshire's corpus surfaces only the Highways work-programme rename and the climate-related renamings recorded above.[55]

References

1. At Full Council on 9 October 2025, Councillor Mynors moved (seconded by Councillor Murray) a motion to rescind the July 2019 Climate Emergency Declaration and abandon the council's long-term Net Zero targets, replacing them with a new non-target "Environmental Strategy"; the stated rationale was that the pursuit of Net Zero had been "a distraction" and that the council "does not need... long-term Net Zero targets". A Labour amendment to retain climate-mitigation duties was lost and the substantive rescinding motion was carried.
“1. Rescind the Climate Emergency Declaration made in July 2019 2. Rather than chasing long-term targets we will focus on protecting and enhancing our environment” Minutes, 9 October 2025 ↗
“Members then debated the substantive motion and, following a vote, the Chairman declared the motion “carried”” Minutes, 9 October 2025 ↗
“Councillor Mynors moved, and Councillor Murray seconded, the following motion:” Minutes, 9 October 2025 ↗
“The County Council does not need a Climate Emergency and long-term Net Zero targets to fulfil our environmental responsibilities and reduce our own impact on the environment.” Minutes, 9 October 2025 ↗
2. Staffordshire County Council's Reform administration adopted its first Medium Term Financial Strategy 2026-2031 and 2026/27 Budget at Full Council on 12 February 2026 (moved by Cllr Murray, Acting Leader, seconded by Cllr Lakin, Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources), which set a headline efficiency/savings figure of £26m towards a total £50m of budget pressures for 2026/27 (the remaining £24m met through council tax).
“Councillor Murray moved, and Councillor Lakin seconded, the recommendations contained in the report before the Council.” Minutes, 12 February 2026 ↗
“Councillor Murray added that the Council was facing £50m in pressures for 2026/27. Of this, £24m would be met through council tax, and £26m through efficiencies and savings to limit the burden on residents.” Minutes, 12 February 2026 ↗
3. At full Council (9 Oct 2025), the Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources told members the Reform administration had put in place a headcount freeze (except key workers), set up a panel reviewing costs and recruitment, and commenced a review of temporary/agency staff use, and disclosed baseline spend of £6.5m on consultants and over £2m on temporary workers -- a stated scrutiny/review action, not a £ cut or cap target.
“We have put in place a headcount freeze, with the exception of key workers, and we also now have a panel which is checking on costs and recruitment.” Minutes, 9 October 2025 ↗
“We have also commenced a review on temporary workers.” Minutes, 9 October 2025 ↗
“The Council has also spent £6.5m on consultants and over £2m on temporary workers.” Minutes, 9 October 2025 ↗
4. Staffordshire County Council's Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee (28 October 2025) was told, in discussion of the Q2 2025/26 Integrated Performance Report, that a new flag-flying protocol restricts which flags the council flies to a named list — the Staffordshire County Banner, the Historic Staffordshire County Flag, the Union Flag and the Armed Forces Day Flag (no Pride/rainbow flag on the list) — and the Committee resolved to have the protocol and the reasons for the County Council banner's use reported back to it.
“The new flag protocol and the use of the County Council banner and the reasons for this would be looked at and reported back to the committee.” Minutes, 28 October 2025 ↗
“The new flag protocol listed the Staffordshire County Banner, Historic Staffordshire County Flag, Union Flag and Armed Forces Day Flag.” Minutes, 28 October 2025 ↗
5. On 17 July 2025, replying in writing to a Council question on immigration, the Leader of the Council set out a formal administration position (item 5 of a numbered list of policy positions) that council taxpayers' money would not be used to subsidise or implement national migration policies, and that any council funding currently used for such purposes would be withdrawn where legally possible; this is a general position on national migration funding, not a motion or statement specifically naming asylum hotels or Home Office accommodation.
“5. On Immigration – Immigration policy is a matter for national government. However, we will ensure that Council taxpayers' money is not used to subsidise or implement national migration policies. Where council resources are currently used—directly or indirectly—to support such policies, we will, where legally permissible, withdraw that funding and redirect it to support the people of Staffordshire.” Minutes, 17 July 2025 ↗
6. The council's prior climate framework had set a net-zero target date: work of the Climate Change Working Group referenced encouraging renewable technologies "to support the transition towards net zero emissions by 2050" - the long-term target subsequently abandoned by the October/December 2025 decisions.
“the transition towards net zero emissions by 2050” Minutes, 29 July 2025 ↗
7. The council's replacement "Environmental Strategy", approved by Cabinet on 17 December 2025 (Cllr Andrew Mynors), explicitly abandons the net-zero target: its stated reason is that it "reflects the shift in the Council's approach away from long-term Net Zero targets", replacing the climate emergency declaration with a non-target commitment.
“To consider the Council’s new Environmental Strategy which reflects the shift in the Council’s approach away from long- term Net Zero targets” Minutes, 17 December 2025 ↗
“Staffordshire County Council has refocused its environmental approach, replacing its climate emergency declaration with a broader more practical commitment.” Minutes, 17 December 2025 ↗
8. Staffordshire's dedicated climate cabinet portfolio was not retained under the Reform administration. Under the previous administration climate scrutiny recommendations were referred to a 'Cabinet Member for Environment, Infrastructure and Climate Change' (Feb 2025); by Dec 2025 the Council's new Environmental Strategy — which replaced the Climate Change Strategy and reflects the shift away from long-term Net Zero targets — is held by the 'Cabinet Member for Connectivity' (Andrew Mynors), with no cabinet portfolio any longer naming climate change or the environment.
“reflects the shift in the Council’s approach away from long- term Net Zero targets” Minutes, 17 December 2025 ↗
“Andrew Mynors, Cabinet Member for Connectivity” Minutes, 17 December 2025 ↗
“referred to the Cabinet Member for Environment, Infrastructure and Climate Change to consider and provide an executive response to the recommendations within two months” Minutes, 29 July 2025 ↗
9. The Reform administration moved climate-change scrutiny off the Corporate Overview & Scrutiny Committee's work programme and renamed the climate action plan: in Oct 2025 the climate change annual report / action plan (now called a 'Renewable energy strategy') was moved to a different scrutiny committee, and in Jan 2026 the administration recorded that it did not believe climate change needed to be explicitly referenced to manage extreme weather.
“Climate change annual report – action plan now called Renewable energy strategy had been moved to Economy, Infrastructure and Community Overview and Scrutiny Committee for consideration as this was the more appropriate committee” Minutes, 28 October 2025 ↗
“Administration did not believe climate change needed to be explicitly referenced to manage extreme weather” Minutes, 15 January 2026 ↗
10. Staffordshire's new Environmental Strategy, approved by Cabinet on 17 December 2025 to replace the Climate Change Strategy after the county withdrew its Climate Emergency Declaration, dropped the emissions-based indicators the previous Climate Change Strategy had used to measure progress; at Scrutiny on 17 November 2025 the Cabinet Member for Connectivity was pressed on this and only committed to keep reporting renewable-energy figures informally, not to reinstate the emissions indicators.
“The measurement of renewable energy success, without the emissions-based indicators found in the previous Strategy, was questioned.” Minutes, 17 November 2025 ↗
“The Cabinet Member promised to continue reporting figures and monitoring progress and to relay these findings back to Committee.” Minutes, 17 November 2025 ↗
11. The Environmental Action Plan (EAP) that delivers the new Environmental Strategy, discussed at Scrutiny on 11 February 2026, keeps quarterly monitoring and annual reports on CO2 emissions but explicitly drops measurement of those emissions against net-zero targets, i.e. the carbon reduction plan's target-based benchmark was removed even though the reporting cadence continues.
“The monitoring of CO₂ emissions will continue without measurement against net-zero targets.” Minutes, 11 February 2026 ↗
“The EAP ensures legal compliance and measurable delivery across statutory areas, through quarterly monitoring of each action, annual reports to Scrutiny and clear reporting lines through governance boards.” Minutes, 11 February 2026 ↗
12. On 19 November 2025 Cabinet adopted a formal Renewable Energy Policy Position, brought by Cabinet Member for Connectivity Andrew Mynors, objecting to the uncontrolled growth of renewable energy and battery storage sites on rural and agricultural land and calling on Government to rebalance land use for food security; Cllr Mynors was tasked with articulating these concerns back to Government.
“allowing an uncontrolled growth of renewable energy and battery storage sites without full consideration of the issues and how they are affecting local communities” Decisions, 17 December 2025 ↗
13. On 11 December 2025 Staffordshire County Council passed a Notice of Motion, moved by Councillor Mynors and seconded by Councillor Large, resolving that on County Council-owned farmland it will not support renewable energy production and storage, and endorsing the Cabinet's 19 November 2025 position that the County Farms Estate will not allow renewable energy production and Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) on farmed land unless agriculture is not significantly impacted; the motion cited food security and the ad hoc siting of such infrastructure on rural farmland.
“development on farmed land within its property portfolio unless it does not significantly impact agriculture / dairy / livestock farming” Minutes, 12 February 2026 ↗
“Councillor Mynors moved, and Councillor Large seconded, the following motion” Minutes, 11 December 2025 ↗
“For County Council owned farmland, we will not support the provision of renewable energy production and storage until we are satisfied the Government has provided a much more coherent policy position to address the many conflicts.” Minutes, 11 December 2025 ↗
14. No evidence was found in Staffordshire County Council's published minutes of an existing own-estate (buildings/schools/land) solar or renewable-generation programme being cut, paused or scaled back. The corpus instead shows the Council declining to commit to NEW own-estate solar: on 11 December 2025, debating a Notice of Motion moved by Councillor Mynors (seconded by Councillor Large) that endorsed Cabinet's 19 November 2025 policy against renewable-energy/BESS development on the council-owned County Farms Estate (agricultural land let to tenant farmers, not the operational estate), Councillor Rose moved and Councillor Hood seconded an amendment asking Cabinet to further investigate solar panels and other renewable-energy initiatives on the council's own car parks and buildings; the amendment was declared lost and Mynors' substantive motion (about County Farms land, not operational buildings) was then carried.
“Councillor Rose moved, and Councillor Hood seconded, the following Amendment: “To amend the motion by the addition of the following recommendation – (d) That the Cabinet further investigates renewable energy production and initiatives (e.g. solar panels) on Council owned cark parks, buildings and other suitable sites.” Following a debate, the Chairman declared the Amendment lost.” Minutes, 11 December 2025 ↗
“We support the decision of the Cabinet at their meeting on 19 November 2025 that the County Council, which owns a successful County Farms Estate, will not be allowing renewable energy production and Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) development on farmed land within its property portfolio unless it does not significantly impact agriculture” Minutes, 11 December 2025 ↗
15. On 18 March 2026 Cabinet, on the County Farms Policy Statement presented by Acting Leader Martin Murray, endorsed a policy position that large-scale solar farms and battery farms using large areas of agricultural land will not be supported on the Staffordshire County Farms Estate, with farmland to be protected for farming.
“large scale ‘Solar Farms’ and ‘Battery Farms’ which would use large areas of agricultural land will not be supported on the Staffordshire County Farms Estate” Minutes, 18 March 2026 ↗
16. At Cabinet on 15 October 2025 Staffordshire County Council confirmed the Cabinet Member for Connectivity's decision to withdraw from the Midlands Connect LEVI Consortium, cancelling the previously procured Phase 1 on-street EV charging rollout, and instead directed officers to prepare a new business case for the remaining 90% of its LEVI capital funding (for charging points on council-owned land such as car parks) to be submitted to the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles.
“That a new business case be developed for the remaining 90% of LEVI funding, to be prepared by officers, reviewed by the Cabinet Member for Connectivity, and submitted to the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles for feedback.” Minutes, 15 October 2025 ↗
“It’s therefore our intention to withdraw from the LEVI consortium so we can direct our allocation of funding to local priority areas.” Minutes, 15 October 2025 ↗
“That the decision made by the Cabinet Member to withdraw” Minutes, 15 October 2025 ↗
17. On 27 March 2026 the Staffordshire Pensions Committee declined to continue the Staffordshire Pension Fund's dedicated Climate Change Strategy (which had set a net-zero investment portfolio target for 2050 with 2030 interim objectives), voting instead to fold climate provisions into a not-yet-drafted, wider Responsible Investment and Stewardship Policy due in 2026; officers framed this as consolidation ahead of anticipated legislation, and the vote (by show of hands) was unanimous.
“an alternative approach to having a separate Climate Change Strategy would be to consolidate responsible investment and stewardship beliefs into a single policy, with climate change addressed within that wider framework” Minutes, 27 March 2026 ↗
“That the continuation of the Staffordshire Pension Fund’s Climate Change Strategy is not approved in favour of replacing it with a wider Responsible Investment and Stewardship Policy, which will be developed in 2026.” Minutes, 27 March 2026 ↗
“All Committee members voted in favour of option b.” Minutes, 27 March 2026 ↗
18. The council-wide recruitment freeze's operational effect was independently confirmed at Staffordshire Schools Forum on 13 November 2025, where officers explained that a wraparound-childcare lead officer post had not been filled and its duties absorbed into existing team roles because of the current LA recruitment freeze/pause.
“It had been explained that the lead officer role had been absorbed into existing team roles due to the recruitment pause, with responsibilities shared” Minutes, 13 November 2025 ↗
“Finally, Steve enquired whether a lead officer had been appointed for the programme, or if this had been affected by the current LA recruitment freeze.” Minutes, 13 November 2025 ↗
19. At full Council (11 Dec 2025), the Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources told members that 'reductions in temporary worker costs' and 'ending consultancy services' had been identified as financial and workforce efficiencies -- a verbal claim in answer to a councillor question, with no £ figure or formal cabinet/budget paper attached to consultancy/agency spend specifically.
“Additional financial and workforce efficiencies have been identified, including reductions in temporary worker costs and ending consultancy services.” Minutes, 11 December 2025 ↗
20. The MTFS 2026-2031 / 2026/27 Budget and Council Tax was carried on a named vote at the 12 February 2026 Full Council meeting (38 in favour, 13 against, none abstaining), approving a net revenue budget of £840.828m for 2026/27.
“the Chairman called for a named vote to be taken in relation to the approval of the recommendations contained in the report, the result of which was as follows:” Minutes, 12 February 2026 ↗
“Those Members abstaining from voting: Nil” Minutes, 12 February 2026 ↗
“Resolved – (a) That the following be approved: i. a net revenue budget of £840.828m for 2026/27;” Minutes, 12 February 2026 ↗
21. An opposition amendment (moved by Cllr Tagg, seconded by Cllr Holland) to strip named highways efficiency lines — grit-bin winter service reduction, street-furniture replacement review, and gully-cleansing management efficiencies, worth £0.130m/year combined — out of the adopted MTFS was debated and lost, so those specific savings lines remained part of the adopted budget.
“Councillor Holland seconded, the following motion: “We propose for the Medium Term Financial Strategy to be amended, as follows: Remove the Highway’s savings around: a. Grit bins b. Street signs c. Gully cleansing” Minutes, 12 February 2026 ↗
“Total Impact 0.130 0.130 0.130 0.130 0.130 Members debated the motion and, following a vote, the Chairman declared the motion lost.” Minutes, 12 February 2026 ↗
22. In the minutes of the 11 December 2025 County Council meeting, in response to a written question about the cost of accommodating migrants and support for asylum seekers, the Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources confirmed that adult asylum seeker accommodation is a District and Borough Council responsibility, not a Staffordshire County Council one, and separately flagged for tighter audit and due-diligence controls a £2,000,000 grant the County had made to a refugee charity.
“Adult Asylum Seekers – This is a District and Borough responsibility not a County Council responsibility.” Minutes, 11 December 2025 ↗
“we gave £2,000,000 to a refugee charity that had an 80% ratio of staffing costs” Minutes, 11 December 2025 ↗
23. Full Council (12 February 2026) approved the 2026/27 Medium Term Financial Strategy and Budget, moved by Councillor Murray and seconded by Councillor Lakin, setting a 3.99% council tax increase that included the statutory 2% adult social care precept, the maximum permitted for 2026/27, leaving only 1.99% for wider services.
“Cllr Murray also highlighted the council tax rise to 3.99% which was lower than both the government’s expectation and previous increases, while still protecting all frontline services and investing additional resources. The rise included a statutory 2% adult social care precept, meaning only 1.99% relates to wider services.” Minutes, 12 February 2026 ↗
24. The budget resolution, carried on a named vote (36 in favour, 13 against, none abstaining), set the Band D council tax at £1,686.42 for 2026/27, a 3.99% increase on 2025/26, of which 2 percentage points was the adult social care precept.
“a council tax at Band D of £1,686.42 for 2026/27 which is an increase of 3.99% when compared with 2025/26” Minutes, 12 February 2026 ↗
25. Cabinet approved a new pricing strategy for care home placements for adults aged 65 and over on 17 December 2025 as part of the Commissioning of Care Home Placements report, presented by Cabinet Member for Health and Care Martin Rogerson, and separately noted emerging findings from a cost of care exercise for under-65 placements, delegating the finalisation of that pricing strategy to the Director of Health and Care. The minutes do not record a published percentage or cash uplift figure for either fee strategy.
“That the emerging findings from the cost of care exercise for care home placements for adults aged under 65 be noted and that authority be delegated to the Director of Health and Care, in discussion with the Cabinet Member for Health and Care, to finalise the pricing strategy for care home placements for adults aged under 65.” Minutes, 17 December 2025 ↗
“That the pricing strategy for care home placements for adults aged 65 and over be approved.” Minutes, 17 December 2025 ↗
26. The Health and Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee (15 September 2025) heard that a new Choice Policy was being developed and consulted on because self-funders' choice of care home before seeking council support was driving an unsustainable rise in the price of care home placements for adults aged 65 and over.
“The Committee were advised that the Council was experiencing a rapid rise in the price of some care services, particularly care home placements for adults aged 65 and over, which was driven in large part by people’s choice of care home when they were self-funding a placement prior to asking the Council for support. This was generating an unsustainable cost pressure.” Minutes, 10 November 2025 ↗
27. Cabinet (17 December 2025), on a report from Cabinet Member for Health and Care Martin Rogerson, approved the new Choice Policy for residential, nursing and supported living placements and a Top-up Policy for care home placements, delegating clarifications and amendments, and any extension of the Top-up Policy to other care services, to the Director of Health and Care.
“That the Choice Policy be approved and that authority be delegated to the Director of Health and Care, in discussion with the Cabinet Member for Health and Care, to add clarifications and make amendments to this Policy.” Minutes, 17 December 2025 ↗
“That the Top-up Policy for care home placements be approved and that authority be delegated to the Director of Health and Care, in discussion with the Cabinet Member for Health and Care, to extend the Policy to other care services, based on the same principles.” Minutes, 17 December 2025 ↗
28. Cabinet (17 December 2025) agreed to extend the contracts with Nexxus Trading Services Ltd, the council's own trading company, to continue operating two council-owned care homes, rather than close or transfer them, delegating final terms, contract award and lease arrangements to the Director of Health and Care.
“That an extension to the contracts with Nexxus Trading Services Limited to operate two Council owned care homes be agreed and that authority bed delegated to the Director of Health and Care, in discussion with the Cabinet Member for Health and Care, to finalise terms and conditions, award contracts and agree property lease arrangements.” Minutes, 17 December 2025 ↗
29. Cabinet (17 June 2026) approved plans to extend contracts for adult social care services commissioned via the home care market specifically to ensure continuity of care during Local Government Reorganisation, rather than to close or decommission provision.
“To consider plans for the extension of contracts for adult social care services to ensure continuity of care during Local Government Reorganisation. Decision – That the recommendations contained in the report be approved.” Minutes, 17 June 2026 ↗
30. Staffordshire added investment rather than cutting. The Cabinet Member for Education and SEND told Council in February 2026 that additional investment agreed by Cabinet would provide an extra £3 million in 2026/27, rising to £5.5 million from 2027, directly supporting the Families First reforms which emphasise early help and prevention.
“The additional investment agreed by Cabinet will be phased in over the next two years. In 2026/27 this will provide an extra £3 million, rising to £5.5 million from 2027 onwards. This investment directly supports the Government’s Families First reforms, which emphasise early help, prevention, and a child centred approach.” Minutes, 12 February 2026 ↗
31. Asked at full council on 12 February 2026 how it would reduce home to school travel costs for children with special educational needs, Staffordshire's Cabinet Member for Education and SEND pointed to expanded local provision, route efficiency and promotion of personal travel budgets, with the service forecast around £1 million under budget; no tightening of eligibility or new charge was recorded.
“We are improving transport efficiency through QRoutes, reducing single occupancy taxis, and promoting personal travel budgets and mileage allowances. These actions are helping to reduce costs, with the service currently forecast to be around £1 million under budget this year” Minutes, 12 February 2026 ↗
32. Answering a councillor question on highways in July 2025, the Leader of Staffordshire County Council acknowledged the maintenance backlog, saying the administration would work with all councillors to tackle it.
“will work with all councillors to address the backlog in road maintenance and improve infrastructure delivery” Minutes, 17 July 2025 ↗
33. A Cabinet decision on the Highways and Transport Capital Programme for 2025/26 approved broad allocations of an additional one-off Local Transport Grant of £15.626 million, to be invested during the year, with delegated authority given to develop and monitor the detailed allocations.
“the additional one-off Local Transport Grant of £15.626M will be invested during 2025/26” Decisions, 18 June 2025 ↗
34. Staffordshire's Medium Term Financial Strategy and 2026/27 Budget, approved by County Council on 12 February 2026, named £15m into highways as one of its major investments, funded through service efficiencies and a new delivery model.
“£15m into highways, supported by service efficiencies and a new delivery model which has enabled timely repairs of all high-risk defects” Minutes, 12 February 2026 ↗
35. Cabinet approved the combined Highways and Transport Capital Delivery Programme for 2026/27 on 18 March 2026, to be submitted to the Department for Transport as the council's Local Transport Delivery Plan, alongside proposals to use Local Transport Grant revenue funding to close existing resource gaps.
“That the combined highways and transport capital programme for 2026/27, to be submitted to the Department for Transport as the council’s Local Transport Delivery Plan, be approved.” Minutes, 18 March 2026 ↗
36. In a Cabinet update on 20 May 2026 the Acting Leader reported the council had filled an average of 845 potholes a week through April 2026, 5% more than the previous five-year average, and said an extra £15 million had been put into so-called low-priority defects to begin shifting the decades-old maintenance backlog.
“we have fixed 845 potholes a week on average” Minutes, 20 May 2026 ↗
“we’ve invested an extra £15 million to work on so-called ‘low priority’ defects” Minutes, 20 May 2026 ↗
“shift the decades backlog that was left for us” Minutes, 20 May 2026 ↗
37. On 18 June 2025 Cabinet approved procurement of a new food waste disposal framework covering the whole of Staffordshire, brought forward because of new statutory requirements from central government (the Simpler Recycling duty to collect food waste). Cabinet Member Andrew Mynors said the single contract would let the council comply with national regulations and cut around 20,000 tonnes a year from energy recovery, and Cabinet delegated authority to execute the contract once suppliers were appointed.
“Reasons for the Decision – To consider proposals to procure a new disposal framework for food waste following the introduction of new statutory requirements by the Government.” Minutes, 18 June 2025 ↗
“This framework for food waste disposal will develop one contract to cover the whole of Staffordshire. This means we can comply with national regulations, and also save money in the long-run on administration and contract management costs, and provide value for money to our residents.” Minutes, 18 June 2025 ↗
“Decision – (a) That, following the procurement processes, the successful suppliers be appointed to the Framework Agreements.” Minutes, 18 June 2025 ↗
38. Staffordshire County Council's published Cabinet business names 'waste collection authorities in Staffordshire' as the bodies that collect kerbside waste (including sweepings and gulley waste) under statutory obligations, distinct from the county's own role; no Cabinet or Council document in the corpus for the Reform-led period mentions a garden waste, green waste or brown bin collection charge, which is set by those district collection authorities rather than the county.
“Retender to contract treatment or disposal facilities for sweeping and gulley waste, collected by waste collection authorities in Staffordshire in line with statutory obligations as required by the EPA 1990.” Document, 17 September 2025 ↗
39. On 19 November 2025 Cabinet took an exempt decision approving the recommendations in a report on the potential strategic benefits and risks of using Powers of Direction over kerbside collected recycling, a legal mechanism a county waste disposal authority can use against district collection practice; the substance of the report was withheld as commercially exempt so the decision's practical effect on collections is not recorded in the public minutes.
“Powers of Direction - Kerbside Collected Recycling” Document, 15 October 2025 ↗
“64. Powers of Direction - Kerbside Collected Recycling (Exemption paragraph 3) Reasons for the Decision – To consider the potential strategic benefits and risks of Powers of Direction for kerbside collected recycling. Decision – That the recommendations contained in the report be approved.” Minutes, 19 November 2025 ↗
40. Staffordshire County Council's Reform administration opposed postponing elections rather than seeking any delay. In an update noted by Cabinet on 21 January 2026, the Acting Leader said he was disappointed that Cannock Chase and Tamworth councils had requested delays to the May 2026 elections due to the Government's local government reorganisation programme, and stated that he did not support delaying elections because it risked undermining democratic accountability.
“I do understand the pressures, but I do not support delaying elections. It risks undermining democratic accountability and the public’s trust that they can pass judgement when it matters most.” Decisions, 28 January 2026 ↗
“I was so disappointed to hear that councils in Cannock Chase and Tamworth have requested delays to the May 2026 elections due to the Government’s programme of local government reorganisation.” Decisions, 28 January 2026 ↗
41. On 20 November 2025 the Economy, Infrastructure and Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee discussed a petition against over-development in Eccleshall, and the Cabinet Member for Economy and Skills criticised central government for imposing housing targets without regard to local circumstances, saying that lobbying central government might be needed to ensure housing is allocated appropriately. The committee's own resolution only referred the matter to Cabinet, with recommendations to liaise with Stafford Borough Council, rather than adopting a formal objection motion.
“lobbying central government may be necessary to ensure housing is allocated appropriately” Minutes, 29 January 2026 ↗
“criticised central government for imposing housing targets without considering local circumstances” Minutes, 20 November 2025 ↗
42. On 18 March 2026 Staffordshire County Council's Cabinet endorsed a County Farms Policy Statement (2026-2040), resolving that the council will not promote any County Farms land holdings through the statutory land use planning process and that the farmland will be protected for farming; the Acting Leader had separately explained that the previous administration had put County Farms sites into the Stafford, South Staffordshire and Newcastle Local Plans, which he paused on taking office.
“the previous administration had put County Farms into local plans in Stafford, South Staffordshire and Newcastle, which could have easily lead to the sale of our farms so I have paused that work” Minutes, 12 February 2026 ↗
“That the policy position, that the County Council will not promote any County Farms land holdings through the” Minutes, 18 March 2026 ↗
43. At County Council on 12 March 2026 the Acting Leader confirmed that on 3 March 2026 the County Council had written to Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council withdrawing all County Farms estate land, including sites AB12 (Land East of Diglake Street, Bignall End) and AB33 (Land off Nantwich Road/Park Lane, Audley), from that borough's Local Plan process, after the County Council had submitted representations on those sites during the Local Plan's November-December 2025 main-modifications consultation.
“inclusion of sites AB12 - Land East of Diglake Street (Bignall End) and AB33 - Land off Nantwich Road / Park Lane (Audley) in the Newcastle-under-Lyme” Minutes, 12 March 2026 ↗
“The County Council wrote to the Borough Council on the 3rd March 2026 withdrawing all land from the Staffordshire County Farms estate from Local Plan processes, including AB12 and AB33.” Minutes, 12 March 2026 ↗
44. On 16 July 2025 Staffordshire County Council's Cabinet approved a Residual Waste Disposal Framework, appointing successful suppliers via a procurement process to a framework agreement that gives the council contingency capacity to dispose of residual waste if Hanford Energy Recovery Facility suffers a planned or unplanned outage; the decision was recommended by Andrew Mynors, Cabinet Member for Connectivity.
“That it be approved that, following the procurement processes, the successful suppliers be appointed to the residual waste disposal Framework Agreements.” Minutes, 16 July 2025 ↗
“This framework is an important contingency plan to ensure the council can fulfil its legal obligations for residual waste disposal, particularly for the four district and boroughs currently using Hanford Energy Recovery Facility.” Minutes, 16 July 2025 ↗
45. On 16 July 2025 Staffordshire County Council's Cabinet agreed the renewal of the council's Microsoft Enterprise Agreement, its corporate ICT licensing contract, under a report considered in private session (Exemption paragraph 3).
“27. Procurement of Microsoft Enterprise Agreement (Exemption paragraph 3) Reasons for the Decision – To consider the renewal of the Council’s Microsoft Enterprise Agreement. Decision – That the recommendations contained in the report be agreed.” Minutes, 16 July 2025 ↗
46. On 18 February 2026 Staffordshire County Council's Cabinet approved the contract award for a new finance and HR/payroll system, covering the supply and implementation of a new Enterprise and Resource Planning system and a managed payroll service; the item was heard in private session under Exemption paragraph 3 of the Local Government Act 1972.
“Decision – That the recommendations contained in the report be agreed.” Decisions, 18 March 2026 ↗
“108. Contract award of Finance and HR System (Exemption paragraph 3) Reasons for the Decision – To consider the contract award for the supply and implementation of a new Enterprise and Resource Planning system and managed payroll service.” Decisions, 18 March 2026 ↗
47. On 17 June 2026 Staffordshire County Council's Cabinet approved replacing its expiring Large Account Reseller contract for staff laptops and devices by entering a new agreement through the Crown Commercial Service (CCS) Aggregation programme EUD02, with authority delegated to the Director of Finance and Resources to enter the resulting contracts up to an estimated total value of £3 million; the decision was recommended by Sean Bagguley, Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources.
“authority be delegated to the Director of Finance and Resources, or their delegate, to authorise entering into the relevant contracts to secure participation in the Aggregation programme and subsequent call off contract(s) with the chosen supplier, up to an estimated total value of £3million” Minutes, 17 June 2026 ↗
“Reasons for the Decision – To consider proposals for the replacement of the Council’s expiring Large Account Reseller contract for End User Devices by entering into a new agreement through the Crown Commercial Service (CCS) Aggregation programme EUD02.” Minutes, 17 June 2026 ↗
48. Staffordshire County Council's Cabinet, as recorded in the attendance and apologies list of the Cabinet meeting held on 17 June 2026, comprised ten named members: Sean Bagguley, Hayley Coles, Robin Hall, Janet Higgins, Nicholas Lakin, Martin Murray (Chairperson), Martin Rogerson and Anthony Screen present, with Peter Mason and Andrew Mynors recorded as apologies. Of these, two are women (Hayley Coles, Janet Higgins) and at least seven are men (Sean Bagguley, Nicholas Lakin, Martin Murray, Martin Rogerson, Anthony Screen, Peter Mason, Andrew Mynors), making it a majority-male Cabinet as the document records it.
“Apologies: Peter Mason and Andrew Mynors” Minutes, 17 June 2026 ↗
“Sean Bagguley Hayley Coles Robin Hall Janet Higgins Nicholas Lakin Martin Murray (Chairperson) Martin Rogerson Anthony Screen” Minutes, 17 June 2026 ↗
49. Staffordshire County Council's Cabinet resolved on 20 May 2026 to recommission domestic abuse support in safe accommodation (DASSA), directly awarding contracts under the Procurement Act 2023 to Staffordshire Women's Aid, The Pathway Project and GLOW (Honeycomb charity services) for up to four years (an initial 3-year term from 1 April 2027, with an option to extend by one year). The recommissioning was recorded as continuing the council's duty, under the Domestic Abuse Act 2021, to fund support for victims of domestic abuse and their families in safe accommodation.
“The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 placed a Duty on Tier 1 Local Authorities to provide support to victims of domestic abuse and their families living in safe accommodation settings and grant funding is provided accordingly.” Document, 17 December 2025 ↗
“Reasons for the Decision – To consider to proposals to recommission domestic abuse support in safe accommodation services under the Procurement Act 2023 (PA23). Decision – (a) That the proposed recommissioning approach whereby (i) Staffordshire Women’s Aid (ii) The Pathway Project and (iii) GLOW (Honeycomb charity services) are directly awarded contracts under the PA23 for up to four years with an initial 3-year contract period from 1st April 2027 (with an option to extend for an additional one-year period), be approved.” Minutes, 20 May 2026 ↗
50. On 9 October 2025 Staffordshire's Full Council, on a motion moved by Councillor Mynors and seconded by Councillor Murray, resolved to rescind its Climate Emergency Declaration (made July 2019) and directed Cabinet to produce a new 'Environmental Strategy' in its place; Cabinet adopted the Environmental Strategy on 17 December 2025, describing it as replacing the Climate Emergency Declaration and shifting the Council's approach away from Net Zero targets.
“Rescind the Climate Emergency Declaration made in July 2019” Minutes, 9 October 2025 ↗
“Cabinet will produce a new Environmental Strategy, and supporting action plan, for Staffordshire.” Minutes, 9 October 2025 ↗
“Staffordshire County Council has refocused its environmental approach, replacing its climate emergency declaration with a broader more practical commitment.” Minutes, 17 December 2025 ↗
51. Distinct Staffordshire renaming #1: the 'Highways Transformation Programme' work-programme item was renamed 'Staffordshire Highways: Roadmap to a better road network', per the Economy, Infrastructure and Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee's 17 November 2025 minutes.
“Staffordshire Highways: Roadmap to a better road network – Work programme item renamed (previously entitled, “Highways Transformation Programme”).” Minutes, 17 November 2025 ↗
52. Distinct Staffordshire renaming #3: the Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee's 'Climate change annual report' work-programme item was renamed 'Renewable energy strategy' (recorded 28 October 2025).
“Climate change annual report – action plan now called Renewable energy strategy had been moved to Economy, Infrastructure and Community Overview and Scrutiny Committee for consideration as this was the more appropriate committee.” Minutes, 28 October 2025 ↗
53. Staffordshire's Cabinet (17 June 2026) accepted the 'Crisis and Resilience Fund' (CRF) grant, which its own report describes as a national Department for Work and Pensions scheme replacing the Household Support Fund from April 2026 — the corpus attributes this renaming to central government, not a Staffordshire decision, and records no council-initiated renaming of an anti-poverty strategy or welfare/crisis fund to soften 'poverty' language.
“the transition from the Household Support Fund to a new three-year national programme to be operational as soon as is practically possible from April 2026” Minutes, 17 June 2026 ↗
“the CRF replaces the Household Support Fund and introduces a national shift from short-term crisis mitigation towards earlier intervention, financial resilience and strengthened community support to a broader range of vulnerable households” Minutes, 17 June 2026 ↗
“The Crisis and Resilience Fund is a national scheme being rolled out to provide short-term help to eligible Staffordshire people facing an immediate financial crisis.” Minutes, 17 June 2026 ↗
54. Staffordshire's looked-after-children scrutiny body continued to be styled the 'Staffordshire Corporate Parenting Panel' throughout the Reform-led period — named at the 22 May 2025 Annual Council meeting and still under that name when its Annual Report was considered on 9 October 2025 — the corpus records no renaming of this panel, its strategy, or an associated children's service to a 'family' identity (contrast County Durham's 'Durham Family Panel').
“Corporate Parenting Panel Chairman Su Beardmore Vice-Chairman Tracey Dougherty” Minutes, 22 May 2025 ↗
“Staffordshire Corporate Parenting Panel Annual Report 2024/25 Councillor Lakin moved, and Councillor Large seconded, consideration of the Staffordshire Corporate Parenting Panel Annual Report 2024/25.” Minutes, 9 October 2025 ↗
55. Staffordshire's committee and Cabinet portfolio titles found in the corpus were freshly agreed, not renamed: the Leader set out Cabinet portfolios on 22 May 2025 as newly-appointed titles, and the Council's only constitutional changes on record (25 February 2025, pre-dating Reform's 22 May 2025 takeover of control, and 11 December 2025) did not rename any committee, cabinet group, post or civic office — the exhaustive lexical sweep for renaming language across Staffordshire's corpus surfaces only the Highways work-programme rename (recorded separately under this theme), not any committee or title change.
“The Leader of the Council circulated a statement setting out his Cabinet and their respective portfolios. Resolved – That (a) the Cabinet Portfolios be agreed and that the Council’s Constitution be amended accordingly” Minutes, 22 May 2025 ↗
“Resolved – That the changes to the Constitution, as set out in Appendix 1 to the report, which were endorsed by the Audit and Standards Committee on the 25 February 2025, be approved.” Minutes, 22 May 2025 ↗