Kerry Ashdown

Cotswold Road play area in Hednesford is proposed for a £143,520 redevelopment funded by developer contributions. Plans include a basket swing, inclusive roundabout, climbing frames, a kick-about area, safer surfacing, improved access and boundaries, and new benches, bins and cycle parking. Cannock Chase District Council’s cabinet is due to consider the project, with completion expected by March 2027 if approval and planning permission are granted.

A Staffordshire community leader has questioned why councillor surgeries are permitted in libraries while Pride and other LGBTQ+ displays have been suspended during a review of library display spaces. Staffordshire County Council says the review applies to displays, which should focus on core library services, reading, learning and council information, while councillors may still hold surgeries provided materials are not politically branded. Councillor Alec Sandiford argues the policy is inconsistent and risks selectively excluding LGBTQ+ communities. More than 5,100 people have signed a petition calling for the restoration of displays recognizing LGBTQ+ and other protected groups.

Staffordshire County Council reported a £6.696 million underspend on its £753 million 2025/26 budget, but councillors questioned how much represented sustainable savings. The result partly reflected lower-than-expected energy and wage costs, reduced concessionary-fare spending and planned use of reserves. Children’s services faced an underlying overspend of about £4.5 million, driven by a sharp rise in children entering care, while health and care reserves were used to balance costs. Council finance leaders said a recovery plan, cost-recovery work and efficiency measures were being developed, while acknowledging that recurring pressures require structural change.

Residents in Cheslyn Hay fear repeated flooding will continue because a drainage problem affecting properties on Wesley Avenue and Low Street has not yet been repaired. Malcolm Podmore says his home has flooded twice in nine months, while a neighbour installed a pump to keep water out. Staffordshire County Council identified a blockage in an upstream highway-drainage manhole but says further investigations are needed, with a logged job not due until April 2027. District councillor Robert Duncan argues that the root cause appears to have been identified already and is urging the council to provide a firm timetable and carry out the necessary repairs without further delay.

Hixon Parish Council has applied to Stafford Borough Council to convert a redundant boiler house at Walnut Crest into a parish office with meeting and storage space. A resident objected, citing already limited parking, but councillor Susan McKeown said the office would be used for no more than 15 hours per week, most councillors live nearby, and visitors would be directed to the council car park. Chair Brendan McKeown said the building had been unused for at least 20 years and would provide a public-facing base and future storage capacity for council records.

Discussions about the future of the former Museum of Cannock Chase in Hednesford have been paused at the request of Chase Heritage CIC, which had proposed creating a heritage and leisure village through a Community Asset Transfer. Cannock Chase District Council is continuing to maintain and secure the closed museum, while Cannock Chase Shed has returned to the site under a new lease. Chase Heritage cited the need to develop its proposals further and concerns about the potential impact of local government reorganisation. The council is preparing a Community Asset Transfer policy in case the group resumes negotiations.

A June heatwave and high humidity contributed to longer ambulance handover delays at University Hospitals of North Midlands, with equipment problems, increased admissions and fewer early discharges adding pressure to A&E departments. Ambulances waited an average of 82 minutes to offload patients, well above the NHS target of 45 minutes, while Royal Stoke University Hospital recorded an 86-minute year-to-date average. Performance improved substantially in July, supported by earlier clinical decisions, faster discharges, expanded discharge-lounge use and increased frailty assessments, although the trust remains below the required standard. The new Royal Stoke urgent treatment centre has been delayed until September, and hospital officials say further capital investment is needed to prepare for future heatwaves.

Staffordshire County Council is calling on the Government to address what it describes as longstanding inequalities in school and high-needs funding. The county is among the lowest-funded authorities per mainstream pupil and ranks sixth lowest for high-needs allocations, while nearly 11,000 children and young people have Education, Health and Care Plans. Councillors say rural transport costs and rising SEND demand are placing additional pressure on schools and services. Although a new High Needs Stability Grant is expected to cover 90% of the council’s historic deficit, Staffordshire anticipates at least £10 million in remaining liabilities and remains uncertain about future deficits. Its SEND Reform Plan aims to expand early intervention, specialist support, EHCP coordination and enhanced resource bases in mainstream schools.

Cannock Chase Council’s cabinet will consider whether to retain and refurbish the closed Prince of Wales Theatre or proceed with plans to redevelop its site as part of a wider town-centre regeneration scheme. Retaining the theatre would require at least £9.6 million, while the council has about £14 million in remaining regeneration funding and says the option could delay other projects and create financial uncertainty. More than 20,000 people have signed a petition to save the venue, and council leader Paul Jones says residents’ views must be considered before a decision is made.

Staffordshire’s local-government reorganization is moving ahead, with two new unitary councils planned to replace the county’s existing county, district and borough authorities. A northern council covering Stoke-on-Trent, Newcastle-under-Lyme and Staffordshire Moorlands would serve more than 490,000 people, while a southern council would cover areas with a combined population exceeding 680,000. Elections to shadow councils are scheduled for May 2027, with the new authorities expected to take over on April 1, 2028. Existing councils will continue operating until then, but councillors have raised concerns that the timetable is unrealistic, could put staff under excessive pressure, and may delay major projects and risk the delivery of vital services.

Veteran former councillor Jack Kemp recalls joining Stafford Borough Council’s shadow authority in 1973 ahead of the 1974 reorganisation, when four local councils were merged. After 50 years of service, including leadership of the borough council, Kemp was recently made an Honorary Alderman and granted the Freedom of the Borough. He reflects on earlier concerns about losing local identities, unequal influence and effective representation—issues that have resurfaced as Staffordshire’s councils face abolition. Current proposals would create northern and southern unitary authorities, with the southern authority covering six existing districts and boroughs and comprising 92 councillors, while Stoke-on-Trent, Newcastle-under-Lyme and Staffordshire Moorlands would form the northern authority.

Nationwide Building Society has applied to Stafford Borough Council to install secure external cabinets containing a defibrillator and bleed control kit outside its Greengate Street branch. The equipment would provide publicly accessible, 24-hour emergency assistance for cardiac arrests and severe blood-loss incidents. Nationwide says the cabinets would be placed prominently while minimising their visual impact on Stafford’s conservation area. The article also lists recent planning applications submitted to councils across Staffordshire.

More than 1,000 people have signed a petition launched by Stone, Great Wyrley and Penkridge MP Sir Gavin Williamson calling on Stafford Borough Council to provide two hours of free parking at its Christchurch Way and Crown Street car parks. Williamson argues that free parking would increase high-street footfall and support businesses facing rising costs. Previous free parking sites in Northesk Street and Crown Wharf are no longer available in the same form because of land sales and redevelopment. The council says its £1.40 two-hour charge funds car-park maintenance, lighting, CCTV, cleaning and public toilets, and warns that removing the charges would require council-tax funding or service cuts.

Staffordshire County Council is preparing to adopt a new Winter Service Policy before the 2026/27 season. The policy would allow parish, town, borough and district councils or local communities to fund additional grit bins, with the county council supplying and maintaining them. Cabinet member Peter Mason defended the council's previous winter gritting operation, saying extreme cold and reduced traffic limited the effectiveness of salt, while councillor Simon Tagg called for tangible improvements after public dissatisfaction in North Staffordshire. The council plans to retain coverage of about 40% of the road network while modernizing route assessments.

Staffordshire County Council has submitted plans to Lichfield District Council for a new health centre on land south of Milestone Way in Burntwood. The facility would replace temporary and dispersed services at Salters Meadow Health Centre, Burntwood Leisure Centre and Darwin Medical Practice in Chasetown, while also accommodating NHS community services. The wider proposal includes sports pitches, open space and outline consent for a care home. Council leader Martin Murray said the project remains on schedule and highlighted collaboration with NHS partners and community engagement. The report also lists recently published or validated planning applications across Stafford, Cannock Chase, South Staffordshire and Lichfield, covering housing, extensions, renewable energy, commercial conversions, environmental works and the redevelopment of the former Rugeley Power Station.

South Staffordshire Council’s planning committee approved two-storey extensions at Ashcroft Hollow Nursing Home in Huntington, creating 25 additional bedrooms, improved community facilities, expanded staff parking and six extra visitor spaces. Residents submitted 15 objections, citing loss of light, overlooking, the development’s overbearing scale and breaches of separation standards. The applicant’s agent argued that landscaping, restricted-vision windows and separation measures would mitigate the impact, while councillors said a site visit eased their initial concerns.

South Staffordshire District Council’s planning committee unanimously approved N Family Group’s proposal for a single-storey garden pod at its Codsall nursery. The expansion will create 32 additional places for children, addressing a waiting list of 43, despite the site being in the green belt. The council accepted the shortage of nursery places as a very special circumstance, while the applicant said the pod was needed because existing space could not be expanded under Ofsted regulations. The development will also reconfigure the car park, increasing capacity from 46 to 54 spaces.

Plans by David Wilson Homes for up to 450 homes at Grove Hill in Stonnall have advanced after a public consultation. The proposal includes nearly 12 hectares of country park, wildlife habitats, public open space, and possible facilities including a sports pavilion, village hall and parking improvements. No primary school is planned because the existing school has spare capacity, although funding for a pre-school nursery may be provided. The development is intended to help Lichfield District Council address a shortfall of 1,055 homes in its five-year housing land supply, but residents have raised concerns about the impact on the village’s character, roads and infrastructure.

Outline planning consent has been granted for up to 180 homes on farmland west of Wrottesley Park Road in Perton, forming the second phase of residential development near the already approved 220-home Wrottesley Village scheme. Residents and MP Mike Wood objected that narrow, unfinished roads would be unable to handle roughly 400 additional vehicles, while also raising concerns about pedestrian safety, emergency access and pressure on local services. Supporters said the site is allocated for development, highways capacity is adequate, and the scheme will improve roads and pedestrian links.

Residents and parish councillors in Rudyard oppose a planning application to change the former John Munroe Independent Hospital’s use from psychiatric care to the broader C2a category for secure residential institutions. They are concerned about the site’s proximity to two schools, potential security failures, noise, traffic and inadequate public consultation. The hospital closed in 2022 after Care Quality Commission enforcement action, while its current owners say the application would regularize the site’s existing secure psychiatric use and support modernization without additional development. The application may be referred to Staffordshire Moorlands District Council’s planning committee, with public comments due by August 5.

A motion at Cannock Chase District Council called for Staffordshire County Council to reverse a pause on Pride displays in libraries, prompting cross-party debate and opposition from Reform UK councillors. Supporters argued the displays promote inclusivity and representation for minority communities, while county officials said the temporary halt applies to all discretionary displays during a broader review of library space. Councillors raised concerns about community safety, equal treatment under the Equality Act, and the implications for future cultural or commemorative displays. The discussion also included debate over appointing an LGBT+ ambassador for the coming civic year.

Two parents from Cannock received 12‑month community orders and fines after their daughter missed 52 school sessions between May and July last year. Court proceedings outlined the girl's anxiety, possible undiagnosed ADHD, and severe behavioural issues, while the defence highlighted both parents’ mental health struggles and their efforts to support school attendance. Despite offers of assistance from education welfare services, the girl's attendance remained low, and she has since transitioned to home education with regular monitoring, which is reported to be progressing well.

A protester charged with assault after being removed from a Staffordshire County Council meeting had his case withdrawn by prosecutors, prompting him to seek a public apology from council leader Martin Murray. The incident stemmed from a December 2025 protest in which campaigners disrupted a council session over alleged racist comments by Reform councillors. Following the disruption, security measures at County Buildings were tightened and several protesters were barred from the public gallery. Police confirmed the case was discontinued while maintaining an ongoing investigation.

A suspended two‑month prison sentence was issued to Simon McDonagh for breaching an interim injunction by continuing unauthorised development of a traveller site on green belt land near Stafford. Courts ordered the removal of caravans, machinery and materials, and extended the injunction until 2031. The development faced strong opposition from residents and was refused planning permission in 2025 after more than 650 objections. Councillor Alec Sandiford, who supported enforcement efforts, welcomed the outcome, while family members previously stated they sought pitches to allow continued access to local schools and services.

Magistrates fined the parents of a Newcastle boy who missed 43 of 90 school sessions after they failed to appear in court. Prosecutors said the school had offered adjustments to support better attendance and that the mother’s work commitments and the father’s frequent absence contributed to the issue. Each parent received a £440 fine plus costs and a surcharge at North Staffordshire Justice Centre.

A Stafford mother was fined and given a 12‑month community order after failing to ensure regular school attendance for her two daughters, whose attendance rates had fallen to 73% and 31%. Prosecutors detailed numerous unauthorised absences despite adjustments and support offered by the schools. The defence cited family circumstances, financial hardship, and behavioural challenges as contributing factors, noting recent improvement in the younger child’s attendance and that the older child has now left education.

Senior councillors will discuss the future of Cannock’s closed Prince of Wales Theatre at an August cabinet meeting, with cross‑party talks planned. The venue was shut in 2025 during town centre regeneration and kept closed to address a £1.3m budget gap. A contractor’s report outlining more than £9.5m in structural, mechanical and electrical costs has been shared with group leaders ahead of discussions. Councillors confirmed further information will be released after the cabinet meeting.

Stone Town Council allocated grants to five community groups despite applications exceeding the annual budget, awarding funds to organisations including the BP Scouts, Man Time, Stone Choral Society, the Scout and Guide Band, and Stone Traders Group. Four groups were declined due to high reserves or lack of strong local ties. A second round of grants will open early next year.

Complaints against Staffordshire county councillors rose from 12 to 168 in a year, driven mostly by social media activity and concentrated heavily among Reform UK members. A report to the council’s Audit and Standards Committee highlighted that most cases originated from the public, with many involving online comments and a small number of councillors accounting for much of the activity. Fourteen of 80 concluded cases were found in breach of the code of conduct, while the rest showed no breach. Officials noted delays caused by the surge in cases and the need for external investigators, though administrative streamlining is underway to reduce backlogs. Councillors questioned resourcing and the merit of complaints, while officers emphasised due process and improvements in complaint volumes.

Staffordshire County Council is considering a new dress code for councillors that would prohibit sportswear, shorts except for medical reasons, hats without religious or medical justification, and any clothing or accessories displaying slogans or political messages. Small Union Jack, St George’s Cross or poppy pin badges would remain allowed. Additional procedural changes would allow meeting chairs to order the removal of members who disrupt proceedings. The Audit and Standards Committee has recommended the proposals for approval at the full council meeting on July 16.

A former nursing home at Foxearth in Spot Acre may be demolished to create nine new homes under a Permission in Principle application submitted to Stafford Borough Council. The proposal would redevelop the already developed site with family housing and associated features, with detailed design to follow at a later stage. The article also lists numerous recent planning applications across Staffordshire, including tree works, residential extensions, conversions, new dwellings, and commercial or community developments reviewed by several local councils.

A Staffordshire councillor reported waiting over two months for a food waste caddy, explaining that the delay forced him to dispose of maggot-infested waste himself. The issue arose during a committee discussion highlighting a rise in complaints to Stafford Borough Council, many linked to planning matters. Food waste caddy distribution began in mid‑March ahead of the new weekly collection service, which has seen high demand. The council later confirmed that the councillor’s caddy was delivered on June 29.

Keir Starmer’s resignation has created uncertainty in Staffordshire over plans to replace existing councils with a unitary authority system in 2028. Local committees report no official indication of delay, though decisions on the county’s future structure are still awaited from the Government. Conservative councillor Simon Tagg has submitted a petition signed by over 11,000 residents urging ministers to scrap forced mergers, arguing they would erode local accountability and community identity. Officials across several councils note that ongoing data-gathering work continues despite uncertainty over whether the reorganisation will proceed under the next prime minister.

A proposed 43‑hectare solar farm near Eccleshall was rejected by Stafford Borough Council after receiving 110 objections. Councillors cited harm to landscape character, glint and glare impacts, and effects on nearby listed buildings. Objectors argued the scheme would industrialise farmland, reduce agricultural capacity and strain narrow lanes. Supporters highlighted climate goals, energy generation benefits and mitigation measures. Councillors concluded the harms outweighed potential benefits and voted to refuse permission.