The Cabinet of Staffordshire Council met on Wednesday 18 March 2026, approving a significant investment in highways and transport, a new economic strategy, and an environmental action plan. Key decisions also included the endorsement of a new policy for county farms and the allocation of funding for high needs provision in education.

Combined Highways and Transport Capital Delivery Programme 2026/27

The council approved a combined highways and transport capital programme for 2026-2027, representing a new integrated approach to investing in the county's roads, transport infrastructure, and connectivity. This programme, totalling approximately £138 million, directly supports the ambitions set out in Staffordshire's Strategic Direction and Local Transport Plan. The largest portion, £72.8 million (53%), will be dedicated to highway maintenance, reflecting the scale of the aging network, the growing backlog of repairs, and the impact of weather events. The emphasis is on long-term preventative maintenance rather than short-term fixes, aiming to address structural issues, tackle problem areas, and improve drainage and footways.

Councillor Peter Mason, Cabinet Member for Strategic Highways, highlighted the challenges of funding, stating, The funding that the government provides for maintenance, directly for maintenance, is less than 40% of what's needed for steady state and stop it getting worse. He added that the council itself will invest £15 million over two years to address low-level defects, particularly potholes. Alongside maintenance, the programme includes investments in junction upgrades, traffic signalling, local safety schemes, bus infrastructure, active travel improvements, and journey time reliability. A key strategy to maximise investment is combining travel improvements and infrastructure maintenance into single packages of work to reduce planning and traffic management costs. An additional £40 million from developer funds will be used for specific local improvements related to new developments.

Councillor Councillor Vodgerson raised a question about footway maintenance, and Councillor Mason confirmed that £3.1 million is allocated for footway repairs. He detailed changes to delivery, including dedicated pre-works weed treatments, daily road sweeping, and the reintroduction of a council clerk of works to oversee preventative maintenance, ensuring better quality and control. Councillor Andrew Mynors, Cabinet Member for Connectivity, praised the document, noting its positive reception and alignment with his portfolio. The Cabinet approved the programme, which will be submitted to the Department for Transport as the council's Local Transport Delivery Plan.

Economic Strategy

The Cabinet approved Staffordshire County Council's new Economic Strategy, outlining a vision for the future of the local economy. The strategy focuses on five key priorities: promoting Staffordshire as a place to visit, supporting vibrant towns and a strong visitor economy, unlocking growth through infrastructure and key corridors, developing skills and opportunities for shared prosperity, and encouraging enterprise and innovation.

Martin Murray, Acting Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Economy and Skills, described the strategy as ambitious, but it is also practical and grounded in evidence. He emphasised Staffordshire's central location, strong transport connections, and skilled workforce as competitive advantages. The strategy acknowledges that success will depend on strong partnership working with district and borough councils, businesses, colleges, universities, and the government. The draft strategy was approved and will be taken to the Economy, Infrastructure & Communities Overview & Scrutiny Committee for consideration and input. The Acting Leader and Cabinet Member for Economy and Skills, along with the Deputy Chief Executive and Director for Economy, Infrastructure & Skills, will be authorised to make necessary changes based on feedback and national policy shifts.

Environmental Action Plan

An Environmental Action Plan was approved, which aims to translate the council's environmental strategy into practical steps. The plan prioritises reducing the council's environmental impact, improving energy efficiency, preparing services and communities for extreme weather events, and supporting skills, jobs, and local nature recovery. The overarching goals are to create healthy communities, strengthen resilience, and drive economic growth through innovation and resource efficiency.

Councillor Andrew Mynors, Cabinet Member for Connectivity, stated, Our goal is long-term economic growth that works hand in hand with nature, delivering cleaner air, greener spaces, and a resilient, prosperous Staffordshire for generations to come. The plan includes 91 actions and will be reviewed quarterly. Councillor Scring inquired about tackling environmental crime, such as fly-tipping and illegal waste activity. Councillor Anthony Screen, Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Resilience, confirmed close collaboration on this issue, highlighting efforts under priority five (waste minimisation) to advocate for stronger national policy and guidance. He noted the significant cost of environmental crime to landowners and the council. The draft Environmental Action Plan was approved.

Staffordshire County Farms Policy Statement

The Cabinet endorsed the Staffordshire County Farms Policy Statement, which sets out a long-term vision for the county's farms estate, covering approximately 6,500 acres across 63 holdings. The policy reaffirms the commitment to maintaining a productive, commercially viable, and forward-looking estate while supporting innovation and diversification.

Key objectives include helping aspiring farmers enter the sector, supporting rural enterprise, enhancing biodiversity and natural capital, maximising the social and commercial value of the estate, and ensuring strong, transparent governance. A crucial element of the policy is the commitment that the council will not promote county farmlands through the planning process and will protect farmland for farming. Large-scale solar farms and battery storage schemes will not be supported on the estate, though small-scale renewable technologies on farm buildings will be encouraged. In exceptional circumstances, incidental, non-core land or property may be disposed of, with receipts reinvested into the estate, but no productive county farmland will be used for housing development.

Martin Murray, Acting Leader and Cabinet Member for Economy and Skills, emphasised, Our county farms are safe, are secure, as we promised, as I personally promised, and personally promised to farmers individually. They will not be sold. They will be protected. He clarified that incidental land refers to small plots left over from previous sales or historically, not connected to county farm rental agreements. The policy states that such land will only be considered for sale on a case-by-case basis if it can be demonstrated that the proposed change of use would not have a material detrimental impact on the operational efficiency, integrity, or long-term sustainability of the county farm estate. The policy statement was endorsed.

High Needs Provision Capital Allocations (HNPCA) Funding 2025-2027

The Cabinet approved the utilisation of High Needs Provision Capital Allocations (HNPCA) funding for 2025-2027, amounting to £10.7 million. This funding will be used to create new places and enhance existing provision for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), including those with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), and pupils requiring alternative provision.

The funding will be directed towards three main areas: increasing access to mainstream placements by developing resource bases within mainstream schools; expanding specialist provision, including special school expansions, to reduce reliance on independent and out-of-county placements; and increasing capacity within Pupil Referral Units (PRUs) through targeted projects to meet rising demand for alternative provision. Councillor Janet Higgins, Cabinet Member for Education and SEND, stated, We want all children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) to be able to reach their potential by receiving the right support at the right time in their own communities, at their local school or nearest suitable place of education. The council currently maintains 10,200 EHCPs, with the proportion rising annually. The Director for Children and Families will be delegated authority to allocate the HNPCA funding to individual capital projects.

Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards

The Cabinet approved the procurement of services to undertake Best Interest Assessments, which are crucial for managing Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DOLS). DOLS are legal processes to ensure the safety of individuals who lack the capacity to consent to their care or treatment.

Councillor Martin Rogerson, Cabinet Member for Health and Care, explained that the decision aims to ensure sufficient capacity to complete Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards in line with our legal duties. The council receives approximately 850 DOLS applications each month, with around 425 requiring processing after withdrawals. Despite a backlog of 1,006 applications, Staffordshire's performance is noted as better than many other local authorities, with a median completion time of 36 days. The council plans to commission up to 5,000 assessments per year, paid per assessment, to increase capacity and reduce pressure on existing staff. This approach also allows for flexibility in response to potential national reforms, such as the paused Liberty Protection Safeguards programme. The procurement, valued at up to £1.75 million per year, will be funded from Health and Care Reserves.

Other Business

The Cabinet noted six decisions taken by Cabinet Members under delegated powers, relating to future care arrangements for Extra Care schemes at various venues, the future of Greenfield House Residential Home, and admission arrangements for community and voluntary controlled schools. Members also noted the Forward Plan of Key Decisions for the upcoming months. An exempt item concerning school-based residential overnight provision was discussed in private.