Staffordshire

Emergency services responded swiftly this morning after a multi-vehicle collision snarled traffic on the northbound M6, closing two lanes and causing significant delays for commuters between Cannock and Stafford. The incident occurred shortly before 11:10 a.m. between junctions 12 and 13, where police received reports of a crash involving "a number of vehicles." Staffordshire Police officers attended the scene, confirming no injuries were reported. Clearance operations wrappe

Staffordshire County Council has appointed Reform UK Councillor Sean Bagguley to the pivotal role of Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources, overseeing the authority’s budget, contracts, and performance metrics.   The move comes after former cabinet member Cllr Chris Large stepped down due to a family bereavement. Bagguley, who represents the Stone Rural North division, was elected to the council in May 2025.  Prior to his cabinet appointment, he served on the audit and sta

Emergency Incident Unfolds at Blurton Home on Valentine’s Day - photo from Stoke-on-Trent Live. Emergency services rushed to a residential property in Blurton this afternoon following reports of an incident at a house on Newbury Grove. The response began around 12:30 PM, with Staffordshire Police, paramedics from West Midlands Ambulance Service, and firefighters from Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service arriving at the scene. The house was quickly cordoned off with police ta

Reform UK Delivers Balanced Budget for Staffordshire Amid Opposition Chaos at County Council Meeting Reform UK’s acting leader, Councillor Martin Murray, successfully steered Staffordshire County Council through a full council meeting today, securing approval for a sensible 2026/27 budget and Medium Term Financial Strategy spanning 2026 to 2031. The session, held at County Buildings in Stafford and broadcast live online, was marked by unnecessary disruptions from Conservative

In a significant escalation of efforts to combat high-harm criminal activities, Staffordshire Police have announced the arrest of over 350 individuals as part of their ongoing Operation Target. This crackdown focuses on disrupting serious and organised crime networks involved in drug supply, illegal firearms, cyber-crime, and human trafficking across the county. The operation, which involves planned raids and intelligence-led investigations, has resulted in 121 of those arres

The Staffordshire Police, Fire & Crime Panel held two pivotal meetings today, addressing key issues in public safety funding and leadership. In the morning session, the panel approved a modest increase in the council tax precept for Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service, while the afternoon confirmation hearing resulted in the appointment of Glynn Luznyj as the new Chief Fire Officer. The day’s proceedings began at 10:00am with a focus on the fire and rescue budget. Staffords

Say No to the UK government forcing unitary councils - https://c.org/myCb8LgmXW A vocal campaign by Staffordshire Moorlands Reform UK councillors has sparked intense local debate over the UK Government’s proposed Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) for Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent. The group accuses Whitehall of driving a “blatant centralisation power grab” that threatens local democracy, increases costs, and leaves communities feeling ignored during a cost‑of‑living cr

Heavy Rain Causes Flooding Across Staffordshire, with Roads, Parks and Cars Submerged Persistent heavy rainfall over the weekend has led to widespread flooding throughout Staffordshire, affecting towns, villages, and rural areas, with reports of submerged cars, flooded streets, and inundated parks. The deluge has overwhelmed drainage systems, raised river levels and prompted multiple flood alerts from the Environment Agency as saturated ground struggled to absorb more water.

By Staffs News Team Date: February 07, 2026 As Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent navigate the ongoing government-driven push for local government reorganisation, with five official proposals now under consultation and a decision expected this summer, Staffs News has taken a fresh look at the county's map. We believe a clean, logical division into three unitary authorities  would strike the best balance: strong enough to deliver efficient services and attract investment, while

Photo from Stoke Sentinel Localised flooding has disrupted parts of Staffordshire after persistent heavy rain, prompting the Environment Agency to issue multiple flood alerts and the Met Office to maintain weather warnings across the region. North Staffordshire has been particularly hard hit, with reports of submerged roads, surface water flooding, and rising river levels in areas including Stoke-on-Trent, Newcastle-under-Lyme, and surrounding rural districts. Drivers have fa

Staffordshire Police are urging residents to remain vigilant and review their home security following a series of incidents where thieves broke into key safes, resulting in at least one vehicle being stolen in the Stoke-on-Trent area. The warning was issued on Friday, February 6, after multiple key safes were forcibly accessed overnight and in the early hours. Key safes—commonly used by homeowners, carers, or family members to store spare house or car keys outside properties—

Government Launches Public Consultation on Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent LGR The UK Government has opened a public consultation asking people across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent for their views on how local councils should be reorganised. The consultation began on 5 February 2026 and will run for seven weeks, closing at 11.59pm on 26 March 2026. It follows proposals put forward by councils last November as part of a national drive to replace two-tier council systems wi

In a significant advancement for support services, Staffordshire County Council has successfully eliminated the backlog of educational psychology assessments required for children and young people’s Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), reducing waiting times from six months to none. The council’s Educational Psychology Service has dramatically decreased the number of children awaiting assessments, from over 400 in March of last year to fewer than nine currently. New refe

Staffordshire County Council has announced that Councillor Chris Large is stepping down from his role as Reform UK group leader and as cabinet member for finance and resources following a family bereavement.  Large, who represents the Brewood division in South Staffordshire, was appointed to replace the previous group leader, Ian Cooper, who resigned in December amid a social media controversy.  He had been expected to assume the full council leadership role at the next meeti

Staffordshire, UK – February 3, 2026 – In a pointed letter to local MPs, Staffordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Strategic Highways, Peter Mason, has strongly refuted reports suggesting the authority received an additional £54 million in government funding for road maintenance, calling such statements “false and misleading.”  The clarification comes amid ongoing debates over the county’s vast highway network, which spans nearly 4,000 miles and is valued at over £7 b

In a key meeting yesterday (Monday February 2nd), Staffordshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, Ben Adams, successfully presented and gained support for a proposed increase in the policing precept, aiming to bolster local law enforcement resources despite ongoing national debates over policing restructuring. The Staffordshire Police, Fire and Crime Panel convened on Monday, February 2, at 10:00am in the Oak Room at County Buildings, Stafford, for a session that focused h

West Midlands Railway Transitions to Public Ownership in Major Step for UK's Rail Reform Birmingham, 1 February 2026  — Commuters and passengers across the West Midlands and beyond woke up today to a significant change on their rail networks: West Midlands Railway (WMR), along with its sister brand London Northwestern Railway (LNR), has officially transferred into public ownership. The move, effective from Sunday 1 February 2026, sees services previously operated by West Midl

New Reform UK Leader Elected at Staffordshire County Council Reform UK councillors at Staffordshire County Council have elected a new group leader. Cllr Chris Large, who represents the Brewood division, has taken on the role after a vote by the controlling group. He will be supported by Cllr Martin Murray as deputy group leader. Murray had been acting as leader since the previous leader, Cllr Ian Cooper, resigned following controversy over social media posts. Cllr Large curre

Staffordshire Children’s Services Earns Ofsted Praise After Major Improvements Staffordshire County Council’s children’s services have been given a significant vote of confidence by Ofsted following a focused reinspection in December 2025. Inspectors described the service as having made strong progress since it was rated as requiring improvement in 2023. They highlighted ambitious leadership, improved management oversight and better decision-making for vulnerable children. Th