The Staffordshire Council Cabinet met on Wednesday 21 January 2026 to discuss the county's economic development, equality objectives, and domestic abuse strategy. Key decisions included the adoption of a new equality objective and the approval of the Staffordshire Domestic Abuse Strategy.

Staffordshire Means Business Update

Deputy Leader Martin Murray, who is also the Cabinet Member for Economy and Skills, provided an update on the Staffordshire Means Business initiative. The claimant count for Universal Credit in Staffordshire has decreased by 465 over the past year, standing at 14,800, which is 2.7% of the working-age population. This rate is significantly lower than the national average of 4% and the regional rate of 5.2%. However, the number of young claimants (aged 18-24) has increased by 265 to 3,245, representing 5.2% of this age group, which is still below the national average of 5.8% and the regional rate of 7.8%.

Inflation has risen to 3.4%, impacting the cost of living. The council is focused on creating conditions for businesses to thrive and supporting residents in gaining skills for meaningful employment. A recent Big Tourism Conference at Uttoxeter Racecourse saw the launch of a new visitor mascot, the Staffordshire Ball Terrier, as part of a three-year plan to boost the county's visitor economy, which is already worth £2.7 billion. Plans for Staffordshire Day on May 1st include a Staffie Trail featuring large-scale sculptures to encourage exploration of town centres and support local businesses.

Staffordshire will also be attending UK REiiF in May to promote investment opportunities, including the Eastgate Regeneration Scheme, 5500 Corridor, Chatterley Park, and central edge development in Staffordshire and Wolverhampton. The council's film office, Screen Staffordshire, launched last year, has attracted productions like BBC One's Celebrity Masterchef's Finals Week, which featured the World of Wedgwood. The council continues to support businesses through its eight enterprise centres, with a new hot desk facility opened in Burton's Waterside Court Enterprise Centre. The county farms estate generated £734,000 in net income and supported five new tenants, contributing to local food production and rural jobs.

Public Sector Equality Duty - Equality Objectives

Councillor Lodge presented the proposal for the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED), which mandates that public bodies must consider equality in their functions. The PSED aims to eliminate unlawful discrimination, advance equality of opportunity, and foster good relations between different groups. Staffordshire County Council must consciously consider these aims when making decisions. The council is required to publish at least one equality objective every four years, along with annual workforce equality data and gender pay gap information.

The proposed new equality objective for Staffordshire County Council from January 2026 is: to ensure that Staffordshire County Council is a place where equal opportunities exist for all employees, regardless of their circumstances. This objective will be published on the council website for up to four years and will be measured through workforce equality data, the gender pay gap, and completed Community Impact Assessments (CIAs) for new strategies, policies, and services. Councillor Lodge emphasised that equality should be embedded throughout the organisation, from management to staff training. The Cabinet agreed to this proposal.

Staffordshire Domestic Abuse Strategy

Councillor Anthony Screen, Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Resilience, presented the Staffordshire Domestic Abuse Strategy 2025-2029. This strategy aligns with the council's commitment to community safety and resilience, including the development of the first County Council Community Safety Strategy and the creation of Councillor Screen's dedicated portfolio. The core aim of the strategy is to ensure every resident feels safe, supported, and empowered.

The strategy focuses on putting victims and their families at the centre of all efforts, aiming to improve outcomes, prevent domestic abuse, hold perpetrators accountable, and support behavioural change. It also seeks to enhance cooperation across Staffordshire's systems and hold partners accountable for shared outcomes. While Stoke-on-Trent City Council has its own domestic abuse strategy, Staffordshire County Council's strategy will co-exist, presenting an opportunity for leadership and innovation. The strategy is committed to being locally accountable, data-driven, and adaptable, with a robust review and scrutiny structure for continuous improvement. Councillor Screen stressed the importance of reliable data and strengthened collaboration between the police, social care, and commissioned providers. The progress of the strategy will be monitored through clear action plans and performance measures, overseen by a dedicated staff and domestic abuse partnership board. The Cabinet approved the Staffordshire Domestic Abuse Strategy.

Delegated Decision: Return-to-Home Interviews for Children

A delegated decision regarding the cessation of locally funded return-to-home interviews for children placed in Staffordshire from other local authorities was presented for information. Councillor Anthony Screen, Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Resilience, stated his disagreement with this decision, noting that he do not support this delegated decision. He expressed concerns that ceasing these interviews carries avoidable safeguarding risks, as they provide local intelligence on exploitation and contextual harm for children who go missing from addresses within Staffordshire's communities.

Bernie Brown, in the absence of the Cabinet Member for Children's Services, contested the suggestion of safeguarding risks. As a statutory officer for Children's Services with a safeguarding duty, Bernie Brown stated, I would not countenance bringing a decision to you that placed any of our children at risk in Staffordshire. They clarified that the statutory safeguarding duty for children from other authorities placed in Staffordshire lies with those originating authorities, not Staffordshire County Council. The decision was made to divert resources to safeguarding Staffordshire's own children placed outside the county. The Cabinet noted Councillor Screen's disagreement and safeguarding concerns. The decision was passed forward.

Forward Plan

The Cabinet reviewed the forward plan, which outlines upcoming matters for Cabinet discussion and decisions over the next few months. The members were happy with the content of the forward plan.