The Staffordshire Moorlands District Council (SMDC) meeting on 17 September 2025 addressed key issues including procurement procedures, treasury management, and local concerns such as allotments and the Leek & District Samaritans. Councillors approved revised procurement rules, reviewed the annual treasury management report, and debated motions on protecting allotments and supporting the local Samaritans branch.

Revised Procurement Procedure Rules

The council approved the revised Joint Procurement Procedure Rules, updating processes for purchasing, commissioning, licensing, leasing, and commercial partnerships. These rules, included within the council's constitution, were last revised in 2017.

Key changes include:

• Legislative Updates: Reflecting the transition from the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 to the Procurement Act 2023, which was implemented on 24 February 2025.
• Increased Thresholds: Raising the threshold for requiring a procurement webform to £5,000 (from £2,000) and the Invitation to Tender (ITT) threshold to above £30,000 (from above £25,000).
• Local Suppliers: Introducing a new section to promote the inclusion of local suppliers in procurement processes.
• Social Value and Sustainable Procurement: Incorporating new sections for social value and sustainable procurement, with a social value policy and a sustainable procurement policy included as appendices.

The report noted that under the Procurement Act 2023, procurements by local authorities cannot yet be wholly ringfenced for local suppliers due to provisions under the Local Government Act that need to be repealed.

The revised rules aim to align council spending with strategic goals, deliver value for money, and support social, economic, and environmental objectives.

Annual Treasury Management Report 2024/25

The council reviewed the Annual Treasury Management Report 2024/25, which assesses the council's treasury management activities and compliance with the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) Code of Practice on Treasury Management. The report was recommended to the Council for approval.

Key points from the report:

• Capital Expenditure: Totalled £14.9 million in 2024/25, primarily funded by contributions, resulting in a borrowing requirement of £942,000.
• External Debt: Total external debt at 31 March 2025, was £11.1 million.
• Investment Income: £307,000 interest income was earned from the capital loan to Your Housing Limited, in line with the budget.
• Investment Portfolio: The average daily investment portfolio during 2024/25 was £17.6 million, yielding £853,907 in investment income. The average return on the investment portfolio was 4.85%.

The report confirmed that borrowing was only undertaken for capital purposes and that the statutory borrowing limit was not breached.

Treasury Management Update

Councillors reviewed the Treasury Management Update, which provided an overview of the council's treasury management position for the first quarter of 2025/26.

Key highlights included:

• Bank of England Base Rate: Decreased from 4.50% to 4.25% in May.
• Investment Portfolio: At the end of the quarter, the council's investment portfolio totalled £14 million, with £1.5 million in Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) linked investments.
• Investment Income: A shortfall of £55,000 in investment income is forecast against a budget of £742,030.
• External Debt: The council's level of external debt is forecast to be £12.6 million at the end of the year.

The report noted that all treasury management operations have been conducted in full compliance with the council's Treasury Management Practices and within the set prudential indicators.

Allotments

Councillor Joe Porter raised a motion opposing any plans by the Labour Government to encourage local councils to sell off community allotments. Allotments are vital spaces which bring people together and are vital for the health and wellbeing of local residents, and none of these spaces should be sold in the Staffordshire Moorlands.

Leek & District Samaritans

Councillor Andrew Church proposed a motion to support the Leek & District Samaritans branch, which has been serving the community since 1966. The motion called upon the Chief Executive of the Council to:

1. Write to Julie Bentley, CEO of Samaritans UK, and Keith Leslie, Chair of the Trustees of Samaritans, seeking confirmation that the Leek & District Branch will not be selected for closure.
2. Assist any subsequent campaign to maintain the existence of the branch.

The motion was raised due to concerns about the Future Proofing Samaritans programme, which could lead to the closure of around half of the current two hundred branches.