Residents, businesses and community organisations across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent are being encouraged to share their views as the Government launches its statutory consultation on local government reorganisation.

Councillor Chris Large has stepped down as Staffordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources and the Group Leader for Reform UK due to a family bereavement that has had a wider impact on his family.

• Preparation works take place in Stone ahead of major summer improvements
• Investigations to take two weeks - including school half-term
• Lane closures and signals in place on ring road

• Land preparation for Stafford regeneration scheme set to begin
• Excavation and trial works take place ahead of main ground remediation
• Staffordshire County Council working with Stafford Borough Council on scheme delivery

• New programme to provide intensive employment support for up to a year
• It joins up local health and employment support so that people have a better chance of finding work
• Website now live with information for people and employers

• Staffordshire County Council's Trading Standards team supported Lichfield District Council and Staffordshire Police in the closure of a shop that had sold illegal cigarettes.

• Goods seized from shop include over 11k illicit cigarettes and more than 3kg hand rolling tobacco worth more than £6,000.

• On Friday 30 January, Cannock Magistrates’ Court granted a Closure Order for Mini Market for the maximum permitted period of three months, effective immediately.

Highways crews will be starting major improvements at the Cellarhead junction in the Staffordshire Moorlands next week.

Staffordshire County Council is investing an extra £15 million over the next two years to accelerate repairs of lower‑level potholes across the county.

Ofsted inspectors have praised ‘significant’ improvements in Staffordshire’s children services.

A trial bus service linking four South Staffordshire villages with Wolverhampton city centre which started this month has already been extended – after the county council took on board community feedback.