• The Ignite programme, teaching enterprise skills to young people, has returned for its sixth year.

• New to the programme is a Dragon's Den-style competition, where students will be invited to put together a business plan and pitch it to a panel of judges, with prizes up for grabs.

• Ignite has helped more than 30,000 young people across Staffordshire to develop business skills.

• Trentham Estate is the first organisation to sponsor a ‘Staffy’ sculpture for a new public art trail celebrating 10 years of Staffordshire Day.

• The sculpture will be displayed in Stafford during the 10 week trail before returning to Trentham as a lasting legacy.

• Painted by local schoolchildren, the sculpture will feature Trentham’s colours and help promote Staffordshire to visitors and businesses.

• Planning application for waste treatment facility near Stafford set for appeal hearing in April

• County council committee rejected the plans for Hixon Industrial Estate

• Parish council and residents opposed to plans

• Updated Natural Environment Strategy sets out how the county council will protect and enhance nature across Staffordshire.

• New actions include targeted species recovery, wildlife friendly verge management, natural flood solutions, hedgerow restoration and installing features like bat boxes on new council developments.

• Biodiversity Report shows strong progress since 2024, including habitat restoration, targeted action for species, reduced peat and pesticide use, pollinator planting and growing community involvement.