• Lord Lieutenant Professor Elizabeth Barnes has appointed three new Deputy Lieutenants
• The new appointees are Jonathan Joseph Mannion CStJ, Mohammed Khuram and Philip Edward Pusey MBE, MCM
• The Deputy Lieutenants began their roles on Monday 16 March, with a formal ceremony taking place later in the year

• sben celebrates 1000 member milestone

• Family-run artisan fudge producer joins network

• Businesses can increase profitability and improve environmental performance

• New economic strategy for Staffordshire approved

• Five delivery priorities set out to shape county's growth

• County council will lead, collaborate and advocate projects to build resilient economy

• Country park visitors are being reminded to stick to paths and keep their dogs on leads to protect wildlife.

• Cannock Chase is one of the region’s most important strongholds for adders, which have declined sharply across the UK.

• Protecting rare species such as adders is a key part of the council’s refreshed Natural Environment Strategy.

• Amy Stokes, 16, from Tamworth has won the Staffy art trail design competition.

• Her winning design will be painted onto one of the Staffordshire Day art trail's Staffy sculptures, with the help of a professional local artist.

• With English Tourism Week launching today, Staffordshire celebrates its growing visitor economy which has seen overnight visitors rise by more than 5%.

• A rogue trader is ordered to pay back £240k to victims or face more time in prison.

• Richard Stubbs has been given three months to pay or will face two and a half more years in jail.

• Stubbs was found guilty of fraud, fraudulent trading and perverting the course of justice for ripping off customers and leaving them severely out of pocket.

• Cabinet will consider a new five-year Environmental Action Plan (2026–2030) next week.

• The plan sets out practical actions to tackle environmental challenges and support economic growth.

• Eight priorities include reducing waste, supporting access to affordable and reliable energy, strengthening resilience to flooding, and supporting biodiversity.

• Concern over loss of good farming land
• Campaign for a national strategy
• Sign the petition for balanced land use

• 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.

• Trading Standards officers seized illegal tobacco and vape products with estimated retail value of £14k

• Three shops in Newcastle-under-Lyme were raided

• Shops are now under investigation and could be forced to close