• Staffordshire farmer banned from keeping animals for 10 years after animal welfare crimes

• Farmer Alexander Blackwell failed to meet needs of hundreds of animals at Alder Carr Farm in Mayfield

• Blackwell also was sentenced for breaching identification and record-keeping requirements

• County council supports campaign encouraging people to protect themselves when buying a used car

• The 'Stop Check Go' campaign aims to help people make informed decisions and supporting traders to meet their legal obligations

• Advice includes to avoid paying deposits before viewings, making sure a dealership genuinely exists and checking a vehicle's history

• Burton shop given Closure Order for maximum period for selling illegal tobacco products

• Staffordshire County Council supported East Staffordshire Borough Council

• Cannock Magistrates’ Court granted the Closure Order for the premises on Tuesday 10 March 2026

• Local artists are working with schoolchildren to turn their ideas into large-scale sculptures for a new public art trail

• The Staffy Trail launches on 1 May to celebrate the tenth anniversary of Staffordshire Day

• The project aims to bring together young people, artists and communities to showcase Staffordshire’s creativity and attract visitors to local towns

• Sixteen adult social care workers and three teams have been recognised for their work in social work
• Over 300 were nominated by their colleagues this year
• The British Association of Social Workers, who run the awards event, has featured their accomplishments online as part of their World Social Work Day celebrations

Nominations for the 2026 Dignity in Care Awards will open on Wednesday 1 April celebrating the compassion, respect and dedication shown by professional carers of adults. Unpaid Carers will also be recognised at ceremony later this year

• 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

• More than 2,000 carers have accessed training through new social care learning platform
• The training launched as a pilot in 2025 and has proven to be successful
• The learning portal offers free or low-cost courses and includes e-learning and in-person training sessions

• 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%.