Staffordshire County Council has successfully balanced its books, while spending two thirds of its budget on vulnerable residents, and investing in infrastructure.
A final report on the authority’s financial performance for 2025/26 shows that the council delivered within one per cent of its £753 million budget.
Of that almost £330 million was spent on adult social care and £223 million on services for vulnerable children, young people and their families.
Sean Bagguley, Staffordshire County Council’s cabinet member for Finance and Resources, said:
Successfully delivering a £753 million budget with a small surplus in the face of rising costs for fuel, materials and wages is an excellent achievement.
This is the result of consistently strong, detailed management with a focus on delivering the services people need, while remembering that every pound of public money must be spent wisely.”
The report to Cabinet shows that despite rising demand for social care, the council underspent by 0.89 per cent of its £753 million budget.
At the same time, a combination of successfully obtained Government grants, and statutory contributions from housing and supermarket developers, have allowed the council to oversee the investment of £74 million on highways projects, and more than £29 million on building new schools, while expanding or upgrading others.
Those highway projects have included extensive maintenance on the A4091 in Fazeley; improvement work in the centre of Tamworth; and new cycle routes and improved crossings in Newcastle, helping connect Keele University with Stoke train station.
Investment in schools included in Oldfields Hall Middle School, Uttoxeter; Blythe Bridge High School; Shortbutts Lane, Lichfield; Paulet High School, Burton; and Dunstall Park, Tamworth.
Sean Bagguley added:
A council that cannot control its budget cannot meet its promises to residents.
We will continue to meet our day-to-day responsibilities while investing in Staffordshire’s future.”
