Investment budget approved by county council
Staffordshire County Council has approved its investment budget for 2026/27, committing hundreds of millions of pounds to key services while maintaining one of the lowest council tax levels for county authorities in England.
Last updated 12th Feb 2026
The £840 million budget includes major investment in children’s services, adult social care, roads and community facilities.
Key investment areas
The approved budget includes:
- £15 million extra to fix potholes and improve roads
- £332 million to support vulnerable and older people
- £1 million for a new town centre campus in Stafford for 16 to 19-year-olds with special educational needs
- Funding for 120 additional staff over the next two years to support vulnerable children — a £5.5 million investment praised by Ofsted inspectors
- Around £506 million of the overall budget will be spent on caring for vulnerable adults, children and young people.
Council tax increase
A 3.99 per cent council tax rise has been agreed. This is made up of a 1.99 per cent general increase and a further two per cent ringfenced for social care.
For a Band D property, this will mean paying £1,686.42 per year — the second lowest county council tax level in England. The increase equates to £1.24 per week for a Band D household.
The council says it continues to have the third lowest county council tax level of any county council in England.
‘Huge ambitions’ for Staffordshire
Martin Murray, interim leader of Staffordshire County Council and cabinet member for economy and skills, said:
“We have huge ambitions for this council and this county and in 2026 we will be building on the foundations we started to lay in 2025 to make Staffordshire the beating heart of the country."
"We are investing in what is needed and in services that we know people value so that they can live and work happily and prosperously in our fantastic county.”
He added that the authority has reviewed its spending carefully to ensure it can invest in priority services while keeping council tax comparatively low.
“Since taking charge we have looked carefully at how the council spends its money."
"That scrutiny is how we can spend for the future while maintaining a lower level of council tax than almost every other English county council. "
"We are reducing placement costs in social care, using early interventions to require fewer placements for children and reviewing long-standing contracts."
"Separate to our budget plans of this year we have halted recruitment on non-essential posts and have further cost-saving reviews under way.”