What’s It To Me?

Your council

Newcastle-under-Lyme: what’s happening where you live

What the council itself has published on the five things it most shapes for a household: homes, getting about, the bill, the local environment and schools. Each line is quoted from the council’s own document, with the link. This page says what was decided or proposed; it never says whether it was right.

Read on 25 September 2026. Councils publish at different rates and in different places, so “nothing found” means nothing found, not nothing happening.

Council plan · Budget · Meeting papers · Councillors · Register of interests · Consultations

Housing

Newcastle-under-Lyme's Local Plan, adopted 8 July 2026, plans for at least 8,000 homes over 2020-2040 (400 a year).

“A minimum of 8,000 dwellings will be delivered in the Borough over the Plan period 2020 – 2040 which equates to 400 dwellings per annum.”

Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council, 8 July 2026. Read 25 September 2026. Policy PSD1: Overall Development Strategy. Adoption date from https://www.newcastle-staffs.gov.uk/planning-policy/newcastle-lyme-local-plan-2020-2040 ('adopted at Full Council on 8 July 2026').

Transport

Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council is freezing town centre car park charges for 12 months in 2026/27.

“Town centre car park charges are to be frozen for 12 months.”

Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council, 4 February 2026. Read 25 September 2026. Article says the council 'is proposing' the freeze; budget adopted 11 Feb 2026 and minutes record 'Car park charges on surface level car parks would be frozen'. Also current: Air Quality Action Plan consultation (2026-2030) for Newcastle town centre, published 2 Sep 2026, covering congestion and traffic flow (https://www.newcastle-staffs.gov.uk/news/article/575/cleaner-air-consultation-under-way). Highways are run by Staffordshire County Council.

Council tax

Band D set by Newcastle-under-Lyme for 2026–27: £227.48 of a £2,334.25 total bill in the area. MHCLG, Council Tax levels set by local authorities in England 2026 to 2027 (Open Government Licence).

Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council set its 2026-27 Band D council tax at £227.48, a 1.99% increase.

“That the Band D Council Tax for 2026/27 be set at £227.48 (a 1.99% increase).”

Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council, 11 February 2026. Read 25 September 2026. Recommendation (c) in Appendix 1 of the report to Council, 11 February 2026. Minutes (https://moderngov.newcastle-staffs.gov.uk/mgAi.aspx?ID=28848): 'Resolved: That recommendations (a) to (o) as set out in Appendix 1 to this report, be approved.' Council Tax page also says 'The increase of 1.99 per cent is less than the rate of inflation.' (https://www.newcastle-staffs.gov.uk/council-tax/council-tax-summary/2).

Environment

Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council has ended its former commitment to be carbon neutral by 2030 and has no current council net-zero target.

“And Council Leader Jonathan Gullis has also announced that the Sustainable Environment Strategy, which commits the authority to be carbon neutral by 2030, has been ended with immediate effect.”

Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council, 26 May 2026. Read 25 September 2026. Full Council 8 July 2026 carried a motion rescinding the 2019 Climate Emergency Declaration; minutes: 'A vote was then taken on the original Motion and was carried.' (https://moderngov.newcastle-staffs.gov.uk/mgAi.aspx?ID=29190). Later council news (5 Aug 2026) reports the net zero target cancelled: https://www.newcastle-staffs.gov.uk/news/article/561/taxpayer-savings-grow-after-council-cancels-carbon-net-zero-target. The quoted press releases contain political statements by the Leader; only the factual sentence is quoted.

Education

Education (schools) is not a district council function; in this area schools are run by Staffordshire County Council. Where we looked

What Newcastle-under-Lyme is deciding

Every item on the agendas of Full Council and the Cabinet, as the council titled it, from about six months back to three months ahead. Left out: section headings, procedural items (apologies, minutes, declarations of interest, announcements, questions, appointments), anything about councillors’ attendance or allowances (which this site does not show), and private items the council itself withholds. Motions are shown with whoever the council’s agenda says proposed them; a councillor’s party is from Open Council Data.

Coming up

Recently

6 earlier meetings

  • Wed, 8 July 2026 · Full Council

    • BOROUGH LOCAL PLAN
    • STATEMENT OF THE LEADER OF THE COUNCIL
    • REPORTS OF THE CHAIRS OF THE SCRUTINY COMMITTEES
    • REPORTS OF THE CHAIRS OF THE REGULATORY COMMITTEES
    • MOTIONS OF MEMBERS
    • QUESTIONS TO THE MAYOR, CABINET MEMBERS AND COMMITTEE CHAIRS
    • AMENDMENTS TO THE COUNCIL'S CONSTITUTION

  • Wed, 8 July 2026 · Full Council · Appointment of Honorary Aldermen

    • APPOINTMENT OF HONORARY ALDERMEN FOR THE BOROUGH OF NEWCASTLE-UNDER-LYME

  • Tue, 23 June 2026 · Cabinet

    • WALLEYS QUARRY UPDATE
    • ADOPTION OF BOROUGH LOCAL PLAN (2020-2040)
    • NEW LOCAL PLAN: COMMENCEMENT AND GOVERNANCE ARRANGEMENTS
    • NEWCASTLE COMMUNITY SAFETY PARTNERSHIP - PARTNERSHIP PRIORITIES UPDATE
    • NEWCASTLE-UNDER-LYME COMMUNITY FUND
    • BRAMPTON MUSEUM APPLICATION TO THE NATIONAL LOTTERY FOR MUSEUM IMPROVEMENTS
    • PET CREMATION PROGRESS REPORT
    • RENEWAL OF THE POOL WATER TREATMENT SYSTEMS & MOVEABLE FLOOR/LIFT SERVICING & MAINTENANCE CONTRACT AT JUBILEE 2
    • FINANCIAL AND PERFORMANCE REVIEW REPORT - FOURTH QUARTER 2025/26

  • Fri, 5 June 2026 · Full Council · Urgent Decision

    • URGENT DECISION

  • Wed, 20 May 2026 · Full Council · Annual Council Meeting

    • APPOINTMENT OF DEPUTY MAYOR 2026/27
    • MAYORAL APPOINTMENTS
    • MAYORAL ADDRESS
    • RESPONSE OF THE RETIRING MAYOR AND SUMMARY OF THE MAYORAL YEAR
    • APPOINTMENT OF DEPUTY LEADER AND CABINET
    • APPOINTMENTS TO COMMITTEES, CHAIRS AND VICE CHAIRS FOR 2026/27
    • APPOINTMENTS TO EXTERNAL ORGANISATIONS FOR 2026/30
    • CONFIRMATION OF THE CONSTITUTION
    • ELECTION RESULTS
    • APPOINTMENT OF LEADER OF THE COUNCIL

  • Tue, 31 March 2026 · Full Council · Urgent Decision

    • URGENT DECISION

From the council’s own meeting papers (Modern.gov), read 25 September 2026. Refreshed weekly. Results of motions are in each meeting’s minutes, linked from the date.

Who runs the council

44 seats in 2026. Run by: Reform UK, with a majority. Open Council Data (public domain).

Councillors by party: Reform UK 27, Conservative and Unionist 15, Labour Party 2.

Next scheduled council election: 2 May 2030.

Elections here now: Town ward (8 October 2026).

All 44 councillors, by ward
  • Janice SainReiners (Reform UK) — Audley
  • Patricia Harrison (Reform UK) — Audley
  • Rhys Machin (Reform UK) — Audley
  • Ben Simpson (Reform UK) — Bradwell
  • Glenn Tift (Reform UK) — Bradwell
  • Pamela Jellyman (Reform UK) — Bradwell
  • Paul Wood (Reform UK) — Clayton
  • Peter Walton (Reform UK) — Crackley & Red Street
  • Vanessa Renshaw (Reform UK) — Crackley & Red Street
  • Christopher Saxton (Reform UK) — Cross Heath
  • Mark Harrison (Reform UK) — Cross Heath
  • Jon Chamberlain (Reform UK) — Holditch & Chesterton
  • Wayne Barber (Reform UK) — Holditch & Chesterton
  • Dave Jones (Labour Party) — Keele
  • Charlie Clarke (Reform UK) — Kidsgrove & Ravenscliffe
  • Jonathan Gullis (Reform UK) — Kidsgrove & Ravenscliffe
  • Olivia Westcott (Reform UK) — Kidsgrove & Ravenscliffe
  • Graham Shaw (Reform UK) — Knutton
  • Andrew Turnock (Conservative and Unionist) — Loggerheads
  • Graham Sedgley (Conservative and Unionist) — Loggerheads
  • Jill Whitmore (Conservative and Unionist) — Madeley & Betley
  • Robert Bettley-Smith (Conservative and Unionist) — Madeley & Betley
  • Jeremy Lefroy (Conservative and Unionist) — Maer & Whitmore
  • David Hutchison (Conservative and Unionist) — May Bank
  • Finn Swain (Conservative and Unionist) — May Bank
  • John Tagg (Conservative and Unionist) — May Bank
  • Jonathan Downs (Reform UK) — Newchapel & Mow Cop
  • Scott Stevenson (Reform UK) — Newchapel & Mow Cop
  • Ian Sparks (Reform UK) — Silverdale
  • Martyn Ashworth (Reform UK) — Silverdale
  • Gary Evans (Reform UK) — Talke & Butt Lane
  • Martin Rogerson (Reform UK) — Talke & Butt Lane
  • Simon Kasperowicz (Reform UK) — Talke & Butt Lane
  • Joan Whieldon (Conservative and Unionist) — Thistleberry
  • Susan Beeston (Conservative and Unionist) — Thistleberry
  • Christine Duffy (Reform UK) — Town
  • Sheelagh Casey-Hulme (Labour Party) — Town
  • Andrew Fear (Conservative and Unionist) — Westbury Park & Northwood
  • Andrew Parker (Conservative and Unionist) — Westbury Park & Northwood
  • Gill Heesom (Conservative and Unionist) — Westlands
  • Mark Holland (Conservative and Unionist) — Westlands
  • Simon Tagg (Conservative and Unionist) — Westlands
  • Andrew Fisher (Reform UK) — Wolstanton
  • Christopher Bailey (Reform UK) — Wolstanton

Each councillor’s register of interests is on the council’s own site, linked rather than summarised, because summarising means choosing. Councillors from Open Council Data as recorded after the May 2026 elections; a by-election since then may have changed one seat. Attendance and allowances are not shown.

Cite this page

Harvard style. Every figure on the page also names its original source, which is usually the better thing to cite.

Every council page has the same five headings in the same order. Sources are the council’s own publications and official statistics. Corrections: hello@whatsittome.org.