Charges for car parking and having your garden waste collected in Stafford Borough are to be frozen.

The Council’s Cabinet is recommending that there should be no rise in the cost to park your car to encourage more shoppers and visitors to the town centres to boost local businesses and cultural activity.

And thousands of households across the borough who have signed up to have their garden waste collected by the council will also see the price stay the same when it comes up for renewal later in the year.

Leader of the Council, Aidan Godfrey, said they were pleased that careful budgeting of the authority’s finances had allowed them to hold these charges for the 2026-27 year.  

Councillor Ian Fordham, Cabinet Member for Environment, said: “Our transformation of Stafford town centre will provide new houses, retail outlets and places for people to meet - but in the meantime we want to support our established shops, restaurants and theatres in Stafford and Stone by encouraging people to come into town to shop, or have a night out, by freezing the cost of parking.”

Resources Cabinet Member, Councillor Ralph Cooke, said “We know what a difficult time this is for all in our community with the cost-of-living crisis hurting residents, families and businesses so we are determined to keep fees and charges low where we can.”

He continued: “All local authorities face significant financial pressures, but Stafford Borough Council has an exemplary record of managing our finances while ensuring we deliver the vital services the public rely on.”

“With careful budgeting throughout the previous 12 months we have been able to propose holding car parking charges and the cost of having the garden waste bin emptied - without cutting services to the community.”

The borough council runs 17 car parks across the borough - with the cost of a two hour stay in Stafford between £1.90 and £2.30 - and £1.40 for the same period in Stone. Approximately 37,000 homes subscribe to have their brown garden waste bin collected.

A report to the Council’s Cabinet states that: “Fees and charges for 2026-27 have generally been increased in line with inflation at 4%. But there are two key fees and charges for which there will be no increase in 2026/27 and these are car park charges and the fee for chargeable garden waste collection. These will be frozen at 2025/26 prices.”

The Cabinet will hear that the budget was being delivered in “a profoundly uncertain time for local government” with plans put forward by central government that would see the borough council abolished in 2028.

Residents will be asked to pay only ten pence a week more in the council tax they pay to the borough council for a plethora of functions such as the household recycling and waste collections, looking after parks and open spaces - including the award-winning Victoria Park, Stonefield Park and Wildwood Park - and keeping the streets clean, as well as their nationally recognised work in preventing homelessness.

The authority also helps fund leisure centres in Stafford and Stone, the Gatehouse Theatre and museums - The Castle, Ancient High House and Izaac Walton Cottage - and runs the crematorium and cemeteries in Stafford and Stone.

Councillor Godfrey added: “We are proud to be able to continue providing for our communities while keeping council tax low. The average household will pay around £3.54p a week for a host of quality functions and services that we deliver that benefit our residents, businesses and the whole borough.  

The cabinet report will be discussed on Thursday (22nd) and can be found at www.staffordbc.gov.uk/cabinet.

For car parking information, including prices and how to purchase season tickets, go to Car Parking in Stafford and Stone | Stafford Borough Council (staffordbc.gov.uk)

And to sign up for the household garden waste service go to Brown Bin | Stafford Borough Council 

Press Release No 6263