Decisions on highways investment, workforce changes and a new scheme to boost business in two Potteries towns are set to be taken by council leaders in the coming months.

A total of 37 decisions feature on the latest version of the cabinet forward plan at Stoke-on-Trent City Council.

The cabinet is the main executive body within the city council, responsible for most day-to-day decisions.

Here are some of the more eye-catching reports which are expected to come before the cabinet between January 13 and May 19:

Support for the creation of a new business improvement district in the city

Business improvement districts (BIDs) are business-led organisations set up to improve a specific commercial area.

BIDs are funded through a compulsory levy on businesses within that area and have to receive a fresh electoral mandate from its members every five years.

There are more than 300 BIDs in operation across the country, but so far only one has been set up in Stoke-on-Trent, covering the city centre.

The city centre BID organises a range of initiative aimed at boosting trade and footfall, including the street ambassadors, business mentoring and marketing schemes.

Cabinet members will now be asked to support the creation of a new BID for Tunstall and Burslem.

Workforce and Organisational Development

Stoke-on-Trent City Council has around 5,000 employees making it one of the biggest employers in the Potteries.

The authority is carrying out a workforce and organisational development transformational programme to ensure its workforce is 'fit for the future'.

Cabinet members will be asked to review the programme and endorse the approach being taken.

Residential Disabled Parking Bays

The city council used to provide free advisory disabled parking bays to residents, but the scheme was axed under budget cuts in 2008.

Cabinet members will now be asked to approve the reintroduction of the programme as a paid service.

There were previously calls to restore the scheme in 2017, but these were rejected by council leaders at the time, as it was considered 'impractical and unaffordable'.

The number of disabled bays in the city stood at 1,176 when the scheme was axed and had fallen to 761 by 2017.

Council leaders have become increasingly concerned about Stoke-on-Trent's heritage buildings in recent years (image via LDRS)

Burslem Indoor Market, Wedgwood Institute and Falcon Works – Heritage Investment

Council leaders have become increasingly concerned about Stoke-on-Trent's heritage buildings in recent years.

There have been a number of high profile incidents involving historic buildings, such as the devastating fire at the Leopard pub in Burslem in 2022.

Earlier this year the council set up a multi-agency task force to help protect heritage buildings from arson and accidental fires.

Cabinet members will now be asked to approve heritage investment in three at-risk buildings: Burslem Indoor Market, the Wedgwood Institute and the Falcon Works.

The city council recently secured £1 million from the Heritage at Risk fund to pay for vital repair works at the Grade II listed Burslem Indoor Market, which closed more than 20 years ago.

Meanwhile, a 'planned and controlled' demolition was carried out at the Grade II* listed Wedgwood Institute as part of remedial works.

According to the forward plan, cabinet members will be asked to approve capital funds for the three buildings, agree a procurement strategy and delegate authority to award the contract.

2026/27 Highways and Transport Capital and Grant Funding Investment Programme

The state of Stoke-on-Trent's roads is a common area of complaint for many of the city's residents.

So there could be some good news coming soon with the publication of the council's 2026/27 highways and transportation capital programme.

The multi-million pound programme will include a raft of individual schemes such as road resurfacing and junction improvements.

Cabinet members will be asked to approve the 2026/27 programme and the schemes proposed for feasibility reviews in 2027/28.

The Packmoor masterplan has been one of the most controversial issues for the city council in recent years (image via LDRS)

Approval of the Draft Masterplan for Packmoor and Associated Public Consultation

The Packmoor masterplan has been one of the most controversial issues for the city council in recent years.

Council leaders are proposing to develop authority-owned farmland outside the village with up to 800 homes, along with a raft of infrastructure improvements.

Most people who responded to an initial consultation were opposed to the scheme, and more than 1,000 people signed a petition calling for the council to scrap the idea.

But cabinet members decided to press ahead with drawing up a masterplan, insisting that 'doing nothing is not an option'.

The cabinet will soon be asked to approve a draft version of the masterplan, which will be subject a new round of public consultation.