Is life for renters in Stoke set to improve following the call for a Landlord’s Forum next month?

Plus planning application received for the Leopard, SEND waiting lists drop a bit (though there’s still a long way to go), and free library cards given to more than 700 babies

Sep 28, 2026

🥨 A word from Helen, editor/writer at The Knot

With no-fault evictions abolished in May under the Renters’ Rights Act, Stoke-on-Trent City Council, like many other councils up and down the country, has turned its attention to limiting the number of Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMOs) and ensure those that exist are of a high quality.

The package of measures includes a city-wide Article 4 Direction, which would remove development rights that currently allow family homes to be converted into HMOs without planning application.

An application would be assessed against a policy in the council’s emergent Local Plan that limits concentrations of HMOs and ensuring those which are allowed are of a good enough quality.

It’s hoped that the new rules will prevent clusters of HMOs appearing across the city. New HMOs would not be allowed where they would mean HMOs make up more than 5% of all residential properties within a 50-metre radius.

There will also be a cap on the total number of HMOs within each ward. This will be set at 4% of residential properties for wards where there are already a very high number of HMOs, 2.5% for wards where there are a high number, and 1.5% for all other wards.

The announcement ties in with an invitation to local landlords to attend a forum next month to improve rented accommodation across the city and tackle homelessness (see our lead good news story today below).

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Good News 🎉

🏥 Landlord Forum for November. Landlords, property managers, housing providers and letting agents have been invited to attend a Landlords’ Forum next month. The event at the Jubilee Hall, Stoke Town Hall, will focus on renters’ rights and recent legislative changes, and how these developments affect those operating within the private rented sector. It’s scheduled for 15 October, 2-4pm. Due to capacity, places will be limited and allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, with a maximum of two attendees per booking. To book, go here.

👵 THE KNOT’S PERSON OF THE WEEK – Pam Spall 👵

Still volunteering at the age of 83, Pam Spall has been nominated for the Charity Champion/Volunteer at Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire’s Your Heroes awards. Pam is still behind the reception desk at YMCA North Staffordshire but began her volunteering decades ago when she started projects that have gone on to become Action Line and also Furniture Mine. She has been nominated by Sharon Richards, Deputy CEO at YMCA North Staffordshire, who said: “Pam has spent a lifetime helping people in North Staffordshire and her commitment is as strong today as it has ever been.” Good luck, Pam, we hope you win!

Now 83, Pam still volunteers at the YMCA North Staffordshire

🧒 SEND waiting lists drop. Anyone who’s been affected by the waiting time to get a diagnosis or a SEND place will know just how frustrating it can be. While there is still a backlog, the proportion of Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) issued by the council’s Special Educational Needs Monitoring and Assessment Service within 20 weeks has increased to 62 per cent in 2026 from 33 per cent in 2025, despite an 11 per cent increase in requests for assessments in the past year. The team, which supports more than 3,800 children and young people with EHCPs, was recognised in the West Midlands ADCS Team Excellence Awards 2026 last week for its efforts.
👶 Babies get free library cards. Parents across Stoke-on-Trent registering their newborn babies have also been receiving free library cards thanks to the My First Library Card initiative. Launched in September 2025, it has given 776 babies free library access in the last year. The scheme works with registrars and sees families invited to sign their babies up to their local library from birth. Parents also receive information about services for young children.

🐆 Planning update on The Leopard. Describing the poor condition of the building as “unacceptable”, the council has been frustrated by the lack of progress on The Leopard, one of the city’s most important historic buildings. But it reported last week that the owner has now submitted the additional information it needs to formally assess the proposals for 15 apartments and two business units at the Grade II listed site. They said, “We’ve been clear that this nationally important building must not be allowed to deteriorate further and we won’t hesitate to take further enforcement action if necessary.“

The council has received a new planning application for The Leopard

🎹 Our Top Five Don’t-Miss Events this Week. If you haven’t got Halloween sorted yet, how about Nosferatu with Live Organ, a special Halloween screening of the silent horror classic with Andy Quinn on organ and piano at Keele University Chapel (28/10, from 7pm); tickets £17 or free for students and ages 16 & under.
Go behind the music and inside the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons with Jersey Boys at the Regent (26/10-31/10, 7pm); tickets from £17.68. Diwali is coming, too (31/10, 11am-5.30pm), and you can celebrate the festival of lights at the Potteries Museum Gallery; admission free.
Jools Holland & his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra are swinging by the Victoria Hall (19/11, 7.30pm) with special guests Roachford; tickets from £45.03. More good music stuff: folk singer Findlay Napier, the first solo artist ever nominated for Live Act of the Year at the Scots Trad Music Awards in 2018, will be at the Artisan Tap (15/11); tickets £15.

🥨 Most popular stories from the last week on The Knot

🗳️ Newcastle by-election candidates lay out their priorities: We spoke to three of those standing following the resignation of Reform’s Christine Duffy last month
🍻 New eatery and bar for Goods Yard: A tap room/cafe is coming in November!
🛍️ Bolton Gate Market is back: Shop for local artisan goods on 03/10, 10am-3pm

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