County councillors hope a new parental leave policy will encourage parents with young families to consider becoming elected members.

Workplaces have systems in place to allow mothers and fathers to take time off for parental responsibilities – but this has not been the case for councillors serving on many local authorities.

Now Staffordshire County Council has approved a new parental leave policy to assist elected members who wish to take maternity or paternity leave, as well as time off their council duties to care for their children if necessary.

Councillors will also be able to take adoption leave, time off for antenatal appointments and parental bereavement leave if they lose a child under 18 or suffer a stillbirth.

And mothers who choose to breastfeed their babies will be supported to do so when they return to their councillor duties.

The policy stated: "Exclusive breast-feeding for the first six months of life offers major health advantages to mothers and babies, so it is important that mothers are enabled to continue breast-feeding when they return to their councillor duties.

"Whilst on maternity leave should a female member wish to attend any council meetings and need to be able to breast-feed their infant they will not be precluded from entering the chambers and participating in proceedings. Similarly, if a member needs to bottle-feed their infant, again they will not be precluded from doing this."

It added that the aim was "to provide a positive environment for members with family responsibilities so that our cross-section of members are representative of our community."

"Families are at the heart of Staffordshire County Council and as such (it) wishes to champion an environment to support members."

Councillor Alistair Little, who presented the report at Thursday's full council meeting, was a father-to be when the parental leave policy was first put forward in 2019. His daughter is now a year old and he said he was surprised to find out the authority did not previously have a system allowing councillors to take time off for parental responsibilities.

"Staffordshire County Council are taking a local lead", he said.

The policy was welcomed by fellow members across the political spectrum.

Councillor Charlotte Atkins, leader of the opposition group, described it as a "small but significant step" to encourage a more diverse range of people to come forward as potential elected members in the future to represent their communities.

"This will help younger men and women in this council during their childbearing years", she added.