Cllr Stephen Ellis

Walk along the Caldon Canal

2012-02-13T20:45:00.002Z

FANCY a walk punctuated by fields, woodland and a disused railway?

Then join experienced hiker John Mills for a four-mile jaunt along the Caldon Canal on Sunday (February 18).

Organised by Staffordshire Moorlands District Council, the adventure is the latest in a long-running series of popular walks that get people outside, active and healthy in stunning countryside.

Cllr Mark Deaville, portfolio holder for leisure, sport, parks and countryside, said: "Here's a great opportunity to get fit and have fun with family and friends while learning a little about the fascinating history of the Caldon Canal".

Walkers should meet John on the Froghall Wharf car park at 10.30am. Grid Reference: SK 026 476.
For more information on the council's countryside walks and events, visit www.staffsmoorlands.gov.uk/countryside.

Staffordshire Moorlands District Council: talking rubbish and being wet ...

2012-02-13T20:39:00.000Z

STAFFORDSHIRE Moorlands residents have been saluted for keeping odours and pests at bay by rinsing out their tins, bottles and tubs before putting them in their grey recycling bin.

But some families seem to be overdoing the water, resulting in cardboard in the bin getting very wet.

The alert was sounded this week by District Council deputy leader Arthur Forrester, who warned that wet cardboard disintegrated and got stuck inside the machines used by recycling contractors to separate materials.

As a result, a contractor had recently rejected a load of recyclables - forcing the council to send the whole lot to landfill.

Now, Cllr Forrester has urged householders to help out by always putting cardboard inside the grey bin with the lid closed - rather than storing it by the side of the bin.

He also asked residents to carry on rinsing out their bottles but then to drain them thoroughly before putting them in the grey bin.

Excess distress

And he called on families to make their recyclables easily identifiable by putting excess glass, plastics and cans in an open-topped box or carrier bags with untied handles: not in the black sacks that some families had started to use since cardboard collection was switched from the brown to grey bin.

Cllr Forrester said the black sack trend was causing a problem for binmen, who could not tell if the sacks contained rubbish or materials for recycling.

He acknowledged that the cardboard collection change had caused problems for some households with a smaller, 140-litre grey bin but said that the problem would ease when families requesting a larger, 240-litre bin took receipt of their new container.

Deliveries were expected to take place during April, when affected families would get a letter explaining arrangements.

Contamination abomination

Finally, Cllr Forrester urged households to check that they were using their bins correctly. When incorrect items were visible in bins, crews were unable to collect them and had to place a contamination sticker on the container in question. It was then the householder's responsibility to remove the offending items before the next scheduled collection.

Details of the materials accepted in the three bins were included on the collection calendar delivered to all households before Christmas and were also online at www.staffsmoorlands.gov.uk/recycling.

Portfolio holder for the environment, Cllr Forrester added: "It may seem crews are being very picky when they don't empty a bin but the consequences of emptying a contaminated bin are far reaching.

"If we send a contaminated load to our contractors, not only are we at risk of a large fine but the good work of our residents is wasted as the load has to go to landfill.

"Recycling saves natural resources and produces much less carbon dioxide than making new items from raw materials. It's also way cheaper than sending waste for disposal.

"That's why we're so grateful for the continued efforts of the vast majority of residents in making Staffordshire Moorlands consistently one of the best performing districts for recycling in the UK", he paid tribute.

Staffordshire Moorlands District Council tackles anti-social dog owners

2012-02-12T22:07:00.001Z

PARENTS of youngsters at two Staffordshire Moorlands schools have been urged to act as the eyes and ears of enforcement officers by reporting dog walkers who fail to clean up after their pet.

The District Council has sent letters to Oxhey First School, Biddulph and Bishop Rawle Primary School, Cheadle, asking parents to call time on lazy dog owners who cannot be bothered to bend their back and scoop the poop.

And the council is to display large banners outside the schools, warning that thoughtless owners who fail to remove their dog's waste are risking an £80 on-the-spot fine or a £1,000 penalty if convicted by magistrates.

The banners also ask witnesses to report dog fouling by calling 0345 605 3014 or visiting www.staffsmoorlands.gov.uk/doitonline.

Turning up the heat on the culprits, the council has installed a series of dog fouling signs on the approaches to the schools - and has sent postcards to residents, urging them to take a stand against dog fouling by calling time on the offenders.

The campaign will be followed up by high-visibility patrols by enforcement officers.

The council backlash responds to complaints from residents and the schools about an increase in fouling. Teachers and parents say they are sick and tired of children having to avoid dog mess and arriving at school or home with muck on their shoes.

The letter asks parents to tell the council when and where offences are being committed, to describe the dog and owner, and to note the registration number of any vehicle involved.

The letter to parents warns that dog faeces can cause an illness called toxocariasis, which leads to blindness in extreme cases. The letter cites the tragic case of two-year-old Aimee Langdon, who lost most of the sight in her left eye after coming into contact with dog waste in a gated children's play area near her Manchester home.

The council's literature calls on dog walkers to take their used dog waste bags home with them or drop them in a litter bin instead of throwing them onto verges or hanging them on trees, causing a health hazard.

Cllr Gill Burton, portfolio holder for communities, said: "We're taking a hard line on lazy dog owners who think it's perfectly acceptable for other people to tread in the mess their pets leave behind.

"It beggars belief that, in this day and age, there are still walkers who fail to clean up after their dog. These people know who they are and, with the help of parents, we'll soon know them as well.

"When we catch people committing this unpleasant environmental crime, we'll be hitting them in the pocket", she warned.

The unveiling of the Bishop Rawle banner follows a talk by community projects officer Vicki Ellis on responsible pet ownership and the dangers of dog fouling. The talk was the latest in a series given by Vicki to Staffordshire Moorlands schools, using materials from leading animal charity The Blue Cross.

Other schools wishing to have the presentation should call Vicki on (01538) 395768 or e-mail Victoria.ellis@staffsmoorlands.gov.uk. Educational materials are available to download from www.bluecross.org.uk, and there is a dedicated area for children at www.bluecross.org.uk/kids.

Conservative-run Staffordshire County Council Acheivements

2012-02-12T21:50:00.000Z

After 30 months at the helm and 3 years of 0% Council Tax increase, Conservative-controlled Staffordshire County Council is rightly proud to list many achievements:

Transport—extended concessionary free bus travel package to 24/7 for older people and the disabled.

Introduced discounted travel for young people who will travel round the county for just £1 per journey.

Libraries—transformed all of our 43 libraries into community resource centres to encourage more people to use our libraries.

Telecare—a new service for more than 1,000 residents saving the taxpayer an estimated £3,000 per user.

Children‘s Services—Families First will transform services to an integrated approach that will make substantial savings and protect front line services.

Efficient waste management—W2R will deliver major savings to our tax payers over the next decade, up to £250 million.

Volunteering -—built a genuine partnership with volunteers to position volunteering as an essential part of a successful community.

Winter highway maintenance —we routinely salt over 43% of the county road network compared to 25% nationally.

Staffordshire highways network — an extra £6 million invested last year into repairing the damage caused by the winter’s freezing conditions in addition to the extra £50 million committed to road reconstruction.

Road safety –— Besides being one of the safest Counties in the Country, we’re also one of the first councils to introduce permanent part time 20mph zones at schools on busy A and B roads.

Staffordshire Business Support Fund—a £2m loans fund for small businesses has helped 55 small businesses, save 96 jobs and employ 101 more people across the county.

Voluntary sector—adult social care is the service area where we make our major contribution around £18 million per year. We have increased overall funding, targeting in particular smaller community support groups through our innovative Community Wellbeing Fund.

County farms—we are not disposing of our farm estates to maximise short term receipts. Our estates business generates over £1 million a year of profit to support the council’s services.

Consultation— We are putting localism into action by our introduction of a framework to engage with communities to listen and hear.

Local Enterprise Partnership—we have managed to forge a LEP in the most complex economic geographical area in the country engaging major business, both our Universities and all our colleges to support our number one priority, our economy and job creation.

Inward Investment—we have invested £30m invigorating our economy and won two of the five West Midland bids Regional Growth Fund in our LEP and JLR are to invest £355m into a new engine plant with 755 direct jobs and potential for 1,000s more at I54 in South Staffordshire

Staffordshire Moorlands District Council bids for Cheadle Market

2012-02-12T21:30:00.001Z

COUNCIL officials have made an offer for a privately-owned retail market in a Staffordshire Moorlands town.

The District Council has tabled a bid for Cheadle Market, which is owned by Northern Markets but has been leased to the local authority for the last six years in an arrangement that ends on Wednesday, February 29.

Cllr Andrew Hart, portfolio holder for regeneration, said: "We've made a realistic offer which represents good value for the taxpayer and gives Northern Markets a fair price while enabling us to invest in the market.

"The ball's now in the owners' court, and we've requested an urgent decision", he revealed.
Acquisition would give the council a free hand to revitalise the indoor and outdoor markets by developing the existing market provision or potentially switching the operation to a town centre area earmarked in Cheadle's draft Masterplan for land occupied by the main car parks.

Cllr Hart added: "I'm acutely aware that our traders will be worried about their livelihoods during this period of uncertainty. That's why we're pressing Northern Markets for a timely response.
"Stallholders should rest assured that we understand the importance of Cheadle Market to the local economy, and will be investing in its future if our offer is accepted", he added.

In 2006, more than £353,000 was spent on a major refurbishment of the market. The investment consisted of a Townscape Heritage Grant of £149,690 from English Heritage plus £118,390 from the council and £85,000 from Northern Markets.

The market has run at a significant loss since the council took on its management from Northern Markets in 2006/07, and the council's average revenue costs over the last four years have been £43,407.

Could Cheadle be a 'Portas Pilot'

2012-02-12T20:47:00.003Z

I've asked Staffordshire Moorlands District Council if Cheadle could be considered to be a 'Portas Pilot'

Staffordshire Moorlands District Council suspends waste collection services due to bad weather and icy conditions

2012-02-12T20:43:00.001Z

ICE-covered streets have today (Friday, February 10) forced the council to abandon its waste collections for the first time this winter.

Although waste crews started work as normal, it soon became apparent that many untreated side roads were not safe for large refuse freighters to use. And with the temperature not expected to rise above freezing, it was decided reluctantly to suspend collections for the rest of the day.

Residents whose collection was missed today are asked to return their bins to their property and present them at the kerbside again on Monday (February 13) when every effort will be made to catch up on missed collections. Priority will be given to blue-lidded bins, followed by grey and then brown bins.

Any collections that have not been caught up on by next Friday (February 17) will be attended to on the next scheduled date.

Staffordshire Moorlands MP Karen Bradley joins Financial Regulation Review

2012-02-12T20:15:00.000Z

Delighted to hear that our local MP, Karen Bradley, has been chosen to sit on the scrutiny panel looking into UK Financial Regulation. Karen is well placed based on her working experience and will be a great asset to the panel.

End of the line for Staffordshire Moorlands District Council 'Shop Local' campaign - following lack of support from businesses!

2012-02-05T18:19:00.000Z

AFTER four years and more than £12,000 in prize money, regeneration chiefs have called time on Staffordshire Moorlands' Shop Local campaign.

But the scheme is to go out with a bang this month (February) with three cash prizes of £50 each plus a special Super Draw boasting a £100 cash jackpot.

What is more, the people behind the long-running promotion have insisted that the money used to run the scheme is safe - and they have challenged retailers to find "fresh, new" ways to spend it.

The loyalty scheme was set up by the District Council with Biddulph Business Chamber, Cheadle Business Group and Leek Chamber of Trade to give independent high street stores a helping hand in challenging trading conditions.

More than 350 independent retailers and businesses got involved by signing up for stickers that participating shoppers then stuck on a passport card each time they bought something. Full cards were then entered into the monthly draws offering £50 cash prizes for a lucky shopper from each of the three towns.

And there was a quarterly Super Draw boasting a £100 jackpot, plus special seasonal surprises at Christmas and Easter. The last scheduled Super Draw was in December but the council is now pushing the boat out one last time, with final draws taking place on Monday, February 20.

Publicity materials - including posters and window stickers - were all provided by the council.
Shop Local was a major success story for the first three years or so but participation by businesses and shoppers alike has waned in the last 12 months, leading the council to conclude that the promotion - like all good campaigns - had run its course.

However, the council has protected the scheme's £3,000 annual budget, and is now looking for independent businesses to find new ways to spend it.

Leek businesses getting involved with the Totally Locally campaign have asked the council to help with further promotion of the scheme while Cheadle Business Group is seeking help with a British produce market it hopes to organise to coincide with the bicentenary of the birth of famous Victorian architect Augustus Pugin, designer of St. Giles' RC Church - known popularly as Pugin's Gem.
Meanwhile, Biddulph Business Chamber is developing ideas of its own.

Greta Williams, chair of Cheadle Business Group, said: "We've been keen supporters of Shop Local, which was very popular at first but has had fewer and fewer people taking part in recent times. We'll continue to work on initiatives to attract new shoppers with extra events including a St. George's Market on Saturday, April 21".

Totally Locally was created in 2009 in Calderdale, West Yorkshire to celebrate local shops and businesses

Totally Locally is a social enterprise, set up and run by branding and marketing professionals, and everything they do for Totally Locally is given away for free. They do not charge for any of their work or time - their aim is to help to promote the uniqueness and character of the towns, and encourage people to support their local businesses.

Leek was the first town in England outside of Calderdale to be accepted as a Totally Locally town, launching last September. Totally Locally is a marketing campaign that communicates on all levels - online through Facebook and the website, www.totally-locally.co.uk; in print through the Totally
Locally Times and in activities such as funding the town's Christmas promotional material and running the first Totally Locally market during the Christmas lights switch-on. More events are planned for 2012.

If every adult in Leek spent £5 a week with their local independent shops and businesses, Leek's economy would benefit to the tune of £4.1m a year.

Cllr Andrew Hart, portfolio holder for regeneration, explained: "Shop Local may have ended but the budget is still in place and our commitment to a thriving local economy remains as strong as ever.

"Retailers are already coming up with fresh, new ideas, and we're looking forward to working with them to transform those ideas into reality.

"It may be the end of Shop Local but it's certainly not the end of shopping locally. There remain lots of good reasons for supporting independent retailers, and here are just 10 of them".

Local shops sell a wide range of great products at affordable prices
Shopping local saves you money
Shopping locally retains our communities
Shopping local retains our distinctiveness - no clone towns allowed!
Shopping local saves the environment
Shopping local creates jobs
Local independent shops invest more in our communities
Local shops are for everyone
Local shops value you more
Shopping local saves services.

Becons across Staffordshire Moorlands ...

2012-02-05T17:53:00.002Z

STAFFORDSHIRE Moorlands' first citizen has urged communities to shine brightly for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee by lighting a string of beacons.

The plea was made this week by District Council chairman Jason Hails, who asked residents to rise to the challenge of helping meet the Government's target of six beacons per local authority area on Monday, June 4.

"If everything goes to plan, there will be 2,012 beacons lit across the UK to signify that this year sees the 60th anniversary of the Queen's accession to the throne. But neighbourhoods wanting to light up for the Diamond Jubilee will have to act quickly as the closing date for applications is Monday, April 30", he stressed.

Pupils of Flash C of E Primary School - Britain's highest school - have already signed up to illuminate the night sky. Elsewhere, celebrations will include the lighting of 60 beacons along the length of Hadrian's Wall - one beacon for each year of the Queen's reign.

The council has done its bit by publishing A Guide to Taking Part. Packed full of useful advice and information, the easy-to-read booklet is at www.staffsmoorlands.gov.uk/jubilee.

Anyone planning a beacon lighting is asked to call visitor services manager Terry Crawford on 0845 129 7777 ext. 4224 or e-mail terry.crawford@staffsmoorlands.gov.uk. Terry can offer useful advice and add event details to the national database.

Two types of beacon are to be lit: the church tower beacon fuelled by bottled gas and the traditional hilltop bonfire beacon.

The Government's ambition is to exceed the 1,800 beacons lit for the Queen's Golden Jubilee 10 years ago.

Jeremy Hunt MP, Minister for Culture, Media and Sport, said: "This year, the Queen will become the second monarch in British history to celebrate 60 years on the throne, the previous monarch to achieve this was Queen Victoria.

"The Queen has reigned through some of the most profound and breathtaking changes ever to have taken place in our history. So it is absolutely right that the Queen's achievements - her hard work and dedication across this extraordinary time - be celebrated by all of us, both in this country and across the wider Commonwealth", he added.

Another quick update from Mayor of London, Boris Johnson ...

2012-02-05T17:51:00.001Z

Now more than ever, the responsibility of any Mayor is to treat every penny of Londoners' money with care. Because it's not my money. It's yours.

And it will only ever be used on the things that take London forward. To invest in transport infrastructure, put more police on the streets, make the Olympics a success and build more affordable housing.

Anything spare should always be passed back to Londoners.

When I was elected in 2008, Londoners were tired of 8 years of successive council tax hikes.
I promised to end the culture of waste created by Ken Livingstone and keep taxes low.

I kept this promise. We've frozen our share of council tax every year. And we've done this by ruthlessly ferreting out waste.

We no longer spend £10,000 on a subscription to the Morning Star.

We no longer spend £3m a year on a personal propaganda sheet for the Mayor.

And we haven't spent £20,000 on a lunch for Hugo Chavez. Or £30,000 on a trip to Cuba.

By working over the last three years to turn around London's finances, I am able - for the first time in the history of the mayoralty - to cut my share of council tax.

The choice at this election could not be clearer. My record shows that, whenever possible, we keep taxes and charges low.

We scrapped Ken Livingstone's plans for a £25 tax on family vehicles.

We scrapped the Western Extension of the Congestion Charge, providing relief to small businesses.

We extended the Freedom Pass to 24 hour operation. And we put Oyster on national rail, leading to cheaper fares for many.

And we've done this in the teeth of a recession, whilst increasing police numbers and protecting the investment that will help our city grow once more - providing jobs and prosperity.

Ken Livingstone's record shows he puts up taxes and charges at every opportunity. We couldn't afford it during the good times, and we certainly can't afford it now.

His Labour allies on the London Assembly have already voted against a budget that freezes council tax. Next week, they will be asked to vote to cut council tax. I will urge them to do this, and I urge you to join me in sending them a message to vote the right way.

Please visit: www.borisbudget.com

Best wishes,

Boris Johnson, Mayor of London

Staffordshire Moorlands District Council special display to mark Her Majesty's Diamond Jubilee

2012-02-05T17:06:00.000Z

THE Nicholson Museum and Art Gallery in Stockwell Street, Leek is asking Staffordshire Moorlands residents to check their attics, look in their closets and browse any old photographs to see if they have any pre-1960 royal memorabilia directly relating to either Queen Elizabeth or Queen Victoria, for a special Diamond Jubilee exhibition.

The Diamond Jubilee in 2012 marks 60 years of Queen Elizabeth's reign. The Nicholson Collection already holds items relating to the present Queen and to Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee in 1897. Now, the District Council, which manages the museum, is planning a spring exhibition celebrating the reigns of our two longest-serving monarchs.

If you have any significant royal memorabilia dating from before 1960 or going back to 1897 which you would be prepared to loan the Nicholson Museum for this special exhibition, please email: nicholson@staffsmoorlands.gov.uk in the first instance or call Leek Tourist Information Centre on (01538) 483741.

Another £300,000 of investment by Staffordshire County Council in Cheadle roads

2012-02-05T11:18:00.002Z

Staffordshire County Council is resurfacing a 750 metre long stretch of the B5417 at High Shutt. The highways team is also putting kerbs in place along Oakamoor Road to make it more pedestrian friendly and will carry out repairs to the drains. The news comes in the same week that Staffordshire County Council’s Cabinet approved an additional £20million investment in the road network.

The extra money will be spent on preventative work over two years but residents will reap the benefits for decades. This is on top of the extra £30 million that the county council added to the highways budget in 2009. The extra cash shows a significant commitment by Staffordshire at a time when many other councils are cutting services and reducing investment overall.

Local County Councillor Mike Maryon, Cabinet member for Highways and Transport, said: “The B5417 is a very well used rural road that is often busy with motorists going to Alton Towers.

“Resurfacing the carriageway will be a big boost to the road and will make it much easier for drivers to travel along. This £300,000 investment is yet another example of the county council’s commitment to improving the road network, both in rural and urban areas, and it is one that will bring benefits for residents, businesses and people visiting the Moorlands.

“However, with such a big scheme, there will be a certain amount of disruption and I would like to thank residents, motorists and visitors for their patience while the work is taking place.”

Vehicles will be controlled by two way traffic lights throughout the vast majority of the scheme which is expected to be finished in early April. However, it will be necessary to close the road between March 26 and April 5 when a diversion will be put in place. The team will generally be working 7.30am – 4.30pm weekdays but there will also be some weekend work.

County Councillor Mike Maryon announces another £800,000 of local highway improvements at Upper Tean and Totmonslow

2012-01-30T21:36:00.000Z

Staffordshire Highways has started today Monday 30th January a major £800,000 project to reconstruct the road between Tean and Totmonslow.

Staffordshire County Council’s engineers will be carrying out the work, which is expected to take 24 weeks to complete and will see the road completely rebuilt. The scheme includes kerbing work, drainage, new footways (where necessary) and carriageway reconstruction up to a depth of 200mm.

The work will stretch from New Road where the last £500,000 structural maintenance scheme on Tean High Street finished in 2010, to just shy of Breach Lane at Totmonslow.

Works will start at the Tean end and will be carried out under 2-way traffic lights. There are locations along the length that are very narrow and convoys will be used to slow people down through the works when this location is reached.

There is a particularly narrow stretch towards the Totmonslow end and this will unfortunately require a road closure. The closure is currently programmed for 11 June and will be in place until the end of the scheme on 29 June. The diversion for this closure will be publicised nearer to the time but is likely to follow the A521 Cheadle Road from Bylthe Bridge to Cheadle and back to Tean on the A522 Tean Road.

Staffordshire County Councillor for Highways Mike Maryon, who is also the local member for Tean and Totmonslow, said: “This £800,000 project is vital to rebuild a road that has become life expired. With the £500,000 spent on Tean High Street, this now brings to £1.3M that the County Council has spent on his road alone in two years, as part of the major reinvestment in the highways of Staffordshire after years of underfunding that had let the road network deteriorate to such an extent it was on the brink of major decline.

“Local people have made it very clear to me that keeping Staffordshire roads properly maintained is their big issue. That’s why we have made this our top priority since being elected in 2009.

“I would urge local residents and visitors to the area to be patient while this major investment scheme is being carried out. For the next few months, however, I would also advise motorists to avoid travelling along this stretch and follow the suggested diversions whenever possible. I understand that the work will impact upon travel plans including my own and I would really like to thank people for their patience.”

More Warm Homes details and funding in Staffordshire Moorlands ...

2012-01-29T16:16:00.002Z

HELP is at hand for Staffordshire Moorlands people struggling to stay warm this winter, thanks to a £25,000 injection from the Government's Warm Homes Healthy People fund.

The money was awarded to the District Council by Staffordshire County Council, which secured the funding in partnership with Beat the Cold and the Revival Home Improvement Agency.

The grant will be spent before the end of March on helping eligible residents get help including heating repairs, cold alarms, and checks to ensure that homes are winter proofed.

Temporary heating solutions will also be made available while advice leaflets and visits will make sure that people stay warm and safe this winter.

To highlight the help on offer, a road show will visit Cheadle Hospital from 12.30pm to 4.30pm on Thursday week (February 2); Thursday, February 16 and Thursday, March 1. Leek Moorlands Hospital will be visited on Wednesday, February 15 from 9.30am to 1pm.
Further dates for March will be announced in the near future.

Warm Homes Healthy People is one of several initiatives to support older and vulnerable people in winter and reduce the number of cases of people struggling to keep warm.

Helping people stay warm and safe reduces hospital admissions and the use of emergency residential care while making it easier for people to stay living independently at home.

Cllr Gill Burton, portfolio holder for communities, said: "I'm delighted we've secured this funding, which we'll use wisely by working with local organisations to give practical help to those who need it most this winter".

If you need help keeping warm and safe this winter - or know someone who does - call Revival Home Improvement Agency on (01782) 749202.

Notes:

It is estimated that more than £850 million is spent by the NHS each year as a result of the impact of cold housing on people's health
Warm Homes Healthy People funding is part of the cross-Government's Cold Weather Plan. http://www.dh.gov.uk/health/2011/12/snow-wardens-winter-workers/
Beat The cold http://beatcold.org.uk/
Revival Home Improvement agency http://www.improvingyourhomelife.co.uk/

Even people in Labour-run Stoke-on-Trent can see the many benefits offered by neighbouring Conservative-run Councils

2012-01-29T15:42:00.001Z

http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/Council-incapable-running-city/story-15052719-detail/story.html

Conservative-run Staffordshire County Council announce ANOTHER £20M investment in Staffordshire highways

2012-01-29T15:20:00.001Z

Staffordshire’s highways chief has today announced plans for an extra £20 million to be invested into improving the county’s highways network.

Cabinet member for Highways and Transport Mike Maryon said the major cash injection into preventative work on roads and footpaths would lead to long term savings for taxpayers. The money would be invested over two years but residents would reap the benefits for decades.

The council’s ruling Cabinet will consider the proposals for the £20 million investment on February 1 as part of its recommendations for the budget for the year from April 2012.

The cash boost would come on top of the additional £30 million that the county council’s administration has already ploughed into keeping roads repaired, safe and accessible since it came into power in June 2009. The new cash shows a significant commitment by Staffordshire at a time when many other councils are cutting services and reducing investment overall.

Money for the investment has been released through the county council’s transformation programme, which includes savings made by closing down a number of council offices across Staffordshire and the move to a more cost – effective HQ at Staffordshire Place.

Staffordshire sees highways as an important quality of life issue but also one which is at the centre of its commitment to bring jobs and prosperity to the county. Money can also be saved by maintaining roads now to prevent trouble later.

It comes after residents told the council it should prioritise road maintenance and deal with potholes. The money would be spent over two years from April 2012 in two main areas:

Increasing preventative maintenance of roads to ensure that there is less need for emergency or large scale repairs as the highways deteriorate

More cash for the maintenance of rural roads, to be spent in consultation with local communities and their councillors

The previous investment has already meant that there are fewer than 700 potholes currently outstanding in the 4000 miles of highways. The initial £30 million funding has had a dramatic impact in reducing the numbers. This number is expected to continue to fall with the new funding boost making the problem more manageable in future as the material state of the highways is significantly improved.

County Councillor Mike Maryon, Cabinet member for Highways and Transport, said: “Local people have made it very clear to us that keeping Staffordshire roads properly maintained is their big issue. That’s why we earmarked £30 million two years ago and why we are again making this our top priority for the next two years.

"When we came in to power in 2009 we inherited an under investment in the highways network that meant it had deteriorated to a large extent and was on the brink of major decline. We know that the initial investment has paid off in terms of better roads and a more efficient repairs service but that was only a stop gap measure as more had to be done. This new money would make sure the good work continues into the foreseeable future.

“Investing now makes real financial sense to avoid more costly repairs later on, but it is also important to have a top class transport network for the county economy to thrive and residents to get good jobs. This is particularly important in our rural areas which play a vital part in job creation activities such as tourism. This is why we are including rural roads of local concern into the programme this time.

“The proposal is in line with our approach to running the council, which is to invest in new ways of doing things to ultimately save money for the under-pressure taxpayer. Using savings from money that we have created from not doing silly things like having too many buildings, being more innovative and efficient in how we work with and reinvesting it in to Staffordshire is common sense.”

Staffordshire Moorlands District Council: We're in the market for Cheadle Market

2012-01-29T15:08:00.003Z

STAFFORDSHIRE Moorlands District Council has unveiled plans to buy Cheadle Market - if it can reach agreement with its owners. The council's six-year lease of the indoor and outdoor markets ends on Wednesday, February 29. And, subject to council approval, local authority officials will talk with Northern Markets about a potential purchase.

Acquisition would give the council a free hand to revitalise the markets by improving the existing Market Place facilities or by relocating to a town centre core area earmarked in Cheadle's draft Masterplan for land now occupied by the main car parks.

A change in ownership would enable the council to push ahead with plans to replace the outdoor market's fixed stalls with demountable ones that would allow the area to be reinvented as a vibrant space for community events - complementing the future use of neighbouring Lulworth House as an interpretation centre for the work of celebrated Victorian architect AWN Pugin.

Pugin designed Cheadle's St. Giles' RC Church - known as Pugin's Gem - and was also responsible for the interiors of the Houses of Parliament.

Removal of the permanent stalls would allow attractive planting, lighting and landscaping to be introduced while the indoor market building next door would be renovated.

Cllr Andrew Hart, portfolio holder for regeneration, explained: "Market Place doesn't fulfil its potential as a south-facing public square because market stalls are left in place when they're not being used. And indiscriminate parking conceals the attractive terrace of historic buildings lining the site's northern edge".

In 2006, more than £353,000 was ploughed into a major refurbishment of the market. The investment comprised a Townscape Heritage Grant of £149,690 from English Heritage plus £118,390 from the council and £85,000 from Northern Markets.

The market has operated at a significant loss since the council took on its management from Northern Markets in 2006/07, and the council's average annual running costs over the last four years have been £43,407.

Cllr Hart added: "We're determined to do all we can to breathe new life into the market - and we know that traders and townsfolk remain committed to the market. But any deal we make with Northern Markets has to be in the taxpayer's best interests".

The council will make a further announcement following any negotiations authorised by councillors.

Staffordshire Moorlands District Council offers Basic Food Hygiene Course

2012-01-22T18:10:00.001Z

ENVIRONMENTAL health officials are guaranteeing to tickle the taste buds of caterers looking to brush up on their food hygiene knowledge at a knockdown price. Staffordshire Moorlands District Council has lined up a basic food hygiene course for Thursday, February 2 at a cost of just £50 per person - a mouth-watering £10 less than those of the three nearest colleges.

Food handlers working in premises including pubs, cafes, shops and nursing homes must be trained in food hygiene to enable them to carry out their work safely. The recognised minimum qualification is the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health Level 2 in Food Safety in Catering - the qualification awarded to successful candidates at the end of the course.

The teach-in will take place in Moorlands House, Stockwell Street, Leek from 9.30am to 5pm. Topics will include bacteriology, personal hygiene, pest and temperature control, and carrying out the mandatory hazard analysis. Attendees will also get information on the Safer Food Better Business pack, which can be obtained free by calling 0845 606 0667 or sending an e-mail to foodstandards@ecgroup.co.uk.

Using various languages, the pack takes readers through the four Cs of cross contamination, cleaning, chilling and cooking. To reserve a place, call Pauline Forrester on (01538) 395796 or send an e-mail to pauline.forrester@staffsmoorlands.gov.uk. Interested parties must pre book as there is no admission on the day.

Cheadle's new Wetherspoons development

2012-01-15T17:16:00.000Z

Work has been continuing on Cheadle's new Wetherspoons pub - the former Wheatsheaf in High Street - which is excellent news and will provide a huge boost to the town centre. However, concerns have been raised about new modifications proposed to the rear by the Moorlands Conservation Panel. While the proposed changes are supported in principle, there is further work to be done in connection with the design.

Under the proposals, the bar are will open up to a raised platform outdoor area. However, this projects further than the surrounding buildings - especially the listed Lulworth House next door. There are no landscaping details. Concern was also raised about an external fire ecape staircase which cross the whole of the back of the building. These issues need to be addressed. However, support was given for a new chimney, changes from windows to doors and the lowering of rear windows to create a flow on to the outdoor platform.

These are only minor changes and will hopefully be overcome with revised plans.

Staffordshire Moorlands District Council offers 'hedgelaying course'

2012-01-15T16:17:00.004Z

WOULD-be craftspeople have been offered an intriguing chance to step back in time by learning the ancient art of hedgelaying. Staffordshire Moorlands District Council has brought in rural crafts expert Simon Fowler to run a course at Biddulph Grange Country Park on Saturday and Sunday, March 10 and 11 from 10am to 4pm. No previous experience is necessary, and all tools will be provided.

The two-day course costs only £35, and places can be reserved by calling the countryside team on (01538) 395522. There will be no admission without reservations. Participants should wear old clothes and stout shoes, and bring a packed lunch.

Cllr Mark Deaville, portfolio holder for leisure, sport, parks and countryside, said: "Hedgelaying is a rewarding pastime that is surprisingly easy to master. People who've acquired the skill have often gone on to use it to great effect in their own gardens or as a commercial venture".

Staffordshire Moorlands District Council and Leek United Building Society launch pioneering new scheme to help First Time Buyers

2012-01-15T16:10:00.003Z

A COUNCIL and mortgage lender are to forge a pioneering partnership with a financial firm to make it easier for first-time buyers to get a foot on the housing ladder. Staffordshire Moorlands District Council and Leek United Building Society are to join forces with Sector Treasury Services Ltd in a nationwide Local Authority Mortgage Guarantee Scheme aimed at first-time buyers who can afford monthly payments but not the up-front deposit.

To date, Leek United is one of six lenders to have signed up to the initiative, which involves local authorities acting as mortgage guarantors for buyers with small deposits. Under the scheme - which is set to go live in the spring, the council will indemnify Leek United to the value of the difference between a mortgage requiring a 25 per cent deposit and one requiring a five per cent deposit. This will allow potential buyers to obtain a 95 per cent mortgage on similar terms to a 75 per cent mortgage - without having to pay a hefty deposit.

The council would only incur costs if the mortgage payer defaulted and the building society then made a loss when selling the property. Mortgagees will have to meet not only Leek United's criteria but also those of the council, namely:

The property value must not exceed £150,000
The house must be in the Staffordshire Moorlands
Applicants must live or work in the district.

Council leader Sybil Ralphs said: "This innovative scheme will enable us to intervene in the housing market and help first-time buyers to purchase their first home".

Cllr Andrew Hart, portfolio holder for housing and regeneration, added: "Helping young people get a foot on the housing ladder will also ease pressure on social housing waiting lists. Truly, this is a win-win arrangement".

Leek United head of lending Mike Williams said: "This could not have come at a better time, when the National Housing Federation (the body representing housing associations in England) has warned that an entire generation faces being locked out of the housing market due to rising rents and bigger house prices. Under this scheme, the council acting as guarantor allows first-time buyers to get a preferential interest rate which would normally only be available to those making much larger down payments. For our part, we will be applying our normal lending criteria, and only lending to those who can comfortably afford to make their mortgage repayments. This initiative should not only serve to stimulate the local housing market but will also benefit the wider local community. It will enable social housing providers to free up more properties for those who can't afford mortgage repayments, and will reduce payouts to private landlords. As more local authorities join the scheme, we may well be looking at extending our own involvement across our entire branch network in Cheshire, Derbyshire and Shropshire too", he revealed.

Sector Treasury Services ran pilot schemes with several local authorities earlier in 2011. Cecilie Booth, company director, said: "The combination of relatively high house prices and understandable caution over lending from banks and building societies means that many potential first-time buyers are unable to save a sufficient deposit, even though they could afford mortgage repayments on a typical first home. This initiative is designed to bridge that gap. More people will be able to take the step of buying their first home, stimulating the local housing market and benefiting the wider local economy ".

According to national figures from the Council of Mortgage Lenders, mortgage repossessions last year amounted to 0.3 per cent of all mortgages. If that were applied to the council's £1m indemnity fund, the council would incur a loss of £3,000.

Nationally, 50 councils have indicated an interest in participating in the scheme, with a further 200 looking into it. Eight councils have already taken the scheme live.

New plans revealed for another 'World First' rollercoaster at Alton Towers in Staffordshire Moorlands

2012-01-08T11:11:00.000Z

New details have been published for another 'world first' rollercoaster at Alton Towers. Details available here

As a member of the Staffordshire Moorlands District Council Planning Application Committee I can't comment further as the application may come before the Planning Committee.

Fruit grafting and willow sculpture in Biddulph

2012-01-08T10:59:00.000Z

GREEN-fingered gardeners with a thirst for new skills will be well catered for at Biddulph. Church Road Community Garden is the setting on Sunday, January 29 for a workshop teaching the art of grafting fruit trees.

Running from 2pm to 4pm, the free session will be led by resident gardener Angela Coombs who will show how to graft several varieties of apple. Activities continue at Biddulph Youth and Community Centre on Saturday, February 25 when local artist Anthony Hammond guides participants through the techniques of creating a unique willow sculpture.

Taking place from 10am to 4pm, the course costs £10 to include the cost of materials. At the end of the courses, enthusiasts will be able to take their grafted trees and sculpture home to their own garden.

The workshops have been organised by Staffordshire Moorlands District Council, which runs the community garden with NHS North Staffordshire to encourage healthy lifestyles and a balanced diet while promoting community cohesion.

Cllr Mark Deaville, portfolio holder for leisure, sport, parks and countryside, said: "These events will be just the ticket for enthusiasts looking to beautify their garden and save money by growing delicious fruit. But would-be participants should sign up quickly as booking is essential for both sessions", he stressed.

To reserve a place, call the council's countryside team on (01538) 395577.

Cllr Stephen Ellis: White Christmas ... GREEN New Year?

2012-01-03T21:27:00.001Z

AS HOUSEHOLDS prepare to take down their Christmas decorations on Twelfth Night (Friday), recycling chiefs have urged families to ensure a Happy New Year for the environment. The plea was made this week by Staffordshire Moorlands District Council, which reminded residents that changes to cardboard collection meant that Christmas cards could now go in the GREY bin.

As a result, the council will NOT be providing collection points in the Biddulph, Cheadle and Leek one-stop shops, leisure centres and network of libraries this year. The GREY recycling bin will also take flattened and folded cardboard packaging plus the usual festive throwaways of plastic bottles, beer cans, wine and champagne bottles, biscuit and chocolate tins, margarine and ice cream tubs, yoghurt pots, drinks cartons, plastic food trays and even aluminium foil.

Meanwhile, the BROWN bin for organic waste will happily accept chopped-up Christmas trees. Alternatively, trees can be taken to the household waste and recycling centres at Cheadle, Leek or Bemersley, near Biddulph.

Just for good measure, the BROWN bin will take vegetable peelings, cooked and uncooked food waste and all manner of festive garden foliage. But changes to cardboard collection mean that residents should not put cardboard in the brown bin as this will prevent it being emptied.

IMPORTANT: Residents with too much waste for their recycling grey bins can leave excess materials in untied carrier bags, their old kerbside box or a cardboard box next to the side of the grey bin.

Cllr Stephen Ellis: Leek outdoor market cancelled due to high winds (4 Jan 2012)

2012-01-03T21:14:00.001Z

STAFFORDSHIRE Moorlands District Council has made the exceptional decision to cancel tomorrow's (Wednesday 4 January 2012) outdoor market in Leek Market Place.

With gale force winds forecast, the council has taken the decision in the interests of the health and safety of shoppers and traders alike.

Cllr Andrew Hart, portfolio holder for regeneration, said: "It's unfortunate that we've had to take the highly unusual step of cancelling our ever-popular charter market. However, the well being of customers and stallholders has to be our first priority.

"We are pleased to confirm that Leek indoor market will be open for business as normal".

The council is informing its regular traders.

Cllr Stephen Ellis - Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T20:55:00.001Z

2012 is set to be a huge year for me, for Cheadle, for Staffordshire Moorlands and for our nation. It's a time of great excitement with so many things to look forward to.

On a personal level, I hope to become the Chairman of Staffordshire Moorlands District Council in May - the youngest person ever to hold the role in the Council's history. I'm really looking forward to representing the Council across the Moorlands and beyond. However, as with being Town Mayor, my greatest love of the role is getting out there, meeting local people and seeing all the good work that goes on. It is a great honour and privilege to hold such office and I promise to do my best for the Council and, most importantly, for the people of Staffordshire Moorlands.

Cheadle will of course be celebrating Pugin throughout 2012 as we mark his 200th birthday. Augustus Northmore Welby Pugin was the architect of St Giles RC Church in Cheadle - renowned around the world as his finest work and known everywhere as "Pugin's Gem". This is a huge opportunity to put Cheadle on the map - and it's an opportunity we can't afford to miss. I've been pleased to work as part of the Pugin Steering Group and there are many events lined up - plus we have a new visitor centre especially for our celebrations. Happy Birthday Pugin!

For Staffordshire Moorlands as a Council, the budgetary pressure continues - and yet there will be no Council Tax rise for the third year running. Gill Heath and my Conservative and Independent colleagues have done an amazing job balancing the books and have saved around £3M across both Councils. It's a remarkable record when there's been no loss of, or cutbacks to, public services across the area. We've transformed back office roles, functions and efficiency to make these savings - and this has been recognised nationally. This is a huge achievement when you look at other Councils closing libraries, toilets, leisure centres, care homes etc. That's not happening here - and it's down to our excellent management of the Council's finances. Furthermore, we're investing in new services with sports villages now up and running across our three main towns. We're also about to commence work on a number of affordable housing schemes. SMDC is being well run and well managed with great leadership and vision.

Finally, all eyes around the globe will be on the United Kingdon this year as we host the Olympic Games and celebrate Her Majesty's Diamond Jubilee. Both events will be showpieces for our nation and will attract mass interest around the world. Again, it's a unique twin opportunity we can't afford to miss - and I very much look forward to both events.

If you wish to contact me, please email stephenellis@btinternet.com. Alternatively, please write to Cllr Stephen Ellis, Chambers House, 27 Leek Road, Cheadle, Staffordshire Moorlands. ST10 1JE. You can call me on 01538 755521 or call/text 07788 900 460.

Cllr Stephen Ellis - More Lib Dem madness in Staffordshire Moorlands as they too campaign against their own policies

2011-12-31T18:47:00.002Z

Not to be done by their Moorlands Democratic Alliance bedfellows, the Staffordshire Moorlands Liberal Democrats too have now started campaigning against policies they themselves brought in.

Last month it was the Moorlands Democratic Alliance who were criticising the contract for fleet cars across the Council - a contract they signed while in power in 2006 and a contract which runs until 2013. Now we have the Lib Dems also criticising their own polcy decisions as they back comments by Mary Portas who suggests town centre parking charges should be scrapped. Well, we agreed - and we said so in 2004 when the charges were proposed! In fact Staffordshire Moorlands Conservative Party and Staffordshire Moorlands Labour Party BOTH campaigned against the introduction of parking charges which were extended across Staffordshire Moorlands by the Lib Dems and the Moorlands Democratic Alliance.

Speaking about the Lib Dem comments, Cllr Stephen Ellis said "I hate to say 'we told you so' - but we did. The Moorlands Democratic Alliance and the Lib Dems clearly don't remember a thing they signed up to in their four years of office. Both Parties have recently made a string of attacks on policies they themselves brought in. It's absolute madness."

Cllr Ellis continued "It's all very well for the Lib Dems to calls for parking charges to be scrapped - but they now represent £400K of income to the Council every year. Where do they propose £400K of additional funding or £400K of cuts will come from if their request is implemented? As with all statements from the Lib Dems, they're big on headlines but small on reality."

Cllr Ellis concluded: "They chose to bring in parking charges when they'd had higher-than-average inflationary Government grants AND in the same year they'd whacked Council Tax up by a whopping 4.9%. Calling for cuts at a time where we simply can't afford it is playing politics with peoples' lives. The Lib Dems should be ashamed of themselves and their earlier actions bringing in the charges in the first place."

Cllr Stephen Ellis - More good news for Staffordshire Moorlands taxpayers as further back office savings protect frontline public services

2011-12-31T18:20:00.001Z

Staffordshire Moorlands District Council and neighbouring High Peak Borough Council have undertaken a review of their customer facing services, with a view to improving the cost efficiency of the operation. The authorities, which formed an alliance three years ago to save cash, say the new system, aimed at cutting out duplication and waste, will save around £1 million a year.

The changes will be phased in during 2012 and will reduce the number of posts required across the two councils by 30. The majority of employees will be divided evenly between Moorlands House, Leek, and Buxton Town Hall, although staff will also still work in the one-stop shops in Biddulph, Cheadle and Glossop.

A spokesman for the Moorlands council said it was not expected that any workers would have to leave the authority. He added: “With the voluntary redundancies already taken place at the council it is not expected that any more jobs will be lost with the new system. It is almost certain that staff currently working for the councils will be guaranteed a job, although probably in changed roles. This will mean people will have to move to other jobs and be retrained for that position.”

The changes embrace benefits, building control, council tax, development control, environmental health, licensing, recovery and the administration of waste services.

Councillor Tony Hall, who has the responsibility for customer services, said: “The new structure will enable us to save money and provide a more efficient service to the public. By co-operating across service areas and sharing duties, we will help ensure that themajority of service requests can be dealt with in just one contact. We will be able to get it right first time, eliminate duplication of effort and avoid the costs that arise when we have to repeat work.”

Cllr Stephen Ellis welcomes Staffordshire Moorlands jobs boost

2011-12-31T18:05:00.002Z

SAINSBURY'S is looking to sub-contract local firms as part of its ongoing development in Leek. Sainsbury's contractor, London-based Mace Group, has pledged to use local companies where possible, following talks instigated by Staffordshire Moorlands District Council to get the best possible deal for the local economy from the major superstore development on the Churnet Works site, off Macclesfield Road. Mace is looking to award sub-contracts for services including scaffolding and skip hire, and also wants to hear from local builders' merchants supplying a range of goods and services.

Expressions of interest are sought from recruitment agencies able to source a range of temporary workers while Mace intends to directly recruit a temporary office secretary. In addition, existing sub-contractors to Mace may have temporary vacancies for general labourers. Now, the council has created a dedicated webpage, www.staffsmoorlands.gov.uk/sainsburysleek, detailing all the sub-contracts and direct jobs - and how to apply.

Cllr Andrew Hart, portfolio holder for regeneration, urged businesses not to miss out: "This is a great opportunity for local companies and sole traders to pick up new business, and we welcome Mace's commitment to letting local firms know about and have a chance to win contracts".

Council leader Sybil Ralphs added: "The £40m Sainsbury's development is a major boost for Leek as it will create new jobs as well as delivering a public park, family houses, and new employment units for existing tenants of the Churnet Works site".

The Macclesfield Road development will also provide a 40,000 sq. ft. food store, petrol filling station and three bulky goods warehouses. In addition, Sainsbury's is to fund works to improve town centre traffic flow by reconfiguring various road junctions to accommodate signals sharing intelligent real-time electronic information. The Macclesfield Road and town centre projects are scheduled for completion next November.

Cllr Stephen Ellis: Excellent local causes supported by fellow ward councillor and former SMDC Chairman, Cllr Peter Warrillow

2011-12-31T17:59:00.002Z

CHRISTMAS came early for three charities, thanks to a former first citizen of Staffordshire Moorlands. Former District Council chairman Peter Warrillow raised an impressive £8,475 for worthy causes during his civic year that ended in May.

Cllr Warrillow marked the season of goodwill in fitting style on Thursday (December 22) when he handed a £3,000 cheque to Helen Wainwright, chair of Moorlands Home Link, which provides transport for the housebound. He will present £3,000 to the Alzheimer's Society in the New Year plus £2,475 to the Rhinology and Laryngology Research Fund, dedicated to the prevention and cure of cancers and other diseases of the head, neck and brain.

The lion's share of the fundraising took place at his charity ball at Alton Towers in February and at a golf tournament and clay pigeon shoot organised by Cllrs Mike Worthington and Mike Bowen respectively. However, there were also generous donations from businesses including JCB, the Alton Towers Resort and Cheadle-based ACB Hydraulics.

Cllr Warrillow chose the Alzheimer's Society in memory of his mother, who suffered from the condition in the final years of her life. His choice was also influenced by research that he carried out as vice chair of the council's health scrutiny panel into the care of Alzheimer's sufferers.

"I was concerned at what appeared to be inadequate support for many sufferers, despite the best efforts of providers", he said.

He selected Home Link as a worthy cause because of his admiration for its work in providing vital transport for housebound people needing to visit the doctor or go shopping, or wishing to maintain a decent quality of life by attending luncheon clubs or the theatre, for example.
Cllr Warrillow decided to support the Rhinology and Laryngology Research Fund after discovering that Charlotte Hails, daughter of current chairman Jason Hails, was undergoing treatment for cancer.

Cllr Stephen Ellis: Plans come forward for Fole Dairy site

2011-12-31T17:51:00.000Z

A planning application will be submitted in January for the construction of a selection of new homes on the site of a disused dairy near Tean, Staffordshire.

According to Checkley Parish Council chairman David Ball, the development would feature a mixture of family and affordable homes.

With the site having become derelict, community leaders and residents have welcomed the proposals to build the new homes.

Councillor Ball said: "We had a presentation at a parish council meeting and everyone thought it was a good idea and fully supported it.

"It would be good to see it developed. The site does tend to lend itself to vandalism."
If the proposal for the scheme is approved by Staffordshire Moorlands District Council, the go-ahead will be given for architects to draw up concrete plans for new homes for the site.

Ball added: "It [plans] looks a very impressive and sympathetic development and a lot of time and work has been spent on it. It includes some housing for our young people.

"There should be some planning gain which will go towards the Staffordshire Moorlands.

"We want the money spent in Tean and not spirited away - and that is our major concern."

Cllr Stephen Ellis - New street lighting for Lid Lane, Cheadle

2011-12-19T21:43:00.004Z

Councillors have contacted Staffordshire County Council in a bid to secure extra/new street lighting for part of Lid Lane in Cheadle.

Cllr Stephen Ellis explained "The lights in the lower section of Lid Lane were replaced and upgraded some time ago. However, when the road was dissected in two by Glebe Road, the upper section of Lid Lane appears to have been completely missed. They still have the old fashioned lighting which is is in desperate need of updating - and more lighting needs to be provided. This is a key route to school and the current lighting and level of lighting is inadequate".

Cllr Stephen Ellis: Proud to support local students campaigning for winter road safety in Cheadle

2011-12-19T21:43:00.003Z

A campaign to put Cheadle's Station Road on the Staffordshire County Council gritting route has won the unanimous backing of Cheadle Town Councillors at their Full Council meeting held on Monday 19 December 2011. Following a lengthy debate about gritting in and around the area, Councillors finally agreed to support the request tabled by Andrew Davies and George Smith who are both students at The Cheadle Academy.

Putting the request before fellow Town Councillors, Cllr Stephen Ellis said "This campaign has been led by two keen local students, Andrew and George, who have spotted a problem and done something about it. They've contacted the Principal and gained her support. They've also gained the support of an ever-growing number of fellow students on their petition. As a Town Council, it's only right we encourage their initiative and applaud their efforts and enthusiasm.

Speaking at the meeting County Councillor Mike Maryon said "I've been contacted directly about this issue by Andrew and George and I'll be taking the matter up for them and responding in due course. I'll do whatever I can to see what provision can be made".

The motion was unanimously backed by all Cheadle Town Councillors who are now writing in support of the campaign to Staffordshire County Council and the Cabinet Member for Highways, County Councillor Mike Maryon.

Cllr Stephen Ellis - Saving Cheadle Council Offices

2011-12-19T21:01:00.000Z

A special sub-committee has been set up by Cheadle Town Council to look at future uses for the Council Offices on Leek Road. Under the leadership of the Town Mayor, the committee will seek to find potential occupiers of the building in order that it can be kept and maintained for public use.

Cllr Stephen Ellis said "The Cheadle Council offices building is one of Cheadle's finest and most prminent buildings. The Art Deco/Nouveau interior is in amazing condition and it's essential we keep the building in the public domain. While I'm sure the building won't be demolished, it would be a huge and sad loss if it was sold and taken out of public use."

Cllr Stephen Ellis: Let's make it a 'green' Christmas for waste and recycling in Staffordshire Moorlands

2011-12-18T21:39:00.001Z

STAFFORDSHIRE Moorlands households whose waste and recycling collections are affected by the Christmas holidays will have to wait no longer than an extra four days to have their bins emptied. Collections due on Monday, December 26 (Boxing Day) will take place the following Friday ( December 30) while rounds scheduled for the Friday will happen just 24 hours later on Saturday, December 31 (New Year's Eve). Commercial waste collections will follow this pattern too, and affected customers have been advised of their revised date.

The good news was announced this week by the District Council, which has recently delivered an updated waste and recycling information leaflet to all households. Council deputy leader and environment portfolio holder Arthur Forrester urged residents to refer to the green-and-white leaflet, which details changes to the way the council collects cardboard, as well as giving collection dates for Christmas and the New Year.

The grey recycling bin can now take flattened and folded cardboard packaging in addition to the usual festive throwaways including plastic bottles, beer cans, wine and champagne bottles, biscuit and chocolate tins, margarine and ice cream tubs, yoghurt pots, drinks cartons, plastic food trays and even aluminium foil.

The grey bin can also accept Christmas cards, so there will be no need for council-operated collection points in the New Year.

Just for good measure, the brown bin for organic waste will happily accept vegetable peelings, cooked and uncooked food waste and all manner of festive garden foliage. Following changes to the way the council collects cardboard, residents should not put cardboard in the brown bin as this will prevent it being emptied.

Once Twelfth Night has passed and the decorations are down, residents can chop up their real Christmas trees and put them in their brown bin or take them to the household waste and recycling centres at Cheadle, Leek or Bemersley, near Biddulph.

Cllr Stephen Ellis congratulates Staffordshire Wildlife Trust on their successful management bid of The Roaches, Staffordshire Moorlands

2011-12-18T21:23:00.001Z

A COMMUNITY leader who championed a campaign for continued public access to one of North Staffordshire's most famous landmarks has welcomed new arrangements for its management. Staffordshire Moorlands District Council leader Sybil Ralphs said it was "great news" that the Peak District National Park Authority had agreed to lease the Roaches, near Leek, to Staffordshire Wildlife Trust (SWT) for 125 years.

SWT was one of three organisations that bid to run the 975-acre estate following the national park authority's decision to transfer properties to "like-minded bodies" in the face of 28.5 per cent budget cuts from 2010 to 2015. The other bidders for the dramatic gritstone outcrop marking the southern tip of the Pennines were the Land Trust and National Trust.

Christopher Pennell, chair of the park authority's audit, resources and performance committee, said: "All three bids were strong but, after careful consideration, we decided that Staffordshire Wildlife Trust had put in the best tender against the authority's demanding criteria and had demonstrated the most local support for taking on the lease".

Cllr Ralphs hailed the decision as vindication of the council's stance that the walkers' and climbers' paradise should be leased to an organisation that would ensure ongoing public access while managing the estate to preserve its conservation value and protect farming and tourism interests.

"I've been saying since July last year that the Peak Park needed a partner that had sound conservation credentials and would be bound by a legal commitment to ensure effective management. That's why I'm delighted that Staffordshire Wildlife Trust has been awarded the lease", she added.

Featuring the iconic rock skyline of the Roaches and Hen Cloud, the estate is protected by law for its wildlife and landscape value, and is part of a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

SWT has pledged to:

Continue looking after the estate's wildlife and cultural heritage
Work to enhance its biodiversity
Continue improving access and footpaths
Encourage more involvement from local people.

The trust expects to take up the lease in spring 2013, once detailed negotiations have been completed and legal agreements signed.

Fellow Councillor, Cllr Stephen Ellis said "This is an iconic landscape and is so important to the people of Staffordshire Moorlands. It's featured so prominently in so many tourism guides across the UK - it's a huge boost to Staffordshire Moorlands. I know all the bids were strong. I'd like to congratulate all the bidders and special congratulations to Staffordshire Wildlife Trust. I know they'll manage this specialist landscape to a very high degree to ensure the habitat and scenery are protected for generations to come"

Cllr Stephen Ellis: Staffordshire Moorlands residents urged to 'shop local' this Christmas to support local businesses

2011-12-18T21:10:00.001Z

£50 cash for Shop Local supporters

THREE Staffordshire Moorlands shoppers earned £50 each by setting the Christmas tills a-jingling in their town centre stores. Judith Cope, Philip Stevenson and Mrs P Bailey, from Leek, Cheadle and Biddulph respectively, struck gold in the November draw of a popular Shop Local scheme run by the District Council to give independent high street shopkeepers a helping hand in difficult trading conditions.

Supported by Biddulph Business Chamber, Cheadle Business Group and Leek Chamber of Trade, the campaign involves more than 350 independent retailers and businesses across the district. Participating shops and businesses are given support and publicity materials including posters, window stickers, passport cards and stickers for each purchase. Shoppers then collect a stamp for each purchase, stick this on a passport card and, when full, enter their card with completed contact details into the monthly draw.

Entrants are eligible for one of the three £50 draws made for Biddulph, Cheadle and Leek each month as well as the Super Draw £100 cash prize each quarter. The Biddulph, Cheadle and Leek one-stop shops have replacement stickers for retailers who have exhausted their supplies. The offices also stock passports for shoppers needing a new one.

For more information on Shop Local, call the council's regeneration team on (01538) 395511.

Moorlands Democratic Alliance launch an attack ... on their own policy!

2011-12-18T20:57:00.003Z

Cllr Linda Malyon launches a scathing attack ... on another one of her own policies!

Article from The Evening Sentinel:

OPPOSITION councillors have called for car use by senior officers to be reviewed in the wake of soaring fuel and vehicle costs. Some 29 officers out of the 200-plus workers employed by Staffordshire Moorlands District Council benefit from the "longstanding perk" of having a lease car. The cost to taxpayers' this year is £109,400 – and the deal is protected until 2013 under a contract between the council and trade unions, even though the authority has shed half its workforce in recent years.

Councillor Linda Malyon, Moorlands Democratic Alliance leader, called for a review of the agreement to be brought forward to protect jobs at the council, which needs to save £3 million over the next three years. Among those to benefit from the scheme is council chief executive Simon Baker, pictured below, who receives an allowance towards his Audi on top of his £152,000 salary and other benefits.

Cllr Malyon said: "In these times of restraint people should re-evaluate their positions, given that many others are counting every penny twice. Jobs are more important than perks and getting rid of this agreement could save jobs. The rest of us have to buy our own cars and petrol. When you think there are only about 200 people left at the council, there are quite a lot with lease cars. We could provide a couple of pool cars, like private employers do. They could not afford to run a scheme like this. It is not due to be reviewed until 2013 and it will be 2016 before anything is done. The sooner we do something, the better."

Speaking after the publication of the article, Cllr Stephen Ellis said "This is the latest in a string of gaffes by the Moorlands Democratic Alliance where they've criticised policies and decisions which they brought in. They've even criticised decisions which we flagged up at the time - such as Council Officers being sent to Jamaica at the taxpayer's expense. When we said they hadn't got a clue what they were doing, we must have been right as they're now agreeing with us! "

Cllr Ellis added "They seem to forget that once you enter into an agreement and sign a contract, you can't suddenly chop and change like their policy review. These decisions are binding untile the expiry of the contract. Thank goodness the people of Staffordshire Moorlands removed them from office before things got even worse. Considering how much they increased Council Tax and wasted money when times were good, you can only imagine the mess we'd be in right now."

Cllr Stephen Ellis welcomes new 'extra care' pensioner bungalows for Cheadle

2011-12-18T19:31:00.002Z

News Story from The Evening Sentinel:

NEARLY 100 pensioners' flats are set to be built on the sites of a special school and residential home in North Staffordshire. Two retirement villages, costing millions of pounds, have been earmarked for the plots previously occupied by the Lightwood Residential home in Cheadle and the Meadows Special School in Biddulph.

Staffordshire County Council shut Lightwood, in Well Street, three years ago despite a storm of protest from residents. Now the local authority is going out to tender to see if developers are interested in taking on the projects, which could bring around 90 ultra-modern apartments. A good response would see them transformed into so-called extra care developments, where housing is designed specifically for older people and those with disabilities.

Each apartment is self-contained with a shower, kitchen, living room and one or two bedrooms. With care and support staff on site, residents can retain their independence in the knowledge they can access help quickly and easily if they need it.

Matthew Ellis, council cabinet member for adult well being, said Staffordshire was a national leader in the development of extra-care housing. He added: "Because where people live is so important to their quality of life, we put in place ambitious plans to increase the number of places available to buy or rent across Staffordshire. This means many more opportunities for those who want to stay independent in their own home. They can do so safe in the knowledge that if needed, care is available without being intrusive."

Cheadle Town and District Councuillor, Cllr Stephen Ellis said "This is really excellent news for Cheadle. We've been waiting to see the site brought back into use and these new plans will help to address a large shortfall in much-needed housing for our elderly residents. Staffordshire County Council must be praised for bringing these specialised new homes forward. I'm really excited this venture is being led in Staffordshire Moorlands - and especially here in Cheadle."

Cllr Stephen Ellis: We'll cut Councillors not services in Staffordshire Moorlands

2011-12-18T17:35:00.000Z

Our plans to reduce the number of Councillors in Staffordshire Moorlands could cost over £100K according to The Boundary Commission. We do need fewer Councillors following changes in services - but we can't afford such a large sum in times of austerity. While we're committed to cutting Councillors, we'll continue to make sure there are no cuts to services ...

News Story from The Evening Sentinel:

MOVES to cut the number of members sitting on a council could cost an authority more than £130,000, according to a report. A working party was set up by Staffordshire Moorlands District Council to consider whether or not to request an electoral review by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE). New guidance allows the LGBCE to consider requests for reviews with the objective of providing all single member wards, or to review electoral arrangements aimed at reducing the number of councillors.

A report due to be presented by the working party to tomorrow's full council meeting puts the cost of employing a temporary professional officer experienced in boundary review and democratic matters at £570 per day, with a total cost of about £130,000. The total bill would go up even more when in-house costs and the production of maps and statistical information to aid the review, which could take more than a year to complete, were added, the report says.

It states: "The main purpose of a review was seen as providing improved electoral representation across the authority area. This meant, as far as possible, ensuring each councillor represented about the same number of electors as his or her colleague. However, this was balanced with a need to reflect community identity and interests and to provide for effective local government. The LGBCE had scheduled work until the end of March 2013, which means the earliest it could come to conduct a review would be spring 2013. Any request to the LGBCE to undertake a review should provide a rationale for the request and have full council support."

To counter the cost of the review, it is believed cutting 10 members from the current 56 would save the council £29,000 per year in allowances. Councillors will be asked to vote on whether or not they support taking the review forward when they meet.

Councillor Sybil Ralphs, council leader, labelled the thought of spending in excess of £130,000 on the review as "obscene." She said: "I'm not in favour of paying someone from an outside body to come up with recommendations which could easily be reached by members internally. To spend that amount of money in these days of austerity would be obscene. We should be looking at saving every penny we can, not splashing out on things which are not necessary. We have to look at how long it is going to take to recoup the money which would be spent and get a bit of common sense here. If the idea is supported in the vote then I will be making sure the review comes at no cost to the taxpayer."

Cllr Stephen Ellis: Still clearing up the mess in Staffordshire Moorlands left following industrial action by Labour's revolting Trade Unions

2011-12-11T18:41:00.001Z

ALTHOUGH the council is working hard to catch up on waste collection rounds missed because of Wednesday's (November 30) industrial action, vehicle breakdowns have hindered progress on the emptying of blue-lidded bins. The catch-up collection of blue-lidded bins will continue until the end of Friday 9 December. However, it will not now be possible to empty brown or grey bins that were not collected on the strike day.

Any excess waste arising from non collections on the strike day will be taken on the next scheduled collection day i.e. Wednesday 14 December. Affected customers who put their cardboard in their brown on November 30 (before cardboard was switched to the grey bin) will not have to transfer it the grey bin on this occasion. Contamination stickers will not be placed on the brown bins of affected customers on this occasion.

Households unaffacted by the strike are reminded that cardboard should now be going in the grey bin used for glass bottles and jars, steel and aluminium cans, and plastics. Cardbord should be squashed flat before being put in the grey bin. If the bin is full to capacity, additional recyclables should be put in the old kerbside recycling box or in bags to the side of the grey bin. Bulky cardboard that is too big for the grey bin should be taken to the household recycling centres in Cheadle, Leek or Bemersley, near Biddulph.

Cllr Stephen Ellis welcomes opening of Cheadle's new purpose-built Police Station

2011-12-11T17:53:00.000Z

Article from The Evening Sentinel:

POLICE have finally thrown open the doors to a new purpose-built station covering vast areas of the Moorlands. Cheadle Neighbourhood Policing Unit has moved its 16-strong team of officers and 17 specials into new premises in the town's Chapel Street.

The station will serve the town and 41 rural parishes. It also covers the Alton Towers theme park, which is visited by three million people a year, and JCB factories. Police have moved after their former base at Lulworth House, in High Street, was deemed no longer fit for purpose. Officers were due to move earlier this year, but the work hit a building snag, which forced police to submit a revised application to Staffordshire Moorlands District Council's planning department.

Response officers will continue to be briefed in Leek and police say response times have improved since the operational changes came into force in April.

New Moorlands police commander Inspector Claire Riley said the new station demonstrated the force's commitment to Cheadle and the outlying villages. She admitted there had been concerns about the closure of some rural posts, such as Blythe Bridge and Waterhouses, and residents had been anxious about the operational changes.

Inspector Riley, who has been in the post six weeks, said: "The response officers are all based in Leek and they are briefed there and they go out to their area and return to Leek at the end of their shift. Overall our response times have improved across the board. I know that the public were concerned times would be drastically reduced, but that was public perception, rather than what has happened. The changes have reduced costs, but not officers, and have made the day-to-day operation more efficient. Compared with the old station, this is much better. It is front facing and more visible from the roadside. Staffordshire Moorlands is very privileged to have a big station remaining in the community when lots of other smaller stations are closing."

The station became operational last week and the inquiry office will be open Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm, although it will be manned by the neighbourhood policing team all week.

Sergeant Lee Crowther added: "The construction of the police station shows our commitment to the community and clearly shows we are here to stay."

Cllr Stephen Ellis: £5,000 of Business Advice up for grabs in Staffordshire Moorlands

2011-12-11T17:27:00.001Z

ENTREPRENEURS with clever ideas for exporting goods and services have been challenged to bid for prizes including £5,000 worth of top business advice. The gauntlet was thrown down this week by Staffordshire Moorlands District Council, which revealed that UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) had called on self-employed people and small and medium enterprises to share their export ideas.

The Exporting for Growth Prize is open to businesses with a new product or service they want to export or an idea for such a product or service. It is also open to enterprises that have started exporting in the last 12 months and would now like to take it further.

Prizes include £5,000 worth of mentoring from HSBC Bank and PricewaterhouseCoopers, three grants to travel overseas to explore markets, and a full range of services from UKTI. Applicants should visit http://vizola.emb-x.com/ukti/UKTICOM.pdf and explain in no more than 200 words why their idea is workable. Alternatively, businesses can call Wendy Hall in the Staffordshire UKTI office on (01782) 224408.

Cllr Andrew Hart, portfolio holder for regeneration, said: "The competition offers local firms a great opportunity to take forward their export ideas. We're conscious that small businesses need all the help they can get in these difficult economic conditions. That's why we've been running a series of one-to-one surgeries for local businesses to get advice and financial support from UKTI, the Manufacturing Advisory Service and HM Revenue and Customs".

Deadline for competition applications is Friday 13 January 2012.

Cllr Stephen Ellis: Don't forget cardboard recycling changes in Staffordshire Moorlands from December!

2011-12-11T16:14:00.002Z

From Recycle for Staffordshire ...

Changes have taken place to the way in which Staffordshire Moorlands District Council collects cardboard for recycling. Since the council introduced its kerbside recycling service in 2007, residents have been putting cardboard in their brown bin with their garden and food waste. But changes to organic waste regulations mean that the council will not be able to collect cardboard alongside leaves, grass, prunings and food waste from December. Instead, cardboard will have to go in the grey bin used for plastic bottles, tubs and trays, glass bottles and jars, food and drinks cans, aluminium foil and tetra pak cartons.

To cope with the extra materials going in the grey bin, households with a smaller, 140-litre bin will be able to order a 240-litre replacement. Anyone who wants to do this should visit www.staffsmoorlands.gov.uk and click the prominent link on the home page. Once the council knows how many new bins are required, an order will be placed with its supplier, and householders will get their new bin sometime in February or March next year.

In the meantime, families who recycle a lot may struggle to get all their cardboard into their existing bin. If that is the case, they will be able to put excess cardboard neatly at the side of the grey bin on collection day. The council will monitor street cleanliness during the switch over to ensure that any cardboard blown by the wind is collected as quickly as possible. Households unable to accommodate a grey bin will be asked to put their cardboard in the kerbside box they use for other recyclables.

The new arrangements for cardboard collection will be followed by a waste round overhaul that will save the taxpayer more than £400,000 a year. This will see a reduction in the number of rounds, enabling the council to cut fuel costs and reduce the number of vehicles required while maintaining quality of service. Due to a number of current staff vacancies, employees’ jobs will be protected.

Collection dates may have to change but households will still have both their recycling and organic waste bins emptied on the same day each fortnight, and general waste will still be collected every other week.

The change to cardboard collection has been forced on the council by a tightening of regulations imposed by the Association for Organic Recycling (AfOR) to improve the quality of compost.

Research by AfOR has found that collections of garden waste, food waste and cardboard are often heavily contaminated with other items and that some of the inks used on cardboard packaging take too long to break down.

Cllr Arthur Forrester, council deputy leader and portfolio holder for the environment, said: “While we understand AfOR’s efforts to get the best possible compost, it’s unfortunate that we’re having to put residents to the trouble of a big change to our kerbside recycling service. Having said that, residents have responded in style to previous changes to the way in which we collect waste – and their enthusiasm for kerbside recycling has kept us top of the national league table for the last two years for which audited figures are available. That’s why I’m confident that households will soon get used to the new system, and that putting cardboard in the grey bin will soon be second nature”.

Cllr Stephen Ellis: The Moorlands Museum at The Nicholson Institute benefits from a kind local donation ...

2011-12-11T15:35:00.001Z

When they said a 5,000-year-old relic was destined for The Nicholson Institute in Leek and then showed a photo of Council Leader, Cllr Sybil Ralphs, I thought they were being exceptionally cruel! However, an art conservator who stumbled upon a 5,000-year-old decorative stone has gifted the treasure to the people of the Staffordshire Moorlands.

Marilyn Mooney unearthed the Neolithic cup-and-ring stone while digging out a pond in her garden at Ramsor Farm, Ramshorn near Alton Towers. Now, the conservator of 35 years' standing has donated the relic to Leek's Nicholson Museum and Art Gallery, managed by Staffordshire Moorlands District Council. The gift is a further boost for a facility which has just announced that it has helped double visitors to the public building in which it sits.

The generous gesture has overwhelmed council leader Sybil Ralphs, who is responsible for the museum's promotion and development: "I'm thrilled that Marilyn has chosen to share her amazing find with the wider community. Very few of these mysterious stones have been found down the ages so we're very fortunate to now have one to be displayed in the Moorlands in perpetuity".

Marilyn takes up the story: "I'd heard of these rare stones depicting images of a cup and ring - in fact there's one where I work. But I never believed I'd find one for myself. Theories concerning the origins and purpose of the rings range from the fanciful suggestion that they were dropped by aliens to the rather mundane idea that they are simply decorations with no real purpose. As they have sometimes been found near ancient burial sites, one explanation is that they had religious significance. However, the most plausible belief is that they were a means of signposting nomadic people to water sources.

While several stones have been found in Scotland, few have come to light in England - and none at all in the south of the country. The find is only the second of its kind in Staffordshire, the nearest other one being in Leicestershire. The stones are more common in parts of Europe. Marilyn is well known to the council, having recently assisted in the conservation of its permanent collection by restoring a huge Venetian painting by Victorian artist William Wyld.

Meanwhile, anyone else uncovering mysterious carvings in Staffordshire Moorlands is asked to call council arts events co-ordinator Alison Thomas on (01538) 483725 or e-mail nicholson@staffsmoorlands.gov.uk.

The acquisition of the cup-and-ring stone is more good news for the council following an announcement that visitors to The Nicholson Institute - which houses the museum - have doubled year on year in the nine months to November. Average visits per week totalled 527, against 260 for the comparable period 12 months earlier. The institute accommodates the town's library, run by Staffordshire County Council; plus the museum and art gallery run by the District Council. The figures reveal that the opening of the museum and gallery in October 2010 has helped bring more people into the library as well as providing a popular attraction in its own right.

Cllr Stephen Ellis: Mayor of London Boris Johnson delivers election promise to scrap 'bendy buses' from the nation's capital ...

2011-12-11T15:14:00.000Z

Another news update from Mayor of London, Boris Johnson ...

Dear Stephen,

When Boris Johnson was elected in 2008 Londoners were tired of Ken Livingstone's mayoralty. They were tired of the cronyism, divisiveness and the endless broken promises. Boris promised to work day and night to turn things around.

Through positive, optimistic leadership Boris has delivered promise after promise.

He said he would scrap the Western Extension of the congestion charge, and he did.

He said he would keep council tax low, and he has frozen his share every year.

He said he would put more police on the street and make London safer, and he has.

And he promised he would end the era of the bendy bus.
At just after midnight tonight, the bendy bus on route 207 from White City to Hayes by-pass will make it's final journey.

Introduced in June 2002 by Ken Livingstone, bendy buses were unsuitable for London's roads. Too often they were involved in dangerous accidents and it was too easy to avoid paying.

By scrapping them, Boris is not only delivering on his promise, he is delivering value for money during tough times. Transport for London estimate that £7m will be saved through reduced fare dodging.

It's another promise delivered from a Mayor who has positive plans to take London in the right direction.

We have come a long way, but there is much still to do. With London preparing to welcome the world for the Olympics, we must not put this progress at risk.

Watch our video about Boris and his bendy bus promise, then share it with your friends, family and colleagues to spread the word - www.backboris2012.com/byebendy

Find out more about Boris Johnson's record of delivery here - www.backboris2012.com/achievements

With your help, we can keep London moving forward.

Best wishes,

Lynton

--
Lynton Crosby
BackBoris2012 Campaign Director

Cllr Stephen Ellis: We must clean and maintain Cheadle's war graves to honour our own fallen heroes

2011-12-05T21:49:00.000Z

Cllr Stephen Ellis has called on fellow Cheadle Town Councillors to honour fallen heroes in the town by cleaning and restoring the town's war graves. The call won unanimous support from colleagues and the Town Council has agreed to secure quotes for cleaning work to be undertaken.

Speaking at tonight's meeting of Cheadle Town Council, Cllr Ellis said "On 11 November, many of us in this chamber were proud and privileged to lay poppies on Cheadle's war graves as we remembered those who gave their lives for our freedoms. I think it's fair to say we noticed the headstones weren't as well maintained as they might be. Many of the graves were untended and many were stained from routine grass cutting. We owe it to our fallen heroes to treat them with the utmost respect. We must get these graves cleaned and maintained on a regular basis".

Cllr Ellis added "We've seen the restoration of the Nicholson War Memorial in Leek and what a magnificent job they've undertaken. We need to make sure our heroes in Cheadle are rightly and respectfully rembered in a fitting way".

Cllr Stephen Ellis: Excellent reading at Bishop Rawle C of E (A) Primary School

2011-12-05T21:25:00.002Z

I was pleased to join fellow Bishop Rawle Governors tonight for a special evening reviewing the hard work taking place across Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 in connection with reading. Having reviewed the reading diaries of pupils, it's clear a great deal of readin is taking place at home - and it's great to see pupils being supported by their parents. Reading is a key skill and it's good to see so many reading diaries being updated with many examples of excellent reading.

Cllr Stephen Ellis: Staffordshire County Council winter driving advice and Cheadle gritting routes

2011-12-05T17:13:00.002Z

From Staffordshire County Council

To help our highway teams combat icy road conditions we use a host of sophisticated tools and equipment including:

64 Gritters
45 Snow Ploughs
Salt Bins/ Piles
30,000 Tonnes of Salt
7 Ice Prediction Weather Stations

Once the decision has been taken to salt the roads we aim to treat Staffordshire's priority routes within two hours from the start of salting. With each treatment costing about £28,000 that works out at a total cost of about £2.8m for an average winter.
Even with all the resources that are available to us, we know that we can’t cover 100% of our communities on demand especially when the conditions are as difficult as those we have experienced over recent years.

During last winter we wrote to our Parish Council colleagues encouraging them to work with us and asked if they would like to support their community by gritting what they considered to be the most important footways for example around shopping areas, schools, sheltered accommodation and GP’s surgery’s. Following this consultation we are now in position to introduce Ice Busters – Supporting Local Communities in Self Help – Footway Treatment

We provide over 1,200 grit bins around the county; usually in locations that are not on a gritting route or where a particular hazard has been identified. These grit bins are for local communities to use on the highway. For salt to use on private property, please purchase material from local stores; this will help us to make sure that when salt is needed for the highway it remains available in grit bins.
For information on how you can help yourself and your local community, take a look at the 'snow code' and our 'grit bin' page which give advice on clearing snow and ice on the pavement outside your home or from public spaces.

Throughout the winter, we will be giving regular updates on weather conditions and highways action via our winter 'Twitter' page. The updates will include information about the areas of the county that we will be treating and, any expected adverse conditions such as ice and snow.

FIVE wind turbine applications rejected in Staffordshire Moorlands

2011-12-04T22:05:00.002Z

Article from The Evening Sentinel:

CONTROVERSIAL plans to build a giant wind turbine in an area of outstanding natural beauty have been thrown out after protests from countryside lovers. Dairy farmer Stuart Heath had sought permission to build a 72-metre high (236ft) wind mast less than 1km from the Peak District National Park at Red Earth Farm, Rudyard. But the application sparked 1,500 objections and is the most controversial plan StaffordshireMoorlands district councillors have dealt with in recent years.

Mr Heath said he had been the victim of a vendetta over the proposals and added that some residents had been intimidated into signing letters of objection. He said the 500KW turbine would have provided electricity for his business and up to 472 other homes. He also offered to plough £5,000-a-year into schools and community charities for 25 years if the application was approved.
But members of Staffordshire Moorlands District Council's planning committee yesterday threw out the application by nine votes to three. Objector Marie Brough told the packed meeting that the proposed turbine would have been taller than the Nicholson War Memorial and would have a significant impact on the landscape.

Councillor Stephen Ellis said: "There has been the largest volume of objections to this application that I have seen. The statutory consultees have also put forward very strong and serious objections. I personally have some very serious concerns about wind turbines, which are very ineffective and inefficient. They are a blot on the landscape for 100 per cent of the time. We are the custodians of the landscape. People do not come to the Staffordshire Moorlands to view wind turbines. If they wanted to do that they would look offshore. There are 44,000 homes in the Moorlands and if they were all to be provided with electricity in this way that would mean 94 more turbines. Can you imagine what the countryside would look like with all those splattered about?"

Councillor Mike Bowen added: "If visitors do not come because the landscape has been spoiled then tourism will collapse. If this application goes ahead we will get more and more applications. Every farmer will want one and people will want them in their back yard next."
The committee's decision was welcomed by campaigners who packed the public gallery. Mrs Brough, of Heaton, near Rudyard, said: "I am very pleased. We will have to wait and see what happens now. If necessary, we will continue the fight."

Staffordshire Moorlands District Council Conservatives enjoy Christmas lunch at The Three Horseshoes

2011-12-04T21:52:00.007Z

Over 36 members and partners enjoyed a superb Christmas lunch at The Three Horseshoes in Leek. The event was organised by Cheadle West Councillor, Cllr Alan Banks and Group Treasurer and Deputy Leader, Cllr Arthur Forrester from Alton.

Cllr Sybil Ralphs thanked colleagues for their hard work since the elections in May and commented on how pleased she was to see so many member re-elected. She stressed the hard work which remains ahead over the next four years. She also paid tribute to Town, District and County Councillor Barrie Mycock who sadly passed away over the summer.

Cllr Stephen Ellis said "The lunch was absolutely amazing. You can always be assured of a warm welcome, great food and excellent service at The Three Horseshoes - and today was no exception".

New jobs for Staffordshire Moorlands - Adams Foods

2011-12-04T21:50:00.002Z

Article from The Evening Sentinel:

At least 50 jobs could be created in North Staffordshire as part of a cheese supplier's plans to relocate posts. Adams Foods is consulting staff on plans to shut down its factories in Somerset and create new jobs at its headquarters in Leek. Jobs ranging from managerial and technical positions to production line packing roles could be available from February. It will mean 180 jobs are lost at Wincanton.The company, which produces 200 million packets of cheese every year, said the move would not reduce its productivity as consolidating its resources will make the firm more efficient. But it blamed "tough economic times" for having to put the plans forward.

Councillor Robert Plant, Conservative member for Leek West on Staffordshire Moorlands District Council, said: "It's absolutely brilliant news for the town. It will provide a real boost for the Leek economy. I remember Adams Foods from its very early days on Buxton Road when the family were running it. I have seen it develop from there all the way through. We're quite lucky to have a company of this size based here in Leek." The £27 million packing and production centre in Sunnyhills Road, Leek, opened in 2009. More than 500 people work there, making it one of the town's biggest employers.

A warehouse at the firm's Somerset plant burned down in September. Ian Toal, the firm's chief executive, said: "We are now reviewing the opportunity to move packing facilities to Leek, which would involve the creation of at least 50 new jobs in the area. The reason we're looking at doing this is that we are in tough economic times. We have the capacity and space in our state-of-the-art facilities in Leek and we have got to make sure the company is sustainable. It's about economies of scale. We'll be making the same amount of products if it goes ahead but with fewer people. The jobs would be created almost immediately if we choose to do this when the consultation with members of staff ends in February."

Adams Foods exports to more than 45 countries worldwide and packs almost one in every three packs of cheese in the UK from its Leek plant. It merged with Wincanton-based North Downs Dairy in 2010, where Pilgrims Choice cheddar was made. Parent group IDB has an annual turnover of more than £1.7 billion.

Cllr Stephen Ellis: New lease of life for Foxt Post Office

2011-12-01T21:27:00.000Z

I was pleased to support ambitious plans to convert the former Foxt Post Office into residential accommodation. The plans initially came to the Planning Applications Committee in June 2011 - but they weren't quite right. The side elevation as you came into Foxt was bland with no festration. The frontage was very industial and didn't look like a residential property. The rear of the property also looked wrong with panelling.

I'm pleased to say the new plans looked amazing. The frontage looked domesticated and reflected the local vernacular. The side elevation now had windows so all rooms had natural light. The rear of the building was also much improved and fitted in with other local buildings.

It's really reward when such planning agents listen to the feedback in order to create a much better design as well as a building we can all be proud of.

I'm really looking forward to the finished results and wish the project success.

Cllr Stephen Ellis: Heaton House Farm plans approved

2011-12-01T21:18:00.000Z

I was very pleased to be able to support a number of planning applications submitted by Heaton House Farm in Rushton Spencer, Staffordshire Moorlands. The plans included change of use of an agricultural store to a wedding venue (retrospective), new vehicle exist (retrospective) as well deolition and rebuilding of various barns.

The plans have been very tastefully drawn up and the business is clearly going from strength to strength. I've only heard positive feedback in connection with the site - especially the booming wedding venue side of things. It was also good to hear how much local employment this is creating.

I didn't support the addition of solar panels as these were being added to a number of barns - including an old stone barn. While I had no objection to the newer barns being clad in photovoltaic cells, I thought it sent out a wrong and dangerous message for historic barns to receive such inapproriate additions.

I wish Heaton House Farm continued success.

Cllr Stephen Ellis: An excellent GCSE Awards Evening at The Cheadle Academy

2011-12-01T21:08:00.000Z

As a Director of The Cheadle Academy, I was pleased to be able to attend the GCSE Awards Evening on Monday 28 November 2011. It was the first awards evening since Cheadle High School converted and became The Cheadle Academy.

It was good to see so many former pupils/students return for the night to celebrate their many successes. There were so mnay awards and some really great achievements. It was also good to see so many parents/carers in attendance to support their children.

Well done to Executive Principal Keith Hollins, Principal Pam Clulow, all the staff and especially all the young people who have worked so hard to further drive up performance and achievement.

Cllr Stephen Ellis welcomes another glowing Green Audit for Staffordshire Moorlands District Council

2011-12-01T20:44:00.000Z

Annual Audit Letter Staffordshire Moorlands District Council - Audit 2010/11

Key messages

This report summarises the findings from my 2010/11 audit. My audit comprises two elements:

■ the audit of your financial statements; and
■ my assessment of your arrangements to achieve value for money in your use of resources.

I have included only significant recommendations in this report. The Council has accepted these recommendations.

You can take assurance from the fact that I issued my report including an unqualified opinion on the financial statements on 30 September 2011. However, the draft accounts contained more omissions and errors than in previous years, some of which were material.

Several factors combined to make it a particularly difficult year for the Council’s finance team including:

■ the introduction of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS);
■ work to address the impact of the financial settlement on the financial strategy and the 2011/12 budget; and
■ work to support other areas of the Council through the transformation programme.

Since some of these pressures will not apply in the future and your management are committed to improvement and addressing our recommendations, I am hopeful that these problems will not recur.

Value for money

I issued an unqualified conclusion stating the Council had satisfactory arrangements to secure economy, efficiency and effectiveness in its use of resources on 30 September 2011. The Council has continued to demonstrate robust arrangements for financial planning and managing its efficiency programme.

Current and future challenges

Economic downturn and pressure on the public sector. Across the country, councils face severe financial challenges over the next few years. Following some cuts in funding affecting 2010/11, the comprehensive spending review brought cuts in government funding for the Council of 14 per cent for 2011/12. You have responded to this with an efficiency and rationalisation strategy to achieve financial savings of £3.6 million over three years. This builds on your previous measures and tackles the projected budget shortfalls while seeking to protect frontline services.

These efficiency and rationalisation projects include a target of £1.283 million savings for 2011/12. For the first six months of the year, you report that you have achieved £615,078 of this target and expect to meet the target for the year. This confirms that by September there were no critical threats to these projects not delivering the required savings.

In considering your financial position at September 2011, you estimate there will be an underspend of £175,240 on the budget of £12.059 million. This reflects additional grant funding but also extra costs of waste collection and handling. Overall, you continue to manage your financial position effectively.

You have agreed your new Corporate Plan which is an important element of ensuring that the medium term financial plan and annual budgets are driven by local priorities. You have set out the Council’s vision and objectives and identified those outcomes that you consider to be the highest priority. You have also revised the performance framework that will be used to assess and monitor the Council’s progress.

Shared services

The Council’s strategic alliance with High Peak Borough Council has continued to develop and provides you with opportunities for transformation and efficiency. During 2010/11 you entered into a joint voluntary redundancy process and across the two councils, 48 posts were determined to be redundant. You accounted for your share of these costs (£894,510), in 2010/11 but even with these additional one-off costs, the Council was successful in managing expenditure and setting funds aside to support the future financial pressures.

You are now working through the implications of these staff changes and restructuring services and management to deliver effective services. As these service reviews are completed, you will be better placed to asses the continued success of the efficiency and rationalisation projects.

Joint arrangements

The Council is progressing with a joint venture to deliver affordable homes across the district. ‘Ascent’ is the limited liability partnership set up by the Council and Harvest Housing Group to share land and resources. The Homes and Communities Agency have awarded funding of £8 million to the scheme which is to develop 424 homes by 2015.

Your medium term financial plan includes £5 million to be invested in housing services over three years. You have scaled this back from earlier plans and delayed capital investment due to the limits in government funding. However work is now underway in Cheadle and Leek on this first phase in developing affordable housing schemes in challenging economic conditions.

You have previously considered the matters affecting the legal and tax status of this joint venture. The scheme has now reached the stage where the Council will invest funds or transfer land into the partnership and so you must also ensure the accounting implications of the financial transactions are addressed.

Financial statements and annual governance statement

The Council's financial statements and annual governance statement are an important means by which the Council accounts for its stewardship of public funds.

Overall conclusion from the audit

I issued a report including an unqualified opinion on the financial statements on 30 September 2011.

This year, several factors combined to make it particularly difficult for the Council’s finance team including:

■ the introduction of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) which required the previous year accounts to be restated and changed the format of the financial statements and underlying accounting treatment;
■ work to address the impact of the financial settlement on the financial strategy and the 2011/12 budget; and
■ work to support the transformation programme.

As a result the finance team did not complete the IFRS restatement work before the year-end accounts preparation began and the draft accounts contained more omissions and errors than in previous years, some of which were material. We identified particular issues relating to:

■ errors in how pension costs and redundancy costs were classified;
■ difficulties in obtaining assurance over the IFRS adjustments and associated disclosures;
■ some areas where the disclosures in the draft financial statements were incomplete and did not fully comply with the Code of Practice on Local Authority Accounting; and
■ where the new Code requirements for component accounting for property, plant and equipment had not been fully applied.

We presented our annual governance report to the Audit and Accounts Committee and have since met with the Chief Executive and Executive Director and Chief Finance Officer to discuss priorities for action. Some of the pressures on the finance team will not apply in future years and with your commitment to improvement, I am hopeful that these problems will not recur.

Value for money

I considered whether the Council is managing and using its money, time and people to deliver value for money. I assessed your performance against the criteria specified by the Audit Commission and have reported the outcome as the value for money (VFM) conclusion.

I assess your arrangements to secure economy, efficiency and effectiveness in your use of resources against two criteria specified by the Audit Commission. My overall conclusion is that the Council has adequate arrangements to secure, economy, efficiency and effectiveness in its use of resources.

Value for money criteria and key messages

Key messages

1. Financial resilience

The organisation has proper arrangements in place to secure financial resilience.
Focus for 2010/11:

The organisation has robust systems and processes to manage effectively financial risks and opportunities, and to secure a stable financial position that enables it to continue to operate for the foreseeable future.

The Council has well-established arrangements for securing financial resilience.

My assessment has been informed through an assurance based review of financial resilience and ongoing monitoring of the Council’s financial position and plans.

The Council has a good track record of managing financial pressures. Management took early action during 2010/11 to deliver the required efficiencies and successfully contained expenditure within its 2010/11 revenue budget. With savings from pay freezes and a windfall VAT rebate, the Council achieved spending that was £973,234 lower than the budgeted position. The budget had originally planned the use of reserves to support spending but in achieving these savings, instead you have been able to contribute to reserves to support the future spending plans.

Looking ahead, the Council has an up-to-date medium-term (three year) financial strategy that takes into account the ongoing economic downturn and future cuts in government funding. The budget for 2011/12 reflects a contribution from your reserves of £546,130, with an in-year deficit and retained balances falling. The plan then showed that you would replenish reserves by 2014 and restore these to a level considered to provide the Council with sufficient reserves to meet unforeseen expenditure.

Instead the underspend in 2010/11 results in a surplus in your updated financial plan for 2012 to 2015. This provides you with scope to fund future expenditure or to rephase the savings of your efficiency and rationalisation strategy.

Conclusion - Criterion met.

2. Securing economy efficiency and effectiveness

The organisation has proper arrangements for challenging how it secures economy, efficiency and effectiveness.

Focus for 2010/11:

The organisation is prioritising its resources within tighter budgets, for example by achieving cost reductions and by improving efficiency and productivity.

The Council has arrangements in place for securing economy, efficiency and effectiveness.
My assessment has been informed through both an assurance based review and consideration of the VFM profiles for 2009/10 published by the Audit Commission.

Reference to the profiles included considering the performance of the Council relative to other districts across different indicators.

You have agreed your new Corporate Plan and are now developing your new performance framework. This will ensure that you set targets and have fitting measures of progress to monitor how well you achieve your priorities.

Conclusion - Criterion met.

Closing remarks

I have discussed and agreed this letter with the Chief Executive and the Executive Director and Finance Officer. I will present this letter at the Audit and Accounts Committee on 8 December 2011 and will provide copies to all Council members.

The detailed findings, conclusions and recommendations in the areas covered by our audit are included in the reports issued to the Council during the year.

Cllr Stephen Ellis welcomes funding from Staffordshire County Council for new Cheadle walks leaflets

2011-12-01T20:08:00.002Z

Cheadle Town Council is to benefit from £572.00 of funding towards new walks leaflets. The money has been offered as part of the Community Paths Initiative which has helped to deliver a number of successful projects on footways around the town.

Cllr Stephen Ellis said "This is great news and will help the Town Council produce much-needed leaflets. Next year is a massive year for Cheadle with our Pugin celebrations and therefore it's great we've got additional information to help promote out town and our fantastic landscape".

Cllr Stephen Ellis: Churnet Valley Riders

2011-12-01T19:53:00.001Z

At a recent meeting of the Cheadle Town Council Footapths Sub-Committee, a letter and email received by the Churnet Valley Riders was passed to Staffordshire Moorlands District Council for consideration as part of the Churnet Valley Masterplan.

Cllr Stephen Ellis said "Staffordshire Moorlands has very few bridalways compared to other areas across Staffordshire - and yet we have such fantatstic scenery and landscape. We should make the most of our assets and I'm keen to support any possible extensions to the bridalways across our area."

Cllr Stephen Ellis: Action for accident blackspot - Leek Road, Cheadle

2011-11-30T22:28:00.003Z

Action is being taken by Staffordshire’s Safer Roads Partnership to try to address concerns about a stretch of road in Cheadle where there have been two fatal collisions this year.

Members of the partnership met on Friday to discuss concerns over the A522 Leek Road between Cheadle and Clamgoose Lane. In addition to the fatal collisions there have been seven slight injury collisions on the 60mph stretch of road since January 2008. Both fatalities were people under 25.

Immediate action is being taken by the partnership and includes carrying out a speed check of vehicles travelling on this stretch of road and installing enhanced warning signs and ‘slow’ markings on the road. It is hoped this work will be done by the beginning of December.

In addition, the safer roads partnership will be training new volunteers in the Cheadle Speed Watch team. The partnership is also hoping to set up a safety initiative for young drivers who live in and around Cheadle. This would look to involve businesses used by young drivers and could also include an application for smart phones.

Inquests into the two fatal collisions have yet to take place and a police accident investigation into the second is currently underway; but the road safety partnership will now commission a detailed report from the county council’s Casualty Investigation Team. The fatalities took place on November 3 and May 16.

Staffordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport Mike Maryon said: “It is absolutely tragic that there have been two fatalities on this stretch of road in such a short space of time and that both were young people: “Any collision on our roads is one too many and the Staffordshire Safer Roads Partnership continually strives to reduce this number each year. We need to know why these collisions happened and do everything we can to stop others taking place. While we will have to wait for the report of the police accident investigation and finding from the coroner’s report, the partnership members wanted to demonstrate a proactive approach. The partnership will of course act on the recommendations set out in police and coroners’ reports, but in the meantime these immediate measures could help to make a difference by highlighting to drivers that they should slow down on this stretch.”

Sgt Lee Crowther, from Staffordshire Moorlands Local Policing Team, said: “Our officers are working to establish the cause of the recent collision on this road. We will keep the Safer Roads Partnership updated throughout the investigation and present them with a report upon its conclusion. “We will continue to work alongside the Safer Roads Partnership, conducting regular operations on the roads in the area with the aims of reducing road casualties and ensuring the safety of local people.”

Let's reunite Cheadle with Staffordshire Moorlands under new proposals by The Boundary Commission

2011-11-30T22:27:00.002Z

Under new proposals published by the Boundary Commission for England, the new Staffordshire Moorlands parliamentary seat is scheduled to follow District Council boundaries. This means the Newchapel parts of Newcastle-under-Lyme will be lost and we'll regain Cheadle and Checkley (which currently form part of the Stone Constituency) as well as Endon and Stockton Brook (which currently form part of the Stoke North constituency).

Speaking about the changes, Cllr Stephen Ellis said "It's really important that people across the Staffordshire Moorlands support these proposals. One MP covering our whole area would make sure everyone's voice was heard. It would also mean our district was no longer split and divided across three parliamentary seats. These proposals are excellent news for the Moorlands."

Cllr Ellis added "There are moves by the Labour Party to submit counter proposals. However, these are essentially about saving Paul Farrelly's job as Labour MP for Newcastle-under-Lyme - as he is the most likely casualty of the Boundary Commission review. I attended the Boundary Commission hearing in Stafford on Tuesday this week where Labour supporter after Labour supporter had been shipped in to bolster Mr Farelly's prospects."

"I was particularly disappointed to hear Labour members from Staffordshire Moorlands say places like Werrington and Biddulph felt part of Stoke-on-Trent and would prefer to join them rather than stay as part of Staffordshire Moorlands. That's never been my understanding from people I've spoken with in those areas and I think people will be appalled that the Labour Party is trying to push parts of Staffordshire Moorlands into Stoke-on-Trent. Stoke-on-Trent has been over-represented by MP numbers for many years based on its population. It's absolutely scandalous and I say shame on Labour putting Party interests before the people they purport to represent."

Cllr Ellis concluded "It's really important that people make their views known to the Commission. A single parliamentary seat for the Staffordshire Moorlands is excellent news and makes sure we have one representative who can stand up for the whole Moorlands. One single voice representing our administrative area is the best outcome and it'll be excellent to see our area reunited under one parliamentary seat. As a Cheadle Councillor, I'm particularly pleased at the prospect of rejoining Staffordshire Moorlands."

For more information, please visit www.consulation.boundarycommissionforengland.independent.gov.uk. Alternatively, please call 020 7276 1102 or write to The Boundary Commission for England, 35 Great Smith Street, London. SW1P 3BQ.

Seeing red over Endon Village Green proposal

2011-11-30T22:25:00.001Z

Another frivalous and vexatious Village Green application has been submitted to Staffordshire County Council. The Village Green application has been submitted covering a stretch of railway track running alongside Endon in the Staffordshire Moorlands. The application has been made following an announcement by Moorland & City Railways to bring the line back to life after it became mothballed a few decades ago.

Cllr Stephen Ellis said "This is an entirely frivalous and vexatious use of the Village Green legislation. The legislation was brought in to stop unwanted and unwarranted development on key community spaces which were set aside for such use. How anyone can class a railway line as a Village Green is entirely beyond me. Furthermore, if the applicants are saying they've used for such an extensive period of time then they're admitting they've willfully trespassed on the site as it continues to remain in private property"

Cllr Ellis added "Making such a move and halting such a key regeneration project for the Staffordshire Moorlands area could be seen by some as entirely selfish and petty. Furthermore, such a registration could take many months to determine based on the evidence needed - which would massively delay the railway project and would cost taxpayers across Staffordshire dearly."

Cllr Ellis concluded "I'm entirely opposed to the registration of a railway line as a Village Green as by its very nature it's impossible to be a Village Green. There are only two witnesses as part of the application which in itself is weak and flawed. This is purely a delaying tactic to stop a worthwhile proposal which could create jobs and benefits right across the Staffordshire Moorlands. I call on and encourage Staffordshire County Council to reject the application."

Anyone wishing to make their views known should contact: Michael Murphy at Staffordshire County Council: Write to Staffordshire County Council, Director of Law & Administration, 16 Martin Street, Stafford, Staffordshire. ST6 2LG. Alternatively, please telephone 01785 277 219 or email michael.murphy@staffordshire.gov.uk.

Staffordshire Moorlands District Council 'Going for Gold' with Olympic art

2011-11-30T22:24:00.002Z

WITH the London 2012 Olympics just eight months away, excitement is building to fever pitch.

And Staffordshire Moorlands District Council is looking to get in on the act with a special exhibition in Leek's Nicholson Museum and Gallery.

Venue co-ordinator Maria Killoran wants to pay tribute to homegrown Olympians past and present - and is hoping that proud relatives will get in touch to share the achievements of their forebears.

"We're hoping to stage our exhibition early next year, which is why I need residents to make contacts with us now and tell us about friends or family who have competed in the Olympics down the years.

"And it doesn't matter if they won medals: to take part in the Olympics at all is an amazing achievement", said Maria.

Council leader Sybil Ralphs, who has overall responsibility for the venue's programme and planning, added: "What we're really looking for is photographs, key dates and achievements and personal memorabilia that we could loan until after the Games.

"It may be that people had grandparents or even great grandparents who took part in the Olympics. If so, we'd love to hear all about them.

"Of course, we know about the fantastic achievements of Cheddleton-based equestrian Lee Pearson in recent Paralympics and of Leek rower Anna Bebington in the Beijing Olympics in 2008. But there may be other Olympians whose stories are less well known - if so, we want to hear about them", she urged.

If you can help, please call Maria on (01538) 483741, e-mail maria.killoran@staffsmoorlands.gov.uk, or visit her at Leek Tourist Information Centre in Market Place.

Staffordshire Moorlands District Council still a top performer when it comes to recycling ...

2011-11-30T22:22:00.001Z

STAFFORDSHIRE Moorlands remains among the elite of English areas when it comes to recycling.
Figures published by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for 2010/11 put the District Council in sixth place with a recycling rate of 60.23 per cent. In the previous two years, the council had finished top of the pile with recycling rates of 61.58 per cent in 2008/09 and 61.84 per cent 12 months later.

From next month (December), they would not be able to put cardboard in the brown bin used for garden waste and food scraps.Instead, cardboard would have to go in the grey bin used for plastic bottles, tubs and trays, glass bottles and jars, food and drinks cans, aluminium foil and tetra pak cartons.

To cope with the extra materials going in the grey bin, households with a smaller, 140-litre bin will be able to order a 240-litre replacement by visiting www.staffsmoorlands.gov.uk and clicking the prominent link on the home page.

In the meantime, families that recycle a lot may struggle to get all their cardboard into their existing bin. If that is the case, they will be able to put excess cardboard in a suitable container, i.e. cardboard box or old kerbside box, at the side of the grey bin on collection day.

Everyone in Cheadle and Staffordshire Moorlands should welcome The Localism Act

2011-11-30T22:21:00.002Z

An era of Whitehall control has ended with a historic shift in power back to local people, as the Localism Bill becomes law. The Localism Act will trigger the biggest transfer of power in a generation, releasing councils and communities from the grip of central government. The flagship legislation puts a raft of new rights and powers at the disposal of local people to take charge of their future, delivering on more than 30 coalition agreement commitments.

Key measures to increase the power of local government through the Act include:

Introducing a new general power of competence, giving councils unprecedented freedom to work together to improve services and drive down costs. Councils are now free to do anything - provided they do not break other laws
Opening the door for the transfer of power to our major cities to develop their areas, improve local services, and boost their local economies
Ending the ineffective system for overseeing the behaviour of councillors by abolishing the Standards Board
Clarifying the rules on predetermination in order to free up councillors to express their opinions on issues of local importance without the fear of legal challenge
Enabling councils to return to the committee system of governance, if they wish, regardless of their size. Centrally set rules interfering in how councils set up their own affairs are being scrapped
Giving councils greater control over business rates. Councils will have the power to offer business rate discounts, which could help attract firms, investment and jobs.The Act cancels unfair backdated business rates, which threatened to cripple key businesses. It stops plans to impose a business rate supplement on firms if a simple majority of those affected do not give their consent, and simplifies the process for claiming small business rate relief
Introducing new planning enforcement rules, giving councils the ability to take action against people who deliberately conceal unauthorised development
Increasing powers for councils to remove illegal advertisements and graffiti and prevent fly-posting, and giving planning authorities stronger powers to tackle abuses of the planning system
Reforming homelessness legislation to enable councils to provide good quality private rented homes where appropriate, freeing up social homes for people in need on the waiting list
Allowing councils to keep the rent they collect and use it locally to maintain social homes through the abolition of the housing revenue account
Passing greater powers over housing and regeneration to local democratically elected representatives in London.

Key measures to increase the power of local communities include:

Introducing a new Right to Bid, which will give residents the opportunity to take over treasured local assets like shops and pubs and keep them part of local life
Introducing a new Right to Challenge, making it much easier for local groups with good ideas to put them forward and drive improvements in local services
Consigning Bin Taxes to the dustbin of history, by removing the ability of councils to charge families for overfilling their bin and to introduce extra tariffs for taking away household waste
Increasing transparency on local pay, by requiring councils to publish the salaries of senior officials working in local authorities, enabling local people to understand how public money is being spent in their area
Giving communities the right to veto excess council tax rises. Previously only central government had the power to 'cap' increases
Introducing a new right to draw up a neighbourhood plan, giving local people a real voice to say where they think new houses, businesses and shops should go - and what they should look like
Enabling communities to bring forward proposals for development they want - such as homes, shops, playgrounds or meeting halls, through the Community Right to Build
Freeing home sellers and buyers from red tape through the abolition of Home Information Packs. The Act removes HIPs once and for all from the statute books
Enabling people to swap their social home, for example because they wish to move jobs. A national home swap scheme will give access to details of all other tenants who may be a match
Giving social tenants stronger tools to hold their landlords to account. Landlords will be expected to support tenant panels - or similar bodies - so tenants can carefully examine the services being offered. The Tenant Services Authority will be abolished
Requiring developers to consult local communities before submitting certain applications. This gives people a chance to comment while there is still scope to make changes
Ending decision making by unaccountable officials on important infrastructure projects such as train lines and power stations. The Act abolishes the Infrastructure Planning Commission, and restores responsibility for taking decisions to elected, accountable Ministers.

Let's get webcasting back at Staffordshire Moorlands District Council ...

2011-11-30T22:19:00.002Z

A CAMPAIGN has been launched for the reinstatement of a service which allowed people to watch council meetings online. Cash-strapped Staffordshire Moorlands District Council switched off its live webcasting system to save £13,655. The decision was criticised by regular viewers who said the cameras brought democracy into the community. Viewers said it stopped elected members from abusing one another and improved the standard of debate.

Over the year the system was live, there were 1,498 webcast viewings, with meetings of the planning committee and full council the most popular. Among regular viewers was Gus Brain, husband of former Labour MP Charlotte Atkins, who now follows meetings from the public gallery.

He said: "The presence of the cameras cuts down on councillors abusing one another. The last full meeting of the council was particularly bad for that when they were not being filmed. "The system is still in place and it would be easy to switch it back on."

"It makes councillors more accountable and gives people the opportunity to see what their elected members get up to."

Council leader Sybil Ralphs said she knew people would like webcasting to return. But she said: "There are no proposals on the table at present."

Staffordshire County Council and Stoke-on-Trent City Council, which are also struggling to balance the books, have maintained their webcasting systems. County council leader Philip Atkins said: "Webcasting is an important part of local democracy and transparency of our decision making. People can see for themselves the live debate on important issues in Staffordshire today from anywhere with online access. Since April 2011 there have been 2,066 viewings – these are people getting involved in the democratic process who may not otherwise do so."

More record investment planned for Cheadle

2011-11-30T22:18:00.001Z

STAFFORDSHIRE Moorlands District Council is to ask the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) for funding towards a scheme to regenerate Cheadle town centre by revitalising the conservation area.

The money would be added to £150,000 set aside by the council and the cash would be spent on a five-year Townscape Heritage Initiative (THI) for which the following projects have already been proposed:

Restoration and re-use of Lulworth House, Cheadle
Public realm improvements in Cheadle Market Square or a facelift for the links between the town centre and St Giles RC Church - known popularly as "Pugin's Gem"

Lulworth House would be transformed into an arts and heritage centre celebrating the rich history of Cheadle and neighbouring communities, plus a proud architectural and decorative arts tradition including associations with world-famous Victorian architect Pugin. The development of a permanent centre would build on an exhibition being planned for Lulworth House next year by the Cheadle Tourism Group to celebrate the bicentenary of Pugin's birth.

Council leader Sybil Ralphs, who has the responsibility for arts development, said: "Cheadle Tourism Group has done fantastically well to secure separate Heritage Lottery Funding of £230,000 for a major Pugin celebration next year. Our aim is to consolidate the group's work by establishing a permanent arts and heritage centre for the town".

Grants would be available in the proposed THI scheme to restore buildings near the public realm sites. The purpose of THI programmes is to preserve and enhance conservation areas that need regenerating, bring historic buildings back into use, and safeguard conservation areas by teaching heritage skills, increasing community participation and improving conservation maintenance.

The council has until the end of next month (November) to submit a Stage 1 bid that would be determined by next April. If successful, the council would then have up to 12 months to develop a detailed Stage 2 submission that would be determined by September 2013 at the latest. The approved programme would then run for five years to 2017/18.

As large amounts of information would be needed at Stage 2, the HLF would provide development funding of up to £50,000, to a maximum of 75% of development costs. In addition, the Moorlands Partnership Board, which helps fund conservation projects across the district, has agreed to contribute £10,000 towards bid development plus £30,000 a year once the scheme gets started. Funding will also be sought from Staffordshire County Council and Cheadle Town Council.

Save energy and money in Staffordshire Moorlands

2011-11-30T22:17:00.002Z

WITH energy bills rising, Staffordshire Moorlands households have been challenged to shrink their carbon footprint - and save around £280 a year. Take back control of heating bills by following a string of top tips from the Energy Saving Trust.

Look out for cavities: If your home was built between the 1920s and 1990s, it could be the ideal candidate for cavity wall insulation that could save up to £135 on your annual heating bills.
Be eco chic and look out for the logo: Replacing your old, energy-inefficient appliance with one carrying the "Energy Saving Trust Recommended" logo could save you up to £26 a year.
Boilers - If it isn't broken, it might still need fixing: Replacing your old boiler with a new A-rated condensing model with a full set of heating controls will save you up to a quarter on your heating bills straight away - that's up to £300 on average in gas-heated homes.
Be nice to your freezer: Don't leave the door open for longer than necessary. Avoid putting hot food in the fridge, defrost the freezer regularly and check the door seals are working properly.
Wrap up your hot water tank - give it a jacket: Fit an insulating jacket that's at least three inches thick and you could save around £40 a year.
Draw at dusk - close your curtains: As the days get chillier, closing your curtains at dusk will stop heat escaping through windows.
A bright idea - buy an energy efficient light bulb: Energy saving light bulbs last up to 10 times longer than ordinary bulbs and, by fitting all the lights in your house with energy-saving bulbs, you could save around £30 a year and £480 over the lifetime of all the bulbs.
Take to the floor: Stop draughts and heat escaping by filling gaps under skirting boards with beading or mastic sealant. That will save around £25 on your heating bills every year.
See double - and cut heat loss by 50 per cent: Double glazing cuts heat loss through windows by 50 per cent and could reduce your heating bill by up to £165 a year.
Feeling chilly? Loft insulation will keep the heat in your home: Insulate your loft to 270mm and, if it's currently uninsulated, you could save around £175 a year.
Generate your own: Why not think about installing your own electricity generation unit? You can find out which technology suits your home best by visiting www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/renewableselector.
Be switched on - take a home energy check: To find out how much energy you can save in the home, complete the trust's home energy check at www.energysavingtrust.org.uk or call freephone 0800 512 012.

Labour's Unions should be ashamed of today's strike action ...

2011-11-30T22:16:00.000Z

I don't think David Cameron went far enough at PMQ's today to clobber Ed Miliband - these are Labour debts, sponsored by Fat Cat Labour Unions, which are leading to cuts having to be made. Shame on the Labour Unions for striking and affecting the lives of hard-working families across the UK, most of whom could only dream of such generous pay packages and pension benefits.

Don't lose your right to vote in Staffordshire Moorlands

2011-11-30T22:15:00.000Z

STAFFORDSHIRE Moorlands residents have been urged to make sure they do not lose their right to vote.

The plea was made by District Council chairman Jason Hails (pictured) who warned that people who did not return their electoral registration form now were running the risk of not being able to vote in next year's election of Police and Crime Commissioners - or in any by-elections taking place next year.

Households that have not received a form or have lost it should call the council's electoral registration office on (01538) 395500 or print one off at www.aboutmyvote.co.uk.

Cllr Hails said: "If you're not on the electoral register, you can't vote. There are still around 5,000 households that haven't returned their form. If a household fails to complete and return the form, then people living there won't be on the updated register. It's not too late. I'm urging all households that have yet to complete and return their form to do so within the next few days. If your name isn't on the new electoral register when we publish on Thursday, December 1, you won't be able to vote until rolling registration starts next year", he stressed.

The registration form gives people the option of being on the "full" or "edited" register. The edited version is the one that can be used for commercial activities such as marketing.

Thrilled to welcome 'Citizen Watch' to Cheadle and Staffordshire Moorlands

2011-11-30T22:09:00.001Z

CHEADLE town centre shopkeepers have followed in the footsteps of their Biddulph and Leek counterparts by offering a helping hand to people with learning disabilities. Cheadle’s support for the Citizen Watch scheme means that all three Staffordshire Moorlands town centres are offering safe havens for people feeling threatened while out and about.

Devised by Mencap and the Moorlands Together Partnership, the initiative sees local businesses displaying a Citizen Watch poster in their window, enabling people with a learning disability to recognise the premises as a safe place – because they have a key ring or card with the same logo.

The key ring or card also carries the contact details of a friend, relative or carer who the shopkeeper can call if further support is needed. The scheme was prompted by Mencap research which showed that people with learning disabilities sometimes felt threatened or unsafe in busy town centres.

The Moorlands Together Safer and Stronger Communities Partnership was established under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 to combat crime and the fear of crime while promoting community safety.

Partners include Staffordshire Moorlands District Council, Staffordshire County Council, Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service and Staffordshire Police.

Increased patrols to tackle dog fouling in Cheadle and across Staffordshire Moorlands

2011-11-30T22:08:00.002Z

ENFORCEMENT officials are to ramp up their high-visibility patrols of a market town in a bid to snare irresponsible dog owners who refuse to clean up after their pets. The move was made by Staffordshire Moorlands District Council after two of its members reported a sharp rise in complaints of dog fouling in parts of Cheadle.

Now, the council's enforcement team has vowed to step up its uniformed patrols of the two black spots and to hand out £80 on-the-spot fines to any dog walker failing to scoop the poop. Anyone refusing to pay the fixed penalty would be liable for a fine of up to £1,000 in a magistrates' court.

To back its campaign, the council has unveiled a large banner on the fence around the Thorley Drive football pitch. The banner spells out the penalties and urges residents to act as the council's eyes and ears if they spot a lazy dog walker refusing to bend their back and bag it up.

People can report the offence by calling 0345 605 3014 or visiting www.staffsmoorlands.gov.uk/doitonline"

Strike hit hard-working families across Staffordshire Moorlands

2011-11-30T22:06:00.001Z

VITAL public services will be disrupted across Staffordshire Moorlands on Wednesday week (November 30) as District Council workers go on strike in protest at proposed changes to pension rights. Industrial action by members of the Unison and GMB unions means that waste is unlikely to be collected. Households that feel able to await the next scheduled collection are asked not to put out their bins for emptying.

Residents whose bins are nearly full should leave them at the kerbside for collection as soon as possible when employees return to work the following day. As collectors are unlikely to clear the backlog for several days, back-up crews and agency staff will be used until the council has caught up. Strike action will also disrupt street cleaning but priority will be given to removal of any syringes or graffiti from public land.

No burials will take place in either of Leek's cemeteries, although both sites will remain open to the public - along with Birch Gardens, in Leek.

Biddulph and Leek Councils Connect are expected to open as usual but, depending on staff numbers, may need to close during the lunch period. Cheadle Councils Connect is also expected to open, depending on the support provided by Staffordshire County Council libraries staff.

Leek's outdoor Wednesday market will operate as normal while most public toilets are likely to be open but opening hours at Leek Tourist Information Centre, Butter Market and Nicholson Institute may need to alter.

The Biddulph, Cheadle and Leek leisure centres are expected to open as normal.
Chief executive Simon Baker said: "With a large number of employees expected to strike, it is inevitable that public services will be disrupted. However, contingency plans have been drawn to keep services running as smoothly as possible. For example, voicemail will be available for customers to leave messages for service teams that will have no one at work on the day. We apologise to the public for the inconvenience that the action will certainly cause".

Cllr Stephen Ellis said "At a time of such financial restraint, this strike action by Labour's union paymnasters is a smack in the face to hardworking families up and down the UK. As many struggle to make ends meets, they can only dream of the already generous pension packages given to public sector workers. Labour and their fatcat Unions are just out of touch with reality and the depth of feeling of millions of honest, hardworking, hard-pressed families up and down this great nation."

Free festive parking in Cheadle and across Staffordshire Moorlands

2011-11-30T22:03:00.001Z

Free parking on three town centre car parks as a Christmas gift to the organisers of eagerly-awaited seasonal celebrations. Staffordshire Moorlands District Council has given the go ahead for free parking on Biddulph's Wharf Road car park on Saturday November 26 from 12 noon for the switching on of the town's Christmas lights and at Cheadle's Tape Street and Well Street car parks a week later.

The gesture follows the closure of two Leek car parks on Friday (November 18) for fairground rides lined up to celebrate the illumination of the town's festive lights.

Cllr Stephen Ellis said: "The free parking and car park closures will cost us around £800 but we recognise that the switching on of the lights is very important to our town centre retail economies. We're happy to do our bit in helping the town councils and retailers ensure the celebrations go with a swing. It's important to bring people together and give our independent high street shops a welcome trade boost in difficult economic conditions."

Backing trade in Cheadle & Staffordshire Moorlands

2011-11-30T22:01:00.001Z

STAFFORDSHIRE Moorlands builders' contractors and suppliers have been urged to register with a website used by local construction companies looking for sub-contractors. The advice was given this week by the District Council, which described Workbox as a must for sub-contractors and suppliers including builders, skip hire and scaffolding businesses and builders' merchants.

The site is the main source of information for many North Staffordshire contractors needing experienced local firms or self-employed people for sub-contracting. Registration is quick and easy, enabling companies to give basic contact details before listing their experience and specialisms plus accreditations and memberships.

Cllr Andrew Hart, portfolio holder for regeneration, said: "Many of the new builds - including the Leek Sainsbury's store - have made a commitment to use local sub-contractors where possible. But they need a simple way of finding local firms that can meet their needs. That's why I'm encouraging Moorlands companies that might like a piece of the action to register as soon as possible".

Workbox also offers information on funding, training and events of interest to the construction industry.
Cllr Hart added: "As a business-friendly council, we're aware that many local firms are in a tough period. I'm hoping that firms registering with Workbox will bid successfully for work on some of the bigger developments. That will help our construction industry to grow and create new jobs".

To sign up, visit http://workbox.buildup-ns.org.uk.

Prime Minister David Cameron MP & Communities Secretary Eric Pickles MP back Staffordshire Moorlands

2011-11-30T22:00:00.000Z

COMMUNITIES Secretary Eric Pickles has weighed in behind a campaign to get the Staffordshire Moorlands recognised officially by the Royal Mail. The fight for official recognition was started last week by District Council leader Sybil Ralphs, who said that having a Staffordshire Moorlands post town would raise the area's profile and make it easier to attract inward investment through tourism and from businesses looking to relocate.

Cllr Ralphs already has the backing of Moorlands MP Karen Bradley, who is to write to Ed Davey, Minister for Consumer Affairs, to call for a Staffordshire Moorlands post town. At the moment, Leek is the only town in the district designated as a post town. As a result, Biddulph and Cheadle - and the many villages - are covered by towns outside the district. The result is that many residents have addresses that they feel do not accurately reflect the identity of where they live.

"It's ridiculous that our post towns often associate residents with places miles from where they live - such as Stoke and Buxton. By creating a Staffordshire Moorlands post town, we would make clear where people live. And this would have the added advantage of marketing the district as a distinctive place with much to offer investors and visitors", she explained.

During her meeting with Mr Cameron, Cllr Ralphs said she was delighted that the Government had awarded Moorland and City Railways (MCR) £1.65m in Regional Growth Fund money towards its expansion plans. MCR's restoration of the rail line from Staffordshire Moorlands into Stoke-on-Trent, creating a link with the West Coast Main Line, will provide a sustainable and low-carbon freight and passenger route. Major quarries, Alton Towers and the town of Leek will benefit from direct rail access.

Having already re-opened the eight-mile stretch between Leekbrook and Cauldon Lowe, MCR is now making progress with restoration work from Leekbrook towards Stoke-on-Trent. It is planned to have the line open as far as Endon by early 2012. Mr Cameron told Cllr Ralphs that, when MCR's expansion was complete, he would be thrilled to ride on the first train from Leek to Stoke-on-Trent in nearly 50 years, subject to other commitments.

Proudly Backing Boris Johnson for Mayor of London in 2012

2011-11-30T21:58:00.000Z

An update email from Mayor of London, Boris Johnson:

Dear Stephen,

I wanted to write to you today to tell you about the new investment in London that we have secured from the Government. It is investment that will help grow London's economy.

Over the last three and a half years, my administration has been dedicated to putting more police on the streets and cutting crime; keeping council tax low; investing in transport and making the Olympics a success.

But perhaps our most important challenge of all has been to see London through these tough times and return to growth. It's why I am running again - to keep the investment flowing and London moving in the right direction.

Today, I am pleased to say that we have secured a raft of extra investment from the Government that will initiate more spades in the ground leading to more jobs - not just through the initial construction but through the new businesses that will be attracted to the city as a result.

So what does this mean in practice?

It means the scheme to improve junctions 23 to 27 of the M25 will be accelerated.

It means the M25 will be widened from junctions 16-23 and 27-30.

It means we will be able to extend the Northern Line to Battersea, which will create two new tube stations and potentially create up to 25,000 jobs in the area.

It means we can look seriously at an additional river crossing in Silvertown to relieve congestion at the Blackwall Tunnel.

It means a new Dartford crossing to ease congestion for vehicles going into the capital.

It means providing £80 million to provide 130 new carriages for train services in south London.

It means a share of the £600 million fund that will create an estimated 100 additional Free Schools nationwide over the next few years and a share of the additional £600 million for new school places.

And it means that we will not have to raise fares as much as we thought.

We've made a lot of progress over the past three and a half years. But there is more to do to grow London's economy. Help me keep taking London in the right direction by supporting our campaign. You can find out more about my record here: www.backboris2012/achievements

And you can spread the word about our achievements by joining my online campaign via Twitter: @BackBoris2012 and Facebook: www.facebook.com/borisjohnson

Best wishes,

Boris Johnson, Mayor of London

Keeping everyone in Staffordshire Moorlands warm this Christmas

2011-11-30T21:56:00.001Z

HOW about treating yourself to a warmer home and cheaper heating bills this Christmas by putting cut-price insulation top of your list for Santa? Staffordshire Moorlands District Council is playing Father Christmas by reminding households of its Warmstreets subsidised loft and cavity wall insulation scheme.

The deal offers loft insulation from just £49 and cavity wall insulation from £99, subject to survey. And if someone in the home is over 70 or receiving certain benefits, the improvements can be made for free.

Cllr Stephen Ellis said: "We all want to be in a cosy home at Christmas time. Loft and cavity wall insulation are the easiest ways of making a home warmer and cheaper to heat, making them the ideal present to give to yourselves and your home this festive season. If you fear that Santa might struggle getting the insulation materials down your chimney, let Warmstreets do the work by calling 0800 043 9569 or visiting www.warmstreets.co.uk. If using a mobile, dial 0333 577 9569".

Warmstreets also offers great deals on renewable technologies, external wall insulation, replacement heating systems and other improvements to keep the home warmer, cut energy bills and shrink the household's carbon footprint.

Staffordshire Moorlands District Council offer FREE bird box making session

2011-11-30T21:55:00.001Z

Conservation meets crafts at Biddulph Grange Country Park. Nature lovers have been offered a chance to help arrest the decline of sparrows - by making a bird box.

The invitation was extended this week by Staffordshire Moorlands District Council, which has lined up a hands-on session at Biddulph Grange Country Park on Sunday 4 December 2011 from 12 noon to 4pm.

With all materials and equipment provided, would-be craftspeople can just turn up and have a go. There is no charge or any need to pre-book, and participants will be able to take their box home with them at the end.

Cllr Stephen Ellis: Boosting Broadband Across Cheadle & Staffordshire Moorlands

2011-11-30T21:54:00.002Z

COMMUNITY leaders have urged households and businesses to help them make a strong case for faster broadband right across Staffordshire Moorlands. British Telecom (BT) has set aside £2.5bn for the roll out of improved broadband throughout the UK. And the Government is investing £530m over four years to achieve its ambition of enhanced broadband for 90 per cent of UK homes and businesses by 2015.

Next month (December), Cheadle will have access to super-fast broadband - defined as providing a maximum speed of 24 mega bits per second - while Biddulph and Leek will follow suit in March. But the Government and BT have warned that it will not be economically viable to take quicker broadband right across Staffordshire in the next four years, and that it is small rural communities that are more likely to miss out.

Poorly-served communities not covered by the four-year programme will be the responsibility of Staffordshire County Council, which is working on a Broadband Delivery Plan to be submitted to the Government before the end of the year.

Now, Staffordshire Moorlands District Council has urged residents and businesses to highlight their broadband issues and problems by completing an online questionnaire at www.staffordshire.gov.uk/broadbandconsultation.

Cllr Stephen Ellis said: "With more and more households and businesses using computers and laptops for daily tasks, it's vital that people should have access to faster broadband. There are currently many households and businesses that only have access to slower broadband that does not meet the Government's target. That's why we need people to complete the survey to help us identify where access could be improved and to demonstrate a strong demand for improved broadband right across the Moorlands. Please act now as the County Council will have to table its plan before the New Year".

Enhanced broadband provision means that households and businesses will be able to buy high specification broadband packages from relevant service providers. It does not mean that existing speed will be increased automatically. Visit www.samknows.com to learn about services and possible planned improvements where you live.

Cllr Stephen Ellis: Art in the Park - Brough Park, Staffordshire Moorlands

2011-11-30T21:42:00.001Z

Exciting opportunity for craftspeople to showcase their work.

ORGANISERS of an eagerly-anticipated annual arts celebration have offered an unmissable chance to would-be exhibitors.

Funded by Staffordshire Moorlands District Council, Art in the Park takes place next year in Brough Park, Leek over the weekend of May 12 and 13.

And with thousands of art lovers expected to enjoy the event, now is the time for artists and craftspeople to sign up for a slice of the action at the knockdown price of just £25 per table.

Council leader Sybil Ralphs, who is responsible for arts development, said: "Art in the Park is becoming a major event in the Staffordshire Moorlands arts calendar and, with a larger marquee next year, we're hoping to be able to offer more local artists and makers an opportunity to exhibit".

Artists and craftspeople interested in reserving a table should call Alice Lockett on 07775 561440 or e-mail alice@beyondthehills.co.uk before January 20 next year. Early birds will also get a slot in the Art in the Park flyer to be available from March.

For more information on the big event, visit www.facebook.com/artinbroughpark or www.staffsmoorlands.gov.uk/countryside.

Cllr Stephen Ellis: Cheadle Town Council Agenda - 5 December 2011

2011-11-30T20:24:00.004Z

The Lodge 21 Tean Road Cheadle Staffordshire Moorlands ST10 1LG

Telephone (01538) 754288 Fax (01538) 757495

Email helen@cheadletowncouncil.com

Town Clerk

Our Ref: HH

29^th November 2011

Dear Sir/Madam,

You are HEREBY summoned to attend at the Meeting of COMMITTEES which will be

held at 7.00 p.m. on MONDAY 5^th DECEMBER 2011 in the Council Chamber, Council Offices, Leek Road, Cheadle.

Yours faithfully

Town Clerk

A G E N D A

DEVELOPMENT SERVICES COMMITTEE

1. Apologies.

2. Declarations of Interest.

3. Confirmation of Minutes of the 7^th November 2011 as amended.

4. Review of applications received from the S.M.D.C -

11/01069 – Rosslyn, 17 Station Road – Erection of two storey/part first floor side

extension.

11/01062 – 113 Leek Road – Proposed ground and first floor front and rear

extensions including balcony.

11/01095 – Painsley Roman Catholic High School, Station Road – Alterations to

front entrance.

5. Councillor N. Plant – Vehicles parking opposite to the entrance to ASDA and

the Fire Station on Ashbourne Road, causing obstruction – Consideration of

double yellow lines.

6. The Council is requested to consider the forming of either a Committee/Sub

Committee or Working Party – To outline/prepare plans for the former Council

Offices on Leek Road – Councillor I. T. Whitehouse.

7. Councillor R. G. Locker – request for lighting to be installed at the bottom of

Lid Lane.

FINANCE AND RESOURCES COMMITTEE

1. Confirmation of Minutes of the 7^th November 2011 as amended.

2. Cash Statement (Recommended Accounts) December 2011

3. Income and Expenditure Report November 2011.

4. Draft Estimates 2012/2013 – previously deferred for approval of the Christmas

Lights Budget and the Waste budget . Also, a request has been made

to allocate funding to the ‘Arts Forum’ for 2012 and to revise the budget for bins

and election expenses for May 2011. (See enclosed report).

LEISURE AND OPERATIONS COMMITTEE

1. Confirmation of Minutes of the 7^th November 2011.

2. Councillor S.A. Ellis - Cleaning of the Cheadle War Graves.

3. Request received from residents of Cheadle, (Mr & Mrs Greensmith) to add

their father’s name to the Cenotaph on Tean Road recreation ground.

4. Councillor P J Elkin – consideration for planting a tree in the Tean Road recreation

Grounds to commemorate the Queens Diamond Jubilee 2012.

5. Cheadle Town Council Web Site. (Details to be forwarded later).

EXCLUSION OF THE PRESS AND PUBLIC

In pursuant of Section (100) 4 of the Local Government Act 1972 the Public and Press be excluded from the Meeting in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings whereby it is likely that exempt information as defined under section 100 (1) of the Local Government Act may be disclosed to the public.

CONFIDENTIAL ITEMS

1. Cemetery extension

Cllr Stephen Ellis: £235,490.00 Funding Boost for Pugin Projects in Cheadle

2011-11-22T22:12:00.001Z

A staggering £235,490.00 of funding has been approved to support key projects in Cheadle marking the 200th birthday or renowned gothic architect, Augustus Pugin.

£153,000 has come from the Heritage Lottery Fund, £30,480 from volunteers and benefit in kind, £40,485 from the Community Leader fund and £11,425 from other sources. Based on the detailed project design and commitment, most of the funding has been granted without onerous conditions - almost unheard of.

Having been involved with the Cheadle Tourism project, I'm thrilled to welcome the funding - it's a great investment in Cheadle to mark such a key event. "Pugin's Gem" is a worldwide landmark of Pugin's finest work - and I'm proud it's here in Cheadle. Roll on 2012!

Cllr Stephen Ellis: A Cheadle Neighbourhood Plan?

2011-11-22T22:05:00.001Z

Speaking at Cheadle Town Council on Monday 21 November 2011, Mick Downs from Urban Vision spoke of creating a Neighbourhood Plan for Cheadle - and other towns and villages across the Staffordshire Moorlands. He'd been invited to the meeting by the Town Mayor.

Councillor after Councillor supported the idea and the potential it could have. However, as ever, that's only part of the story ...

Drawing up the plans, conducting research, holding consultations etc are a 'nice little earner' for companies such as Urban Vision. It's what they do - and they're really good at it. As I said at the meeting, Cheadle is a town that's never been short of ideas. In fact, we could make it an entire cottage industry. There are 13,000 people in the town who'll readily tell you what's up and what they think needs to be done! What we lack is the finance and grant aid to deliver the projects and make them a reality - and this is where these grand plans all fall down.

Unfortunately, there was no-one at the meeting who had any suggestions as to how we fund such plans and projects.

Cllr Stephen Ellis: Boundary Commission ... show your support for Staffordshire Moorlands!

2011-11-22T21:56:00.001Z

Campaigns have been launches right across Staffordshire Moorlands in order to support boundary plans aligned to the current Staffordshire Moorlands District Council boundaries.

The issue has been sparked by a Boundary Commission review, aimed at cutting the number of MPs and ensuring each constituency serves a roughly equal number of voters. The commission's official proposals would see Staffordshire Moorlands District Council's area covered by one parliamentary seat. At present, Cheadle and Blythe Bridge fall into Bill Cash's Stone constituency and the rest comes under Moorlands MP Karen Bradley's remit.

But campaigners trying to stop Newcastle and Burslem being split in two under the boundary changes have put forward alternative proposals. They want the Moorlands carved up into three separate constituencies instead. Werrington, Cellarhead, Caverswall and Stanley could become part of Stoke-on-Trent Central. While Biddulph, Endon and Brown Edge would join Stoke-on-Trent North. A Leek and Stone constituency would serve the remainder of the district.

District council leader Sybil Ralphs said the counter-proposals had provoked fury across the Moorlands, from Endon and Biddulph through to Leek and Cheadle. She is now urging people to contact the Boundary Commission. "We'll be delivering thousands of leaflets to people's homes and knocking on doors. We just want them to tell the commission they support the official proposals to make the Staffordshire Moorlands parliamentary seat follow the council boundaries."

The consultation is due to end on 5 December 2011. People can email reviews@bcommengland.x.gsi.gov.uk or write to: The Boundary Commission for England, 35 Great Smith Street, London, SW1P 3BQ