NEWS
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THE SENTINEL Thursday November 10, 2011
Staff face cuts More grit needed if Potteries suffers harsh weather at Shugborough JOB losses are being considered at a popular tourist attraction, it has emerged. The redundancies are being planned at the historic Shugborough Estate in an attempt to slash the £1 million a year it costs the taxpayer to run the attraction every year. Staffordshire County Council bosses this week confirmed that consultations have begun with 18 full-time and 11 part-time staff at the attraction. However, county council deputy leader Ian Parry pledged that events and exhibitions at the 17th century mansion, where visitor numbers grew by 11 per cent last year, would not be affected by the cutbacks. A final decision on the redundancies is set to be made by February next year and the selected members of staff will leave their posts by April 1, 2012.
Young mums on the decline TEENAGE pregnancy rates are falling in Stoke-on-Trent after a council campaign to reduce levels. The city traditionally has one of the highest conception rates for under 18s outside London. The number of teenage pregnancies dropped from 329 in 2007 to 275 in 2008 and 258 in 2009. Figures for the first two quarters of 2010, the latest data available, show 118 pregnancies – compared to 137 for the same period in 2009. Stoke-on-Trent City Council has brought numbers down by opening multi-agency centres (MACs) at schools and colleges. The authority has also used a “tool kit” diagnostics system to spot and offer advice to teenagers most likely to become pregnant.
Centre’s pool is still closed A SWIMMING pool has been closed until further notice due to weather-related damage. The main pool at Kidsgrove Sports Centre will remain shut until the building’s roof is replaced. Other facilities at the centre, including the small pool, sports hall, gym and studio, remain safe to use. Robert Foster, head of leisure and cultural services at Newcastle Borough Council, said: “Swimming lessons in the main pool have been suspended and we are offering parents the use of the swimming pool at Jubilee Pool in Newcastle for lessons in the meantime.” For further information call Jessica Perry on 01782 786162.
Council gambling on a mild winter BY ALEX CAMPBELL alex.campbell@thesentinel.co.uk
ANYTHING other than a mild winter will force Stoke-on-Trent City Council to dip into its cash reserves to keep roads moving. Stoke-on-Trent City Council has set aside £455,560 for gritting and associated winter maintenance. But the council has admitted its budget only makes provision for a “mild winter,” meaning finance officers will be forced to dip into contingency funds or cash reserves if temperatures again plunge to below average levels. Early forecasts indicate below average winter temperatures and a strong possibility of snow in the coming months. December, January and February are expected to experience below-average temperatures. However, the authority said budgeting for only mild conditions allowed it to avoid “unnecessary cuts to front-line services”. But Councillor Dave Conway, leader of the opposition City Independents, said: “Winter maintenance is a front-line service. “I can’t understand why they don’t budget for the worst and put the money back in if it’s not needed. “It’s funny how the city council is saying it’s going to be a mild winter and everybody else is expecting it to be a harsh one. “I hope they haven’t also budgeted for a mild winter when it comes to fixing burst pipes.” Figures show adopting the same policy in the previous three years has led to the council overspending on winter maintenance at an average of £100,000-per-year. Its winter maintenance budget last year was £432,310. Budgetary overspends mean savings have to be found in other areas to balance the books. The council has 3,840 tonnes of grit in stock and has ordered a further 1,260 tonnes. It also has 482 grit bins across the city and 11 gritting wagons. Residents are also being encouraged to “self-help” by using their own salt stocks. The council was unable to explain its own definition of a mild winter, or how many days of gritting that would involve. Councillor Adrian Knapper, cabinet member for transport and planning, said: “We have sufficient grit on standby in case we need to treat the roads should the weather take a turn for the worst. “We will continue to monitor the
the town. Plans to put traffic lights and a pedestrian crossing in front of the cenotaph have now been dropped, but the roundabout still faces the axe. Leek deputy mayor Pam Wood, who has led the campaign to save the roundabout, said: “We are not going away and we are not going to let it drop. “They have now made one
In brief SMALLTHORNE: After admitting failing to comply with the requirements of a community order imposed on June 24 this year, Aaron Bull, aged 28, of Sparrow Street, Smallthorne was told to do seven hours of unpaid work by North Staffordshire Magistrates to mark the breach. He was also told to pay £60 court costs. STANFIELDS: Defendant Andrew Hughes, aged 41, of Norris Road, Stanfields, pleaded guilty at North Staffordshire Magistrates’ Court to driving without due care and attention on the A50 slip road at Normacot on April 15. He was fined £65 with £60 costs and a £15 victim surcharge. NEWCASTLE: A defendant charged with witness intimidation was remanded in custody until November 16 by magistrates. Ian George, aged 30, of Milehouse Lane, Newcastle, entered a not guilty plea to the charge relating to November 3. BENTILEE: Magistrates have adjourned the case of Matthew Hancock, aged 20, of Galloway Road, Bentilee, who is accused of failing to comply with the requirements of a community order by breaching the curfew element of it. He will appear in court again on November 21. TUNSTALL: Magistrates have been told that a police caution will be given to Carl Saunders, aged 22, of Burnhays Road, Tunstall, for an offence of possession of cannabis on July 7 this year.
roads in the city and take the appropriate action when required, whether this be through ploughing, gritting or a combination. “It is not possible to cover every street in the city so we would remind residents to take care when travelling around the city in the bad weather. “We would also encourage residents to use stocks to self-help where possible. “If the winter is more severe additional expenditure will be funded from a combination of contingency funds, reserves, or in year savings. “This approach has been adopted to ensure that no unnecessary
cuts are made to front line services in order to put in place a budget that may not be required.” Staffordshire County Council has stockpiled 34,000 tonnes of grit. It has 64 gritters and 45 snowploughs on stand-by. But it has been criticised for telling residents to stock up on their own supplies. Cheshire East Council has 20 gritters and has 6,000 tonnes of salt stored up for use this winter. It is trialling a new gritting technique of mixing salt with brine.
What do you think of the council’s winter plans? Email us at letters@thesentinel.co.uk
10,000 join forces to help save town centre roundabout TEN thousand people have signed a petition to try and save a town’s iconic roundabout. Campaigners from Leek will hand over the petition to Downing Street next month. The floral island adjacent to the Nicholson War Memorial in Leek is to be bulldozed as part of a package of proposals by Sainsbury’s for a new superstore on the outskirts of
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amendment to the road changes by moving the traffic lights, now they can make another one and save the roundabout. “I hope that Sainsbury’s will come to realise the strength of feeling, which is still running very high. “We have had a referendum, rallies and demonstrations. It has been going on so long now, we have
proved it is not just a flash in the pan.” The revised proposals, which will be subject to a public consultation next month, show a major alteration to the pedestrian crossing on Ball Haye Street in front of the war memorial and lighting moved considerably to the north. This would leave an unobstructed view of the memorial.