NEWS
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THE SENTINEL Monday August 22, 2011
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In brief STAFFORD: A motorcyclist died after a crash with a car. The man was confirmed dead at the scene of the tragedy in Weston Road, Stafford, at 8.40pm on Saturday. Police closed the road, near the County Showground, for about three hours as emergency services dealt with the accident and officers searched for clues to find out how it happened. An emergency ambulance crew which was passing the location at the time stopped immediately to help. A second ambulance and an incident support officer also attended and fire engines from Stafford and Rising Brook were called out. Neither the victim’s identity or age were being released by police yesterday. A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said: “Sadly there was nothing that could be done to save the motorcyclist and he was confirmed dead at the scene.”
PEAK PRACTICE: Kingsley Robinson.
Dad completes charity climb A FATHER has stepped up to the challenge of climbing Britain’s highest mountain as a tribute to his brave son. Kingsley Robinson reached the summit of Ben Nevis on Saturday after five-and-a-half hours. He was accompanied by 10 friends who have all joined him in helping to raise thousands of pounds for the University Hospital of North Staffordshire and Leukaemia Research who are both helping his son Ben, aged eight, who is fighting leukaemia. Kingsley, aged 45, of Redwing Drive, Biddulph, said: “We all made it in one piece. It was tough and we’ve got aches and pains now, but I was really grateful I had my friends around me. “They took the weekend out to make the trip with me and there was a great sense of achievement when we reached the top. “Ben understands we’ve done this because of what he’s been through and he’s chuffed to bits. He knows it’s going to help other children who are suffering.” The climbers are still collecting donations and the target is £4,000. They have already reached £2,500 online. To donate call Kingsley on 01782 522157 or visit the pages set up to support the charities www.justgiving.com/ benrobborobinson and www.justgiving.com/ bennevisrobinson.
Author to talk about his tale
performing press-ups near the centre spot. Vale midfielder Gary Roberts tried to apprehend him before a steward wrestled him to the ground and he was carried off lying face down by colleagues. Club officials confirmed last night that the streaker would be banned. Chief executive Perry Deakin said: “We will be deciding the length of his ban shortly having reviewed the evidence. “I know a lot of the
crowd found the incident amusing, but there were children at the ground and so his actions were completely inappropriate. “We were comfortably winning the game at the time but this could have broken our players’ concentration.” Asked what action would be taken against the streaker, a spokesman for Staffordshire police said: “We have no information on this incident so we cannot comment.” Pictures: Wesley Webster
New threat to services unless more savings found
Concern £36m cuts target won’t be hit BY ALEX CAMPBELL alex.campbell@thesentinel.co.uk
Thursday, March 31, 2011
37p
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Many much-loved community facilities shut today after thousands lost their battle to keep them open. Now campaigners says it’s...
DISPUTE: Caverswall Castle owner Robin MacDonald.
Castle debt up for discussion
CLOSED: Tunstall Pool
CLOSED: Gladstone Tea Rooms
CLOSED: Fenton Library
CLOSED: Parkhall Golf Course
CLOSED: Burslem Library
CLOSED: Stoke Recreation Centre
OUR DARKEST DAY BY HAYLEY HARP
hayley.harp@thesentinel.co.uk
CAMPAIGNERS branded today one of the worst days in Stoke-on-Trent’s history as two swimming pools, a sports centre, a golf course and a library shut for good – saving just £464,000. The facilities opening for the final time today are Shelton and Tunstall pools, Fenton Library, Park Hall Golf Course, Stoke Recreation Centre and the cafe at Gladstone Pottery Museum in Longton. Pensioners’ bus service Dial-a-Ride is also running for the final time and the free collection of bulky waste is coming to an end.
Terry Cope, chairman of Greenfields Residents’ Association, said today was one of the darkest in the city’s history. The 60-year-old, of Linwood Way, Tunstall, said: “It’s a very sad day. All these cuts are coming thick and fast. There is no relief at all. “These services will probably never come back and people are rightly very angry, especially when you consider the savings only equal the wages of the top couple of officers. It’s disgusting.” Stoke-on-Trent City Council is closing the services after having to cut £35.6 million from its 2010/11 budget. But Andy Bentley, who sits on the campaigns committee of North Staffs
Against Cuts, said the council was conning taxpayers. Mr Bentley, from Hanley, said: “The amount of cuts all in one day is unprecedented and so unnecessary. “The council says there’s no alternative, but that’s simply not true. “They can use reserves and borrowing powers, but they don’t have the will.” The closures come after the City Farm, based at Bucknall Park, closed earlier this month and Burslem Library shut yesterday. Two care homes are expected to shut at the end of next month and Willfield Community Education Centre, in Bentilee, will also be axed. Ceramica, in Burslem, has closed
its doors after losing its £150,000-ayear funding from the council. Council chief executive John van de Laarschot said: “The decisions taken by the council on budget cuts has been extremely difficult, but we have never been as open and transparent as we have during this budget process.” Buildings which house the axed services will be shut up. They will then go through an “asset rationalisation” process, where their future will be determined.
How will you be affected by the
cuts? Email us at letters@ thesentinel.co.uk
Secret saviour for pool?: Pages 6&7
CREDITORS owed money following the collapse of the company behind an historic castle are due to meet today. Accountants Moore Stephens were approached to place Caverswall Castle Limited into liquidation earlier this month. More than 50 couples had booked to hold their wedding ceremonies and receptions at Caverswall Castle over the next 21 months when the castle shut. The meeting will take place at the Best Western Moat House Hotel, in Etruria, from 11am to 3pm. The castle’s owner and director, Robin MacDonald, has been at the centre of a long-running planning row with council officials after he was refused retrospective permission to use the 13th century building as a commercial wedding venue.
Trees scheme for the Queen
ABOUT 70,000 trees will be planted in Stoke-on-Trent to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. The scheme by the Woodlands Trust scheme will see the trees planted in Fenpark, Fegg Hayes and Chell. The two 60-acre sites, about the size of 50 standard football pitches, would benefit from thousands of native species of trees, as well as fruit-bearing orchards. See Page 16
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FINANCE chiefs at Stoke-on-Trent City Council are on course to miss the authority’s savings target by more than £4.5 million. Hundreds of jobs have been cut and a number of key services closed or reduced as the council made £27.8 million in cuts already this year. More savings have been identified and agreed but the £4.5 million shortfall has now emerged as the council budgets for cuts totalling almost £36 million. Figures show three departments are heading for significant overspends due to a failure to make planned savings or meet income targets. It could lead to extra cuts elsewhere to compensate. A report on the council’s finances in 2011/12 so far reveals that £4.52 million of the planned savings has been classed as “high risk and potentially unlikely to be achieved by the end of the year”. Latest figures show: ■ A total of £445,000 of the forecasted overspend relates to children’s centres after controversial budget cuts were delayed by the council’s legal obligation to consult parents on which individual services should be cut; ■ Much-criticised procurement practices at the council are on course to miss a £1.5 million savings target; ■ Income from facilities such as car parks is much lower than expected;
Robbie Earle: Why I’m backing Mo
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Reporting local life since 1854
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THE creator of the Chief Inspector Banks television show will give a talk in Biddulph on Thursday. Author Peter Robinson, who penned the DCI Banks books, is to discuss his new novel at the town hall at 7.30pm. Called Before The Poison, it is the gripping tale of a new investigation into a 58-yearold murder in Yorkshire. Tickets cost £5 but are redeemable against the price of the book, which was published last week. Peter is stopping off in North Staffordshire as part of an extensive book-signing tour of England and Canada. Last week he appeared with the hosts of BBC Breakfast Television to talk over the novel. He has written around 20 books featuring north-country detective DCI Alan Banks and ITV has televised a number with Stephen Tompkinson starring in the lead role.
STRIPPED: A streaker was today facing a ban from Port Vale’s ground after running onto the pitch during Saturday’s match. Wearing only his socks, the man emerged from the Railway Paddock during the second-half of Vale’s 4-1 win against Accrington Stanley. Play was stopped for about two minutes as he sprinted, arms aloft, towards the away fans in the Hamil End of Vale Park and then lapped half the pitch before
CHANGES: City councillor Sarah Hill. Our front page from The Sentinel in March detailing some of the services facing cuts. ■ Increased budgetary pressures created through the council having to repay £5 million into its cash reserves after borrowing £14.3 million from the pot to fund voluntary redundancies programme last year. About 800 workers left during last year’s redundancies as a result of the cuts. Swimming pools in Tunstall and Shelton and libraries in Burslem and Fenton have closed due to the savings package. The city council has a history of projected overspends in the early stages of the financial year. But the pressures are currently intensified by the amount being cut from the budget. Now directors have been asked to draw up options for “further savings” to prevent complications in setting the 2012/13 budget, which could see another £20 million of
spending cuts unveiled. Councillor Sarah Hill, cabinet member for finance, said: “We had to make a huge amount of changes at the beginning of the financial year which all came at once. Some have started late, but we’re confident we can turn it around. “We all recognise that procurement is an area we haven’t done well with. “Discussions have been held with the chief executive and plans will be coming forward shortly. “I’m not too worried about it. If we are in this situation in February or March I will be less happy, but there’s plenty of time to do something about it.” Former cabinet member Brian Ward believes officers may have overestimated how much can be saved. He said: “Councillors are not financial experts. The figures provided by a head of department have to be taken as gospel. “What you can do is ask questions about whether forecasts are achievable.” The report notes: “Savings plans, risks and predicted overspends will continue to be monitored closely. It is important the forecast overspend is continually managed and wherever possible recovery plans are implemented.”
What do you think of the city council’s budget plans? Email us at letters@thesentinel.co.uk Comment: See Page 10 Children’s centre legal battle may cost council £225,000: See Page 15
CREWE: Trustees of Crewe Heritage Centre will today find out what is to happen to the land they currently use for the attraction. Plot owners Cheshire East Council had initially agreed to sell off the land near to the Tesco site on Vernon Way, albeit with a restrictive covenant that it should be used to promote railway heritage. But that decision was questioned by other councillors who called in the matter, asking for it to be reconsidered. Councillor Jamie Macrae, cabinet member for prosperity, will look again at the matter today with notification then being sent to trustees of the centre. Crewe Heritage Trust, which owns the lease for the next 30 years, currently pays a peppercorn rent. NEWCASTLE: Plans to convert an office into a funeral directors have been approved. Officers at Newcastle Borough Council agreed the change of use for the premises in Water Street, Newcastle. The funeral directors will be open from 9am to 5pm Monday to Saturday and two people will be employed at the premises. Architects Wood, Goldstraw and Yorath say any changes to the exterior of the building will be covered by separate planning applications. WESTLANDS: Engineers will today start resurfacing work on pothole-plagued Langdale Road. Staffordshire County Council started repairs four weeks ago fixing kerbing and footway works. From today, the road will be closed to traffic between 8am and 5pm each day. Work is due to last five days. Residents have previously complained about the state of the road.