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NEWS
THE SENTINEL Thursday October 6, 2011
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RIGHT CHOICES: Stoke-onTrent College principal Sarah Robinson.
Extra chance to start college YOUNG people are being given an extra chance to sign up for further education and training courses this term. Stoke-on-Trent College will be launching a new round of courses on Monday and still has limited places available. They cover a range of topics as well as skills related to different trades. The aim is to help people who missed out on signing up for programmes last month and who have yet to decide on their next steps after leaving school. Courses range from gas fitting through to youth work practice. The college is also offering study opportunities for people interested in becoming holiday or resort reps, or who are keen on careers as airline cabin crew. College principal Sarah Robinson said: “We know that many young people who left school in early summer will still not have planned their paths through to future careers. “Making the right choices can be tough. “We are offering October starts to give those who may have chosen an option which they are unsure about, or have simply left the decision to the last minute, a way forward.” For more information, ring Stoke-on-Trent College on 01782 208208.
AT PLAY: Children wore blindfolds and played games with a ringing football as part of a lesson on disabled sport. The event at St Mary’s Catholic Primary School, in Newcastle, was part of a national drive to promote disabled sports
ahead of the Paralympic Games next year. Acting headteacher Julia Ellerton said: “It’s really important for the children to try out these different kinds of sports ahead of the Paralympics. “It shows them how people with these
problems overcome them to play sports.” Children at the school will get a chance to try out a range of disabled sports over the coming months. Sainsbury’s has funded the equipment as part of a challenge to get one million children
involved in disabled sports before London 2012. Pictured, from left, are James Peacock, Sharon Fieldhouse, from Sainsbury’s, Matthew Oxley, Tilli Smith, Nathan Heath and Robyn O‘Leary. Picture: Steve Bould
Authority fears it can’t afford postponing increase
Council tax to rise if incentive is rejected BY ALEX CAMPBELL alex.campbell@thesentinel.co.uk
A GOVERNMENT cash incent-
ive to freeze council tax across England could be rejected by Stoke-on-Trent City Council. Most councils are expected
Buy One Get One FREE Pantomime Ticket Offer This year The Regent Theatre is making all your panto wishes come true with the spectacular pantomime Aladdin. But you won’t need a genie to get 2 tickets for the price of 1, as our annual pantomime promotion is back by popular demand! EastEnders and I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! star Joe Swash heads up an amazing cast in his Stoke-on-Trent debut. So join Joe, Widow Twankey, and the beautiful princess as they battle the evil Abanazar with the help of a magical genie and a flying carpet! Don’t miss out on the fantastically funny panto fun – collect your tokens and make Christmas 2011 one to remember for the whole family! To take advantage of our fantastic TWO FOR ONE ticket offer you will need to collect three differently numbered tokens. Tokens will be printed daily in The Sentinel until Saturday 8 October. Token four is featured today. Book In Person: Once you have collected your three differently numbered tokens attach them to the spaces provided and take your completed form along to The Regent Theatre box office, Piccadilly, Hanley from 10am on Monday, October 10, 2011. Or Book By Phone: On each token there is a two-letter code – once you’ve collected three differently numbered tokens you should be have our six-letter promotional code word. Simply call 0844 871 7649 from 9am on Monday, October 10, 2011 and quote the code. (*Booking fees apply to telephone bookings.)
Token 4
If you missed yesterday’s Sentinel and would like to order a back issue contact The Sentinel Promotions Department (Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm) on 01782 602525. Please refer to The Sentinel dated Monday, October 3 for full terms and conditions relating to this offer.
not to increase tax next year, in line with plans outlined at the Conservative party conference in Manchester on Monday. But Labour-controlled Stokeon-Trent City Council has confirmed it will consider rejecting a tax freeze because of the long-term cost implications. If the council agrees to freeze rates, which it did last year, the Government will provide a grant of about £2 million to cover the cost. It would be equivalent to an increase of about 2.5 per cent. But because the grant would not increase the council tax base from which future annual increases are made, the council would fall behind the expected level of tax income. It would either lead to huge tax hikes in future years or – more likely – the council would simply be unable to ever recoup the funding. Councillor Paul Shotton, the authority’s deputy leader, said the council will be left up to £8 million out of pocket if the freeze incentives continue until the end of the comprehensive spending review in 2014/15. He said: “Every time you defer an increase in the rates it has a knock-on impact. “It is made worse because the city has an extremely low tax
base. We’re one of the cheapest in the UK for council tax. “No political decision has been made but we will discuss what our best option is.” Peter Bates, the council’s assistant director of financial services, said: “There is reason to be nervous because it is inevitable that at some point the grant will fall away and the council could be in difficulties when it does. “We are at a huge disadvantage because our tax base is so heavily skewed in the wrong direction. “We’ve got the lowest council tax by far in Staffordshire.” Christine Platt, chairman of Blurton Residents’ Association, said: “It is such a low income area, I don’t see how anyone can afford to pay a council tax increase. “There has been such a big rise in the cost of gas, electricity and even prices at the super market.” Tory-run Staffordshire County Council became the first in the country to confirm a council tax freeze for 2012-13 on Monday. It also pledged to freeze tax bills for 2013-14, regardless of Government incentives.
Do you think council tax should be frozen? Email us at letters@thesentinel.co.uk
BACKING: Lord Mayor Terry Follows.
Support for big coffee morning to raise funds LORD Mayor Terry Follows is backing a nationwide big coffee morning to help raise funds for cancer support. Stoke-on-Trent’s first citizen will team up with Sainsbury’s and Macmillan Cancer Support to promote their event and raise money for support services for people suffering with the disease. Macmillan Cancer Support’s annual event wants people across the UK to hold coffee mornings on a particular day to raise funds for cancer support. The World’s Biggest Coffee Morning is Macmillan’s biggest fundraising event. Last year 43,000 people signed up across the UK to hold a coffee morning, raising more than £8 million. Mr Follows, said: “Macmillan is a charity which is close to my heart and one which does so much good for so many people during incredibly tough periods of their lives. “I wanted to offer my support to this event and hopefully we can raise a substantial amount of money in the continued fight against this awful disease.” The coffee morning will take place between 10.30am and 11.30am tomorrow at Sainsbury’s in London Road, Stoke. Donations can be made on arrival.
Former cadets invited to reunion 06.10.11 Ref: CA
DON’T MISS TOMORROW’S SENTINEL FOR TOKEN 5
FORMER members of a youth organisation have been invited to a reunion to celebrate its 70th anniversary. The 435 Newcastle Squadron of the Air Training Corps is holding the reunion at the same time as its annual prize-giving ceremony. Cadets will receive presentations for their achievements throughout the year and a special
award will be given to a member who competed the Nijmegen march, which covers 100 miles in four days in the Netherlands. The event takes place at the TA Centre, Liverpool Road, Cross Heath, on November 11, from 7.30pm. Tickets cost £3.50 which includes a buffet. For details, call Glyn Bennett on 01782 636751.