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Weekly News 269

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Community Hub

We are delighted to welcome Telford Steel Framing Ltd into the Business Hub. They join over 26 other public and private businesses who locate their business within the Hub.

This is fantastic news we have 1 office remaining to let. Click here for more information. To view, please email us at businesshub@sstaffs.gov.uk

  

Community Hub Café

Our new Community Hub Café is now open serving breakfasts from 8.30am, lunches – including a help yourself salad bar, snacks, and afternoon teas.

ww.facebook.com/thehubcafecodsall

www.thehub-cafe.co.uk

Council and district news

Council job vacancies

Be a Councillor webinar for the public

The Local Government Association is hosting a webinar from 10:00 –11:30am on 7 June for members of the public, specifically those with an interest in serving the community, on becoming a councillor.

The event is aimed at the general public to help explain what councils and councillors do and to explore the steps involved in becoming a councillor, including what support is available.

The webinar, funded by the government, will cover what councils and councillors do, what an individual will need to do to take their first steps and all about the role and support they can expect. An experienced panel of councillor speakers will share their journeys in local government and offer practical advice for those looking to represent their community.

Councils are encouraged to share details of this event within resident networks, local partners and on social media.

Sign-up: https://lgaevents.local.gov.uk/lga/frontend/reg/thome.csp?pageID=523851&eventID=1516&traceRedir=2

Waste and Recycling

Blue Bags: Paper and card recycling

Many of you will have now received your blue bag for paper and card recycling.  

Thank you to all residents who have started using the blue bag to recycle paper and card this week.  The material we have been collecting in the bags has been excellent quality.

The blue bag can be used for paper and card recycling only, this does not include waxed cartons (coffee cups and long life milk/juice cartons) which are made from a blend of wood, metal and plastic which cannot be recycled with other paper and card products.  Waxed cartons can be recycled separately at all of Staffordshire’s recycling centres, or put in the grey bin and they’ll be sent for energy recovery right here in South Staffordshire where they’ll be turned into electricity for the national grid.

The blue bin can be used for recycling glass jars and bottles, plastic bottles, and metal tins and cans.  Plastic bags, plastic wrappers and clothes cannot be placed in the blue bin.  Clothes can be recycled at all of Staffordshire’s recycling centres, and all these items can be placed in the grey bin for energy recovery.

Unsure what goes where? For a longer list of items, please visit: What can I put in my bin? South Staffordshire Council (sstaffs.gov.uk)

Garden Waste Collection Service 

The new garden waste collection year begins on July 4.

If you have not done so already, you can sign up online now to continue having your green bin collected via this link.

  

Boiler Upgrade Scheme opens

The Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has, today (24 May), announced that the government’s new £450 million Boiler Upgrade Scheme is now open for grant applications and payments.

Homeowners across England and Wales can now benefit from £5,000 grants to fit clean heating systems when they come to replace their oil and gas boilers. This includes clean heating systems installed from 1 April this year.

Heat pumps are now much cheaper and more competitively priced against gas and oil boilers, and closer to the cost of installing a traditional gas boiler. The scheme will improve the energy efficiency of homes, reduce energy bills and cut emissions in the long-term.

The scheme has a committed budget of £450 million over three years from 2022-2025, with an annual budget allocation of £150 million and property owners will be able to get:

  • £5,000 off the cost and installation of an air source heat pump
  • £5,000 off the cost and installation of a biomass boiler
  • £6,000 off the cost and installation of a ground source heat pump

Councils are encouraged to share details of the scheme as appropriate.

Announcement:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/ditching-costly-gas-and-oil-is-cheaper-thanks-to-heat-pump-scheme

Guidance:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/check-if-you-may-be-eligible-for-the-boiler-upgrade-scheme-from-april-2022

South Staffordshire Community Lottery
Not one, but SIX cash winners in our latest lottery draw! Congratulations to Mr. B from Kingswinford who supports @highflyerssouthstaffs, matched 4 numbers, and won £250. Our remaining supporters each won £25.

Thank you to all our supporters who give as little as £1 a week. 60% from every £1 goes directly to the community. Click here to start supporting at good cause near you – www.southstaffslottery.co.uk

If you’re a local good cause, charity, PTA or community group looking to boost your fund raising – the community lottery is a fun and free online platform that can help. Click here for more info – https://www.southstaffslottery.co.uk/good-causes

Leisure latest

Shape Up for Summer

Join South Staffordshire Leisure Centres and pay just £10 until July as part of our Shape up for summer offer.

New joiners will receive:

*Free access to online and on-demand exercise classes

*Access to our members-only book online portal

*Use 4 leisure centres for the price of 1

*Regular member rewards

*Portable membership allowing you to switch packages at any time

To join, pop into your nearest centre or email us at Leisure@sstaffs.gov.uk

FREE Whitsun Jubilee-themed Activity Camps

Codsall and Wombourne Leisure Centres are providing free themed camps for young people to join as part of the jubilee celebrations.

To book Codsall camps, visit https://www.aspire-sports.co.uk/active-camps/codsall-active-camps

To book Wombourne camps, visit https://www.aspire-sports.co.uk/active-camps/wombourne-active-camps

Cheslyn Hay Family Funday

Cheslyn Hay Leisure Centre are holding a family fun day on Thursday 2 June.

For just £3 entry, families can enjoy all-day access to a huge range of activities. To find out more visit, https://www.sstaffs.gov.uk/leisure/school-holiday-camps.cfm

NEW Gentle Exercise Class Starts Soon

A new gentle exercise class starts on 6 June at Penkridge Peace Memorial Hall.

The class will take place every Monday at 11.45am. To find out more and to book, contact Louise on 07939 631131.

For more information, Click here

Partnership updates

Adult Learning Courses at the Community Hub

South Staffordshire College will be delivering Basic Sign Language and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) courses at the Community Hub, commencing in June. Both courses are free to attend. Apply online at: southstaffs.ac.uk/community-education or by calling 0300 456 2424.

  

South Staffordshire Libraries’ Jubilee celebrations

Libraries across South Staffordshire will be joining in with the celebrations of Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee this June.

There will be displays, activities and you can find Big Jubilee Reads at your library or available to order and some are available from the Borrowbox App or the eLibrary.

There will be lots going on at Perton Library over the Jubilee Weekend of June 4 and 5, including a crown craft workshop with local artist Hannah Reynolds. Limited edition Jubilee craft kits will be available over the weekend.

Plans are still developing, but contact Perton Library on 01902 506050 for more information.

Monkeypox Update

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) announced that it has detected 7 additional cases of monkeypox in England. The latest cases bring the total number of cases confirmed in England since 7 May to 77, as of 24 May.

The UKHSA is rapidly investigating the source of these infections as the evidence suggests that there may be transmission of the monkeypox virus in the community, spread by close contact. The UKHSA is working closely with the NHS and other stakeholders to urgently investigate where and how recent confirmed monkeypox cases were acquired, including how they may be linked to each other.

Monkeypox is a rare viral infection that does not spread easily between people. It is usually a mild self-limiting illness and most people recover within a few weeks. However, severe illness can occur in some individuals.

Despite further cases being detected, the risk to the UK population remains low. Anyone with unusual rashes or lesions on any part of their body should immediately contact NHS 111