This week’s news from around the Council.
Council News
New warding pattern for South Staffordshire – draft recommendations for public consultation
The Local Government Boundary Commission for England have now published their draft recommendations, proposing that South Staffordshire District Council should have 42 councillors, a decrease of seven from the existing arrangements. Those councillors should represent 6 three-councillor wards, 10 two-councillor wards and 4 one-councillor wards across the council area. The boundaries of three wards (Essington, Himley & Swindon and Huntington & Hatherton) will stay the same; all others should change.
Before drawing up the draft recommendations, the Commission carried out a public consultation inviting proposals for a new pattern of wards for South Staffordshire. They have considered all of the submissions that they have received during that phase of consultation.
A detailed report on the recommendations is available on their website at: www.lgbce.org.uk.
A summary can be found here
For the public consultation on the draft recommendations visit consultation.lgbce.org.uk where you will also be able to view the map of their recommendations down to street level.
This stage of the consultation closes on 10 January 2022
The Preferred Options public consultation got underway on Monday 1 November and runs for six weeks until 5pm on Monday 13 December 2021.
Our online Q&A sessions are proving popular, giving people the chance to listen to a presentation on the proposals and to ask questions of the Strategic Planning Team.
Don’t miss the final session, anyone can join. It starts at 6pm:
You can also book an in person appointment between 10.30am and 7.30pm at the following venues (please note the change of venue for 18th November):
- Essington Community Centre – Monday 15 November 2021
- Coven Memorial Hall – Thursday 18 November 2021
- Penkridge, Haling Dene Centre – Monday 22 November 2021
Call 01902 696000 to book your slot.
Click here to watch Councillor Terry Mason, Cabinet Member for Planning and Business Enterprise, explain the Local Plan review, Preferred Options consultation and how you can have your say.
To find other ways you can speak with the Local Plans Team click here
Baggeridge Park Walk
Join Baggeridge Country Park every Thursday at 10am for a 90-minute Health Walk.
To find out more about the walks and how you can become a walk leader; visit Good Life Health & Fitness in the Community South Staffordshire Council (sstaffs.gov.uk)
The Big Winter Saver
Last chance to join your local leisure centre as part of their Winter Saver offer.
Join before 14 November and receive the rest of November, plus December for just £15.
For details on membership packages visit https://www.sstaffs.gov.uk/leisure/memberships
To join, pop into your nearest centre or alternatively complete the membership form and direct debit form and email to Leisure@sstaffs.gov.uk quoting promotional code ‘NRU-novprom21’
Volunteers Needed at our Community Bulb Planting Events
We are very pleased that we are once again able to hold our bulb planting events at our cemeteries this year and would love you to come along and join us to help plant some spring flowering bulbs including bluebells, daffodils and crocus.
- Monday 15 November between 10.00 and 12.00 at Sytch Lane Cemetery, Sytch Lane, Wombourne, WV5 0JP
- Monday 22 November between 10.00 and 12.00 at Strawberry Lane Cemetery, Upper Landywood Lane, Great Wyrley, WS6 7AU
There’s no need to book, just turn up, meet others from the local community and get some fresh air and gentle exercise. Just wear sensible footwear and warm clothes and we will provide gloves, hi-vis vests and other equipment.
If you would like to find out more about our two cemeteries and the services we provide, including the option to pre-purchase a grave plot, please contact us on 01902 696000 or by email: bereavementservices@sstaffs.gov.uk or visit our website https://www.sstaffs.gov.uk/life-events/bereavement-services.cfm
Train to be a Swim Teacher
Training for Swim Teachers took place over October half term – 6 external candidates completed their Level 2 Certificate course enabling them to teach the advanced levels of the STA learn to Swim programme.
Dates for courses for 2022 will be released next week so if you think you would like to undertake this training please contact Bridget Chambers, Swimming Academy Co-ordinator for more details: swimcoordinator@sstaffs.gov.uk or 07966255432
There is a chronic national shortage of swimming teachers and we would like to train and recruit more to support our current teams at the lesiure centres alongside continuing educating people of all ages in this vital life skill.
The qualification is accredited by OfQual and is accepted nationally and internationally.
The STA (Swimming Teachers Association) are looking at potential funding sources for training so watch this space for further information!
Regular News
Public Meetings
- Your Council Challenge Panel will be held virtually on 17.11.21 at 16:00pm.
Members of the public can virtually attend this meeting via Microsoft Teams – a link can be found in the news section on the Council’s website at www.sstaffs.gov.uk
Council Job Vacancies
Have Your Say
Have your say on Primary and Community Care services
Healthwatch Staffordshire are the independent local champion for health and social care services in Staffordshire. Part of our role is to understand the experiences of people who are using the services and to give people an opportunity to speak up and have their voices heard
On this occasion, we are interested in your opinion of primary care and community services in Staffordshire. The future provision of primary and community care services is being considered, with the aim of offering enhanced services for residents as part of the Integrated Care System Plans.
We want to capture your views about Primary and Community Care services and how you think they could be better.
- What services are important to you in your local area?
- What would you like to see added to the current services?
Click here for further information and to complete the survey.
Survey closes 14 November 2021
Have your say on policing, and fire and rescue, in Staffordshire
Staffordshire Commissioner Ben Adams would like to give you the opportunity to take part in a consultation to provide feedback on the key priorities in his proposed Police & Crime Plan, and Fire & Rescue Plan 2021-2024.
The plans set out his priorities for the next three years. How effectively the services perform against these plan priorities is a key part of how he holds the Chief Constable and Chief Fire Officer to account on behalf of the public.
The plans highlight how important it is for Staffordshire Police and Fire & Rescue to work with health, councils, the wider criminal justice system and community groups to keep us safe while supporting victims.
Have we got the balance right? Do these plans reflect your priorities, and the concerns of your community? Your views matter to us, and we want to hear from as many of you as possible.
The consultation is available to complete online until 23 November.
Please visit Have Your Say – Staffordshire Commissioner (staffordshire-pfcc.gov.uk) to share your views with the Commissioner, and see the full draft Police & Crime Plan, and Fire & Rescue Plan 2021-2024.
All responses will be collated anonymously and used to inform the plans’ priorities.
Staffordshire County Council
The County Council are committed to ensuring families have access to the right support at the earliest opportunity. A Task and Finish Group has been established to refresh Staffordshire’s “Early Help Strategy”, and want to hear from families and young people to understand what is working well but also anything that could be improved.
Click on this link to access the online survey Early Help Strategy
The survey will close on Friday 26 November 2021. Those who complete the survey can enter a free prize draw to be in with a chance of winning a £50.00 e-Voucher.
Partnership Information and Helpful Resources
Flood Action Campaign – Prepare. Act. Survive.
Flood action week from Monday 22 to Sunday 28 November.
Taking steps to prepare and knowing what to do in a flood can significantly reduce the damages to a home and possessions, reduce risk to life and reduce the likelihood of suffering from mental health impacts in the future.
The Environment Agency’s campaign continues until the end of March, helping people in flood risk areas to know what to do in a flood and encouraging them to download the ‘Prepare. Act. Survive.’ flood plan to help reduce the impact of flooding.
Covid Update
NHS issues plea for people in the Midlands to stay safe and get the COVID booster vaccine
People in the Midlands who are eligible for the COVID-19 booster vaccine are being urged to stay safe and book a jab as soon as possible. The booster vaccine is offered to those eligible who had their second dose of the COVID vaccination six months ago as protection will have deteriorated.
The NHS will be in touch to notify eligible people when they are due their booster jab at least six months – that’s a minimum of 182 days – after their second vaccination.
Appointments can be booked quickly and conveniently at www.nhs.uk/book-covid-booster. People that can’t go online can book by phoning 119.
Those who are eligible for a booster at least six months after their second dose include:
- those living in residential care homes for older adults
- all adults aged 50 years or over
- frontline health and social care workers
- all those aged 16 to 49 years with underlying health conditions that put them at higher risk of severe COVID-19 (as set out in the green book), and adult carers
- adult household contacts of immunosuppressed individuals.
Recently, the NHS encouraged pregnant women to get the COVID-19 vaccine as data showed that nearly 1 in 5 of the most critically ill COVID patients were unvaccinated pregnant women.
Anyone receiving a text or letter inviting them for a booster jab should come forward as soon as possible to get crucial protection.
NHS Opens Online Covid-19 Vaccination Bookings For 12-15 Year Olds
Parents will be able to book covid-19 vaccinations online for their 12-15 year old children, the NHS has announced.
People will be able to go online and check the National Booking Service to see if their local site has appointments to vaccinate children and young people, as the NHS covid-19 vaccination programme continues at pace.
If a child has already been invited through their school, they do not need act on their invite unless parents wish to get their child vaccinated outside of school.
Click here to book a vaccine appointment for your 12-15 year old.
Staffordshire information for parents of 12-15 year olds.
Click here on Staffordshire information on how and where to get a vaccine.
Rising COVID-19 Cases
Staffordshire has seen a huge rise in cases and the NHS is urging people to be vigilant to prevent further lockdowns.
The best way to protect yourself and others from COVID-19 is to be fully vaccinated. People who are fully vaccinated should continue to follow safer behaviours set out below to prevent the spread of the virus. This includes:
- Let fresh air in if you meet indoors. Meeting outdoors is safer;
- Wear a face covering in crowded and enclosed settings where you come into contact with people you don’t normally meet;
- Get tested, and self-isolate if required;
- Try to stay at home if you are feeling unwell;
- Wash your hands with soap and water or use hand sanitiser regularly throughout the day;
- Download and use the NHS COVID-19 app to know if you’ve been exposed to the virus.
Door to Door Testing
Due to the high rates of COVID-19 in South Staffordshire, the County Council fleet of community testing vehicles are now visiting targeted postcodes. This is to ensure that residents can access testing on a more regular basis to try and slow down the spread of the virus. |
