Weekly News 302
Weekly News 302
Council and district news |
Website launch: Dynamic new platform goes live next week
It’s almost time. Our brand-new website will be launching next week.
The fresh, modern online platform will make accessing information easier and quicker than ever, with a completely revamped design and layout.
The new website will also allow more people to access it, with new features put in place to ensure the pages are easy to find and simple to understand.
The Review magazine will also be presented with an all-new page-turning application, giving readers an enhanced, more accessible experience.
We have also introduced Recite Me, an interactive accessibility tool which allows visitors to customise the site to meet their needs. This includes tools such as a screen reader, a language translator, and numerous other features – each of which can be saved to ensure visitors’ preferences are in place for every time they visit our website.
The new platform will also make transactions smoother than ever to complete – such as the payment of council tax and the registration for garden waste collections – and will enable users to complete these at any time which best suits them.
We will also be asking for your feedback on the new website to help us make it the best it can be for everyone, so please do take the time to let us know what you think.
This is just the first step of an exciting new programme of works through which South Staffordshire Council is looking to improve the customer experience when members of the public or businesses need to access our information or get in touch.
South Staffordshire reaffirms support for armed forces communities
South Staffordshire’s council leader joined council leaders across Staffordshire to reaffirm their commitment to the county’s armed forces community and to encourage other organisations to pledge their support.
Leader of South Staffordshire Council, Cllr Roger Lees; Leader of Staffordshire County Council, Alan White; along with other council leaders, together with the military, met in Stafford to re-sign the Armed Forces Covenant.
The Covenant is a promise by the nation ensuring those who serve/have served and their families, are treated fairly ensuring all members of the Armed Forces community have the same access to public and commercial services as any other citizen does.
Leader of South Staffordshire Council, Councillor Roger Lees, said: “The men and women of all our armed forces do a tremendous job and we are proud to support this covenant, working with partners to support whenever we are able.”
Click here to read the full article.
Win; don’t bin!
| South Staffordshire Council will be supporting Food Waste Action Week Campaign Love Food Hate Waste which runs from March 6th. Keep an eye out for lots of exciting food waste content next week on our social media channels. |
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Vacancies
- Cleaning Assistant (Telford & Wrekin Council), open application date
- Relief Leisure Assistants at Codsall, Wombourne, Penkridge & Cheslyn Hay Leisure Centres, open application date.
- Swimming Instructors, all leisure centres, open application date.
All vacancies can be viewed in full and applied for on our new recruitment site: https://www.sstaffs.gov.uk/vacancies
Neighbourhood plan
A Neighbourhood Plan is a way of helping local communities to influence the planning of the area in which they live and work. In South Staffordshire, Neighbourhood Plans can be made by parish councils, who are known as designated bodies.
Plans are led and written by the community, not the district council. Neighbourhood plans must be in line with the National Planning Policy Framework and the overall strategic approach and policies set out in South Staffordshire’s Local Plan.
Kinver Parish Council has reached an important stage in the preparation of their Neighbourhood Plan. South Staffordshire Council is now running a 6-week period of public consultation on their draft plan. The consultation, which is open to all, runs until 5pm, Monday March 6, 2023.
Comments must be made in writing to South Staffordshire Council, at neighbourhoodplanning@sstaffs.gov.uk or by post to Community Hub, Council Offices, Wolverhampton Road, Codsall, WV8 1PX.
For more information and to read the draft plan and supporting documents visit: Kinver Neighbourhood Plan South Staffordshire Council (sstaffs.gov.uk)
Elections voter ID: Are you ready?
The UK Government has introduced a requirement for voters to show photo ID when voting at a polling station at some elections.
This new requirement will apply for the first time in England at the local elections on Thursday, May 4th, 2023.
Find out which forms of ID you can use and more information via this link
Leisure latest
Cheslyn Hay Leisure Centre
Cheslyn Hay Leisure Centres newly refurbished gym reopened this week. The facility has been completely redecorated with new flooring and all-new state of the art Pulse Fitness gym equipment.
The new equipment includes a wide range of cardio featuring large screen consoles, pin-loaded resistance machines and free weights area. The gym is open to members and non-members, however, new users are required to undergo a pre-booked gym induction prior to using the facility.
For more information and to book call 01922 417790.
The leisure centres are also taking on new members.
For full details visit www.sstaffs.gov.uk/leisure.
Partnership Updates
Health Passport
The Staffordshire and Stoke–on-Trent NHS Health Passport is for anyone with a learning disability, learning difficulty or autism.
It is an important document which tells NHS staff about a person’s needs such as, medication, personal details and how they like to communicate.
A Health Passport should be taken to every healthcare appointment and can help a person get the best care.
If you support or care for a person with a learning disability, there are a range of Health Passport resources to help you look after the person you care for.
County lines
| Staffordshire Police is raising awareness of the signs to look for that someone may be involved in County Lines. This is a term used to describe gangs or organised criminal networks (also known as OCGs) who exploit young and vulnerable people into distributing and selling illegal drugs.
Working with local communities to target offenders and support victims, Staffordshire Police need your help to identify any issues in your area. Information from witnesses and local communities is vital to building the evidence required to dismantle County Line networks. |
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If you know something, you can call the police on 101 or dial 999 in an emergency.
You can also call Crimestoppers anonymously 24 hours a day by dialling 0800 555 111, or make an online report.
Repair, reuse; don’t throw away!
Friends of Bilbrook are running a Repair Cafe on Saturday March 11th, 10:00am to 1:00pm.
Please help to reduce waste in South Staffordshire; repair rather than throw away and learn new skills. Every bit of action helps to reduce the impact on climate change!
Venue (Free parking available)
Bilbrook Village Hall, Joeys Lane, Bilbrook, WV8 1JL
Bring along your items for repair; the service is free but donations are welcome.
Refreshments will be available
For more information: email enquiries@friendsofbilbrook.org or call 07989 423617.
Stop idling!
| Staffordshire County Council are on a mission to get as many areas as possible in Staffordshire to become anti-idling zones in March 2023 and join in for a county wide engine switch off!
Poor air quality can seriously aggravate conditions like asthma and it’s responsible for hundreds of deaths a year across Staffordshire. |
This is particularly a concern around schools where young children will be breathing in the polluted air.
By anti-idling you are cutting down on the amount of pollution produced into the atmosphere resulting in cleaner air to breathe.
Switch off your engine when:
- Charging your phone
- Waiting for someone
- On your lunch break
- Making a delivery
- Running the heater
- Running the Aircon
You can help make a change! For further information, click here.