Authorities are continuing to monitor a waste fire site in Slitting Mill after stacks were capped with soil.

Cannock Chase District Council, Staffordshire County Council and Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service are conducting regular monitoring of Oak Tree Farm to ensure the site remains safe.

This includes air testing for asbestos, which has revealed no cause for concern. These results, coupled with the air quality monitoring results from Cannock Chase District Council, means that there are no discernible risks to public health.

Preece Burford Ltd, Zunsport Ltd and S4J Ltd have all secured ‘Let’s Grow Programme’ grant funding of up to £5,000 to help grow their businesses and create new jobs in the future.

Preece Burford Ltd, supplier of architectural ironmongery/hardware is using its grant to purchase a new piece of machinery, which will increase productivity and efficiency within the business.

Zunsport Ltd, Manufacturer and seller of automotive after market stainless steel car grilles is using its grant to make their website bi-lingual, increasing their markets to France and Germany.

Residents, Councillors, Council Officers and local businesses joined forces to help ‘Clean for the Queen’ this week in a community litter pick.

The clean up took place on Monday 26 September at the former Cannock Stadium site, which had been identified, due to the amount of litter in the area.  There were over 35 bags of rubbish collected, along with various other waste materials.

This initiative highlights the Council’s continuing commitment to support this national campaign to get residents helping to clean up their community.

The development of a new premium outlet shopping destination for the West Midlands moved a step closer this week as development partners U+I and Rioja Developments confirmed receipt of full planning permission.

The news follows on from Cannock Chase Council’s resolution to grant planning approval for a designer outlet village in December 2015 – a decision that was backed by Greg Clarke MP, the former Secretary of State for the Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG).

Cannock Chase District Council, Staffordshire County Council and Public Health England have reassured local people about the very low risks to public health after conducting air tests at the Slitting Mill fire site.

Independent tests at Oak Tree Farm have revealed little to no trace of asbestos in the smoke, meaning people’s health is not at risk.

Staffordshire County Council and Cannock Chase District Council jointly commissioned the air testing after local people raised concerns about asbestos cement found at the site.

Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service have finished covering the fire at Oak Tree Farm in Slitting Mill.

Last week, residents were notified by letter how the Fire and Rescue Service were switching operational tactics from pulling apart and damping down the waste stack, to covering it over and ‘capping’ it with soil.

Capping the waste stack with soil has decreased the amount of smoke and flames being generated, reducing any risk to residents living in the local area and people working on the site.

Cannock Chase Council’s public consultation launches today to hear opinions and views of the future of Council services in the District from residents, businesses, community groups and visitors.

This follows the recent announcement that the Council faces a funding deficit that peaks at £2.15m in 2018/19 and the launch of the Council’s Financial Recovery Plan.

Following the Tactical Assessment Meeting (TAM) this morning, the burning stack at Oak Farm in Slitting Mill will now be capped with soil as agreed by the multi-agency partnership.

Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service will be undertaking this work immediately. It is estimated that the works will take approximately two to four days to complete.

A public meeting took place at Rugeley Fire Station last night to reassure residents about the fire at Oak Farm.

Officers from leading agencies – Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service, Public Health England, Cannock Chase Council, Staffordshire County Council and the Environment Agency attended to answer questions from concerned residents about the fire and its current position.

Cannock Chase Council’s Environmental Health Team are to deploy equipment to monitor the air quality in the immediate area of the fire at Oak Farm, Slitting Mill.