Councillor Steve Thornley is the new leader of Cannock Chase Council.  He was voted into the role at a meeting of the council last night (Wednesday).

Councillor Thornley was elected to represent the Cannock Park and Old Fallow Ward in 2024 and has served as Chairman of the Council for 16 months.

He succeeds Councillor Tony Johnson who announced earlier this month that he was to stand down as leader for health reasons. He received a standing ovation from fellow members following a tribute to his work as leader.

Cannock Chase Council is delighted to announce that Crystal Academy Aerial Arts & Dance will be offering a number of free dance spaces for children aged 3–14 years.

The initiative has been made possible through funding allocated from the Staffordshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner’s Community Safety Fund.

Families and young people are invited to explore the beauty of Cannock Chase and become Guardians themselves, with the launch of a brand-new interactive Story Walk Challenge taking place across Cannock Park, Hednesford Park, Elmore Park and Ravenhill Park.

The challenge forms part of the wider Cannock Chase Can initiative, which supports residents to improve their health and wellbeing through fun, community-based activities.

Cannock Chase Council has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting local residents through the ongoing cost-of-living crisis by extending its partnership with the energy advice charity, Beat the Cold, until 31 March 2026.

With rising energy costs continuing to place significant pressure on households across the District, the Council recognises the importance of providing accessible, trusted support. Beat the Cold brings more than 20 years of experience in delivering practical energy advice and has established itself as a reliable partner across Staffordshire.

AKG has begun delivering a new phase of the Cannock Chase Discovery Programme, continuing vital work to support residents into learning, employment and better health outcomes across the district.

The programme, funded through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) and commissioned by Cannock Chase Council, began its new phase on Monday 14 July 2025 and will run until March 2026. It builds on a successful year of delivery, which saw over 180 residents referred into support, strong cross-sector collaboration and excellent performance across skills, wellbeing and employability.

The Leader of Cannock Chase Council, Tony Johnson, is to step down from the role for health reasons.

Councillor Johnson announced that he will officially resign as leader on Wednesday 24 September.

He will continue in his role as Councillor for the district’s Chadsmoor Ward.

Councillor Johnson, 67, has served as a Labour councillor on Cannock Chase for a combined total of 25 years over two periods. He became council leader in 2023 - having previously held various roles including Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Planning.