A critical stage has been reached in the development of Cannock town centre following the awarding of £20 million of Levelling Up Fund money by the Government nearly 12 months ago.

With considerable `behind the scenes` work taking place in recent months, Cannock Chase Council now needs to take its next steps, legally and formally with all and any affected parties, and begin a process of land acquisition around the town centre’s disused and unsightly former multi-storey car park and towards Church Street. 

Cannock Chase Council’s Cabinet have approved the adoption of a revised Guide to Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) Standards.

The previous standards were published in 2015, so it was necessary to refresh them to reflect the changes in local housing conditions and ensure that residents in Cannock Chase have access to a safe, warm and healthy home, in line with the Council’s key objectives.

Cannock Chase Council’s Cabinet approved to spend over £385,000 on improvements to the play areas and open space on Laburnum Avenue in Cannock at their meeting last week.

The funds will be allocated from Section 106 monies, from the development of housing on nearby land.

The existing play area is not fully inclusive and has ten pieces of play equipment which were last partly refurbished in 2005.  The site current has a small pond, wetland, a stream and Riding Brook, a football pitch, and a grassed kick about area.

Cannock Chase Council’s Cabinet have approved a new Dog Control Order, revoking and replacing the existing Order. 

The Public Spaces Protection Order (Dog Control), made under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014,  imposes the following requirements on dog owners:

If a dog fouls and the person who is in charge of the dog at that time fails to pick up the faeces, then the person is guilty of an offence.

Volunteers from the National Citizen Service (NCS) came together last month to renovate the toddler area at Cannock Park.

National Citizen Service (NCS) Staffordshire Wave 4 Team 3, chose to renovate the toddler area of Cannock Park Play area for their two day community project.

The young people did a 10km sponsored swim to raise the money for the paints and equipment. The money left over has been donated to Cannock Chase Mental Health Hub.

During National Allotment Week last month, St Barbara’s House, sheltered housing scheme, announced the winners of their annual potato growing competition.

Each tenants had their own pot to grow their potatos, they paid a pound each week and the person with the heaviest crop of potatos was the winner.

To help with the competition Wolseley Garden Centre donated the compost for them to grow the potatos in and Jack Paterson their Plant Manager and Team Member, Clare Wood, came along to judge the competition and weigh the potatos.

We are asking residents to ensure that postal votes for the Hednesford North by-election are returned in good time due to the Royal Mail strikes.  One of the strikes falls on the day of the election, 8 September, so we won’t receive any post that day.

Voters can also hand their postal vote in on election day at one of the polling stations or they can bring it to the Civic Offices before 10pm.  The polling stations are:

Cannock Chase Council’s Cabinet have agreed to adopt the refreshed Economic Prosperity Strategy, which was presented at their meeting last night.

The Council published its Economic Prosperity Strategy for 2020-2030 in January 2020.  However, due to economic changes, and the fact that the Council has refreshed its Corporate Plan, it was felt necessary to update the Economic Prosperity Strategy.  

Cabinet heard at their meeting yesterday, that air quality has improved sufficiently, that two of the Air Quality Management Areas (AQMA’s) could be revoked.

The Council has been monitoring air quality in three hotspots since 2014.  The hotspots are at the following locations:

•    A5 Watling Street in Bridgtown

•    A5 Watling Street (Churchbridge and the Turf Island)

•    A5190 Cannock Road, Heath Hayes (Five Ways Island)