South Staffordshire College is thrilled to officially announce the move of its construction courses from Rodbaston College to Cannock College, following a successful funding bid to the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) and Cannock Chase Council.

Within the Cannock Chase district, nine out of the top 10 occupations held by local people are within construction specialisms. The area also has over 20 % more job openings within construction than the national average.

Local author, Cheryl Davies from Rugeley, brings a Halloween tale to local parks this October, with the launch of her ‘Perfect Potion’ story walk for families.

Two footbridges in popular amenity sites in Cannock Chase district are to be replaced following a decision made by the Council’s Cabinet last Thursday (12 October).

They are at Anglesey Nature Reserve near Hednesford and at Rawnsley Woods in Rawnsley.

There are two bridge locations at the nature reserve. The one that will be replaced is the pedestrian bridge near Hereford Road which had been previously removed because it was beyond repair. Reinstating it will improve access to the reserve and allow residents to fully enjoy this area of open space.

A new support package will streamline funding support for Cannock Chase businesses. It follows Birmingham City Council securing £7.4m of new grant funding to support SMEs in the region, funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), which is a central pillar in the UK Government’s Levelling Up agenda, providing £2.6 billion of funding for local investment by March 2025.  

One of the aims of the UKSPF, which is a fund set up to succeed and improve upon previous EU funding, is to simplify the funding process for businesses looking to access funds.   

Residents are being encouraged to get involved in a new community knitting project to help vulnerable residents during the winter months.

‘Cannock Chase Knits Together’ is a new initiative which will help ‘knit the community together’, by producing knitted items for those people struggling with the cost of living and rising household bills. It will also provide additional support to those that are most in need as well as bringing communities together to address isolation and loneliness.

Cannock Chase Council is continuing to work closely with Staffordshire Police and Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service to help young people stay safe and keep out of trouble this Halloween and Bonfire.

Halloween can be harmless fun, but some members of the community can become distressed by unexpected trick or treaters. As part of a wider ‘Take Care and Be Aware’ initiative, young people are being encouraged to ‘Think - Be Aware Who You Scare’ and to follow some simple dos and don’ts this Halloween. These can be found on Cannock Chase Council’s website. 

Jobseekers across the district will have the opportunity to speak directly to local employers at two jobs fairs planned for October.

The jobs fairs will take place in the Ballroom at the Civic Centre in Cannock on Beecroft Road on Thursday 12 October from 10am to 1pm and Rugeley Community Centre on Burnthill Lane on Thursday 26 October from 10am to 1pm. Local employers with vacancies will be available to talk to on the day.

Cannock Chase Council’s Cabinet has approved plans to introduce a district-wide Smoke Control Order.  

Smoke Control Orders create Smoke Control Areas, where there’s a limit on how much smoke can be released from the chimney of any building, either domestic or commercial/industrial. A building means any structure with a roof and walls. This includes wooden domestic structures such as sheds and summerhouses.

Cannock Chase Council’s Cabinet has agreed to progress with plans announced in the Council’s budget last February, by the previous administration, to introduce garden waste charging. It took the decision to introduce a new subscription service at its Cabinet meeting held last Thursday (14 September).