Cannock Chase Council is calling on friends and relatives of those shielding across the District to be aware of the upcoming changes to the national shielding service.

Following risk assessments and signage being installed on all Council owned play areas and outdoor gym equipment, the Council are set to re-open these areas to residents and families safely.

Council officers will be removing any tape from play areas and outdoor gym equipment and will be installing safety signage for all users on all Council owned play areas during the course of Thursday and Friday and all will be open by Saturday 11 July.

With lockdown measures lifting from Saturday we are urging residents and visitors to the District to act responsibly and heed to government advice on social distancing.

This Saturday (4 July) will see many pubs, restaurants and cafés welcoming customers back as government restrictions ease and they are able to open again as long as they have measures in place to ensure social distancing and reduce the spread of infection.

Despite the government announcement on 23 June, to re-open play areas and outdoor gym equipment, Council owned playgrounds in the District will remain closed until all risk assessments have been completed and measures and signage have been put in place to re-open safely.

A full risk assessment of playgrounds and green gym equipment needs to take place to ensure that they are COVID secure and as safe as possible for families to use.

A number of Council owned roller shutter doors in Cannock Town Centre are due to be transformed into works of art this summer, as part of a range of environmental improvements in and around the town centre.

The Council is working with a professional spray artist to produce pieces of art on 14 shutters, including seven opposite St. Luke’s Church and seven on vacant shops by the Beecroft Road subway underpass.

People living, visiting and shopping in Cannock Chase District are being encouraged to take part in local celebrations on Sunday 5 July to mark the 72^nd birthday of the NHS.

Cannock Chase Council has joined forces with Chase Arts for Public Spaces (CHAPS) and Cannock Town Centre Partnership to provide two creative challenges for people to take part in whilst visiting Cannock Town Centre. These include a story trail amongst local shops and a ribbon rainbow consisting of thank you messages displayed on the bandstand near St. Luke’s Church.  

Work has started on phase one of the new cemetery for residents living in the Cannock Chase District.

The cemetery located on Hednesford Road in Norton Canes will provide local access to burial facilities for at least the next 25 years.

Phase one of the works will cost £1.4m and represents a major capital investment for the Council.  These works, which are expected to take up to the end of December 2020, have been split into four key elements:

A new campaign addressing extremism and radicalisation was launched in schools across Cannock Chase District in January and has been extremely successful in raising awareness of extremism and the wider Prevent agenda.

Council’s Cabinet has approved leisure concessions for another year, for members of the Armed Forces who live in Cannock Chase.

The scheme which has been running since 2012, is run by Inspiring healthy lifestyles on behalf of Cannock Chase Council

The scheme includes use of fitness suites, swimming pools and participation in various group activities and fitness classes at Chase and Rugeley Leisure Centres.

Cannock Chase District residents are being reminded that its outdoor `street` market in Cannock town centre is returning from Friday with risk assessments, social distancing and a new layout to manage queuing safely, all in place.

The market in Market Place usually extends to Market Hall Street but this part of the market will temporarily move to Market Place to allow for adequate social distancing along Market Hall Street.