Cannock Chase Council has now received funding from the Government to help businesses in the District whose trading has been affected during the current national lockdown. Grants are now available to be claimed from the Council.

The funding is aimed at businesses forced to close or those seriously affected by the lockdown measures that began on 5 November and which are due to continue until 2 December. The grants will help compensate for income lost during this four-week period.

Cannock Chase Council has given its views on the Planning for the Future White Paper which the Government consulted on between early August and late October.

The White Paper advocates reforms to the planning system by `streamlining and modernising the process through a new focus on design and sustainability, by improving the system of developer contributions and by providing more land for development`.

In total, the Government has made 24 proposals across three policy pillars and it is these proposals that the Council has responded to with its views.

The 2020/21 new look waste and recycling calendars are on the way to residents in Cannock Chase. 

The new calendars will be distributed to over 44,000 households in the District over the next few weeks.  The calendars are in a landscape format this year, and they form part of an information booklet, which includes a guide of what can and can’t go in your waste and recycling bins. 

`By and large the majority of Council services will continue as usual` is the message from Cannock Chase Council as the country prepares to enter another lockdown period this Thursday (5 November) which is expected to last until Wednesday 2 December.

However, in line with the Government’s announcement which included details of businesses needing to close and personal restrictions to be put in place, there will be some changes made to Council services as a result.

Closing as from the end of Wednesday will be the following:

Work is now well underway to build new homes on land at the Council’s Hawks Green Depot site at Old Hednesford Road in Cannock.

The housing development scheme is the result of a successful partnership between Cannock Chase Council and Cannock based Jessup Brothers. The development will transform part of the Council’s Depot into a mixed tenure housing estate. It is the first scheme to be built with money from the Council’s £12.9m Housing Investment Fund.

The announcement that Staffordshire will move from the lowest Covid-19 restrictions of Tier 1 and Medium, to Tier 2 and High from 00.01 on Saturday 31 October was “to be expected”, says the Leader of Cannock Chase Council.

Councillor George Adamson gave his name to a joint letter with Staffordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Health, Care and Wellbeing Dr Johnny McMahon delivered to all households last week urging residents to follow the Covid-19 rules.

Cannock Chase Council is working closely with Staffordshire Police, Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service and local outreach workers 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. 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 the latest Covid guidelines this Halloween.

Cannock Chase Council is urging local retailers in the District to sign up to a new platform to sell their products and services online.

ShopAppy provides an online shop window where customers can browse, buy and collect or arrange home delivery of local products and services.

With the help of the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership (GBSLEP), who are paying the cost of the subscriptions, independent retailers in the Cannock Chase District can get 12 months free subscription to this app.

People across the Cannock Chase District are being urged to stick to the Covid-19 rules, after a surge in cases.

If cases continue to rise, people are being warned not only could more lives be put at risk, but the Government may step in and impose further restrictions.

In the seven days between October 10 and October 16 there has been a total of 180 cases.