Stoke City Council Unveils North/South & Mid Staffs Reorganisation Plans to the Public
Plus charity skydive for 91-year old activist, Hanley Town Hall set for transformation, new station link for Goods Yard, and affordable homes coming to Newcastle…
Good News 🎉
🙋♀️ Reshaping Local Government. Stoke-on-Trent City Council has revealed its final proposals to reshape local government in Staffordshire: two new councils created covering North Staffordshire and Southern & Mid Staffordshire, which will now go forward to the ruling cabinet and full council for approval. The proposal is backed by three other councils – East Staffordshire District Council, Cannock Borough Council and Stafford Borough Council. In total, eight of the 10 Staffordshire councils support the creation of a unitary council for North Staffordshire. If approved by cabinet and council, Stoke-on-Trent’s documents will be submitted to the government – alongside the “sister” proposal by Cannock Chase, East Staffordshire, and Stafford. You can check out the proposal here.
🪂 THE KNOT’S PERSON OF THE WEEK – Angela Glendinning 🪂
She may be nearly 91, but local activist Angela Glendenning will soon be leaping from the sky over Whitchurch to raise money for Asha North Staffs and Emmaus North Staffs. Asha provides support and services to around 1,000 asylum seekers accommodated in Stoke. At Christmas, this means a gigantic party to which everyone is invited. Emmaus’ ‘Beds for Kids’ campaign seeks to alleviate furniture poverty by providing beds for approximately 9,000 children in North Staffordshire, whose parents are unable to tuck them up in bed at night.
Want to sponsor Angela? Donate to Asha here and Emmaus here.
🏛️ Big Plans for Hanley Town Hall. This Grade II-listed building on Albion Square, which began life as the Queen’s Hotel back in 1869, is set to become a vibrant community space once again, with new owners Heronceau Properties set to turn this much-loved landmark into an aparthotel, café and co-working space. There will also be carols at the town hall on 19/12 from 6pm-7.30pm; it’s free but you can secure your space here.
🛤️ New Station Link From Goods Yard. Cutting commuters’ travel time by more than 70%, Capital&Centric has unveiled a walkway connecting Stoke-on-Trent railway station to the heart of its urban quarter. Instead of trudging round the perimeter, visitors and residents can now step off the train into the heart of the neighbourhood in under two minutes. Those interested in the remaining apartments can find out more here, while businesses interested in the commercial spaces can go this way.
🏡 Green Light for Building in Marsh Parade. A landmark regeneration scheme on a brownfield site in Newcastle town centre is one step closer to getting off the ground now essential funding has been approved. Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council rubber-stamped the allocation of more than £916,000 developer funding to support the scheme in Marsh Parade, transforming the long-vacant site of the former Zanzibar nightclub into a new development of affordable homes and business units. The scheme, led by Aspire Housing Group, will deliver 63 affordable homes for social rent and five new enterprise units.
🐶 Pawprint Memorial Garden to Open at Carmountside. A peaceful place to remember your furry friends, the Paw Print Remembrance Garden will open on 27/11 at Carmountside Crematorium. Memorial plaques, pet keepsakes and a scattering area for ashes are just some of the services that will be provided.
🥨 A word from Helen, editor/writer at The Knot
Following Staffordshire County Council’s submission of the East/West proposal for council reorganisation (more info here), Stoke-on-Trent City Council has put forward plans for council reorganisation along North-South lines. The council argues that its proposal presents, “the best economic prospects, best fits the way people currently live and work, and has the best prospects for delivering what people have said they want: better, more cost-effective services and protected local identities.”
It elaborates that the new arrangements would save between £12.6 million and £17.9 million a year, against one-off implementation costs of between £20.6 million and £24.7 million.
Whatever proposal the government adopts, the new councils are unlikely to be up and running until 2028, to allow sufficient time to set up the new structures.
Really Good News 🎉 Your favourite news from the last week
👨🍳 New Places to Eat!: A trio of mouthwatering restaurants has just opened - yum. Knotters were particularly keen to find out about Urban Curry Co in Newcastle…
🎄Free Trees: Head to Apedale Country Park on 21/11 from 10am-2pm; more info here
🥨 Staffs County Council East-West Reorganisation: the plans have been submitted to the goverment ahead of the 28/11 deadline…
Weekly Weather (Stoke-on-Trent)
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Sunrise 17/11 ☀️07:35 Sunset 17/11 🌅 16:11