Sunday, June 30th, 2013
Conservative controlled Tamworth Borough Council is giving golfers and those thinking of taking up the chance to make the most of a swinging summer, with a new membership offer at Tamworth Golf Course.
The Borough Council owned course, located in Amington, is offering a three-month summer membership, which allows unlimited play every day after 2pm from July 1 to September 30. The cost of the summer membership is £120 for adults and £80 for students, which is the equivalent of playing one nine-hole round a week.
During the school summer holiday, Tamworth Golf Course is also offering a junior membership, which gives young players unlimited play at any time of the day for the six-week duration of the holidays, at a cost of just £30.
Cllr Steve Claymore, Cabinet Member for Economy & Education, said, “Tamworth Golf Course is going from strength to strength and is proving to be very popular with members and people who just want to come and play a round or two. The new offers will give people the chance to find out for themselves how good the course is and will allow even more people of all ages to come along and play.”
More information, including a full list of prices, is available on the golf course website at www.tamworthgolfcourse.co.uk or by calling 01827 709310.
Saturday, June 29th, 2013
Christopher Pincher, MP for Tamworth, has opened a new £2.5m flood management scheme in the Mercian ward of Tamworth.
The Coton Flood Risk Management Scheme, on the edge of Tamworth, is the first completed section of the wider Lower Tame Flood Risk Management Scheme.
It includes new flood embankments to the north of Coton Lane and new flood walls along Lichfield Road.
Tamworth MP Christopher Pincher, who opened the scheme, said it would be a “great relief” to the people of Lichfield Road, Coton Lane and Riverside after recent flooding.
Construction work on the scheme, which began in October, also includes new walls around the Fox Inn roundabout and improvements to the culvert in Coton Lane and the Severn Trent Water surface water drainage chamber on Lichfield Road.
Thursday, June 27th, 2013
Christopher Pincher and Michael Fabricant hand the Secretary of State for Transport letters calling for better compensation for properties affected by HS2
Yesterday in the House of Commons, during the High Speed Rail (Preparation) Bill debate, local MP’s Christopher Pincher (Tamworth) and Michael Fabricant (Lichfield) questioned the Secretary of State for Transport on compensation and mitigation for constituents affected by the proposed two HS2 train lines planned to cross Staffordshire.
Mr Pincher said, “I am grateful to my right hon. Friend for giving way and for yesterday meeting my constituents from Hints and Drayton Bassett to discuss their concerns about compensation and mitigation. He has rightly referred to the great concern that people have about the compensation and mitigation that is available. In setting a budget for phase 1, will he prevail on HS2 to be as efficient as possible so that money can be saved and spent on mitigations in Staffordshire?”
Patrick McLoughlin MP replied, “The meeting that I had yesterday with my hon. Friend and his constituents was very useful, and I gave them an undertaking to look at some of the points they made. I have had varying reports on how some of the public consultations have gone.
“I am determined that we improve the way in which they are conducted so that people get more reliable answers on the points they are making, and as quickly as possible, although sometimes these things take a lot of time if particular requests are made as to routes and the like. I thank my hon. Friend for behaving very constructively in the points that he is making.”
Lichfield’s MP, Michael Fabricant, then rose and said, “I am grateful to my right hon. Friend for giving way, and pleased to be able to follow the intervention by my hon. Friend Christopher Pincher. Next week I will be bringing people from Lichfield, Whittington and Armitage to see him to discuss, primarily, mitigation.
“May I ask him about compensation? He will know that with the current route I will have real difficulties with the hybrid Bill; in fact, I will not be able to support it. The Country Land and Business Association says that this stage of the game is the only opportunity to get compensation into legislation so that we can give it to people in my constituency, and indeed in Tamworth, who have been blighted for the past three years.”
The Secretary of State responded, “As someone who was born and brought up in Staffordshire, I know the area that my hon. Friends are talking about incredibly well. Without the authority of this Bill, we would be in a very difficult position as regards exceptional hardship.
“I mentioned earlier some of the requirements of the PAC in relation to accountability in spending money on a project without the approval of Parliament, and that also relates to compensation.”
Thursday, June 27th, 2013
Christopher Pincher, MP for Tamworth, lead a delegation of local people to meet Transport Secretary Patrick Mcloughlin MP this week, Tuesday 25th June, to discuss their concerns about the impact of HS2 on their communities.
Representatives from Hints, Drayton Bassett and Weeford, together with County Councillor Alan White, who chairs the local HS2 Community Forum, presented Mr McLoughlin with a list of mitigations they want to see for their villages and communities. Proposals include the rebuilding of the Knox Grave Lane community’s homes in another area away from the line, a tunnel at Hints and the lowering of the proposed viaduct at Drayton Basset.
Mr. Pincher said, “The meeting was helpful and I am pleased that the Secretary of State found time to meet us. Mr McLoughlin was open to each of the community proposals and promised that he will look further and fully at their requests.
“The Formal Environmental Statement is due later this year and I will continue to press that proposals put forward by Hints, Drayton Bassett and the Knox Grave Lane community are included in the ES so the best mitigation for the community groups is achieved, if HS2 goes ahead.”
Sunday, June 23rd, 2013
Staffordshire dairy farmers who are starting out in the industry could benefit from improved links between the Conservative controlled County Council and a business support organisation.
County farmer James Tattersall, a tenant on a holding near Stafford, hosted a networking impact session where other farmers could discuss innovations and challenges they face day-to-day with growing their businesses. The event also helped James with ideas and advice to drive his business forward.
DairyCo, an independent industry information and support organisation, coordinated the session at James’s holding. It is James’s first county farm tenancy having been successful in gaining the 66 acre holding in March 2011.
County farmer Giles Bristol, who attended the session, is a recent addition to the county farms estate, gaining a tenancy of a 61-acre dairy holding near Penkridge in September 2012. He said the event gave him a good insight into business planning and progression.
Giles, who moved to Staffordshire from Gloucestershire because of the opportunities to get his business off the ground through county farms, said, “Today has been really beneficial to me. Being able to access James’s business demonstrates how successful you can be, as he is probably around 18 months further down the line to where I am currently. Seeing how he has managed and overcome some problems gives me something positive to take away and means I’m already ahead of the game.”
Giles added that he had come to Staffordshire as it had good farming potential and because of the proactive and supportive county farms team. The Harper Adams College graduate was formerly a dairy consultant and decided to use his industry knowledge to help start his own business.
Staffordshire County Council’s cabinet support member for environment and rural affairs Gill Heath said, “We have some very successful entrepreneurs on our county farms and it is pleasing to see them share knowledge and expertise for the benefit of others.
“It is important that we can link up with other organisations which support business to make our drive to improve the economy as effective as possible.
“Our county farms are a valuable asset to us and to Staffordshire’s rural economy and we want to build on the successes of our tenants, as their hard work benefits the wider taxpayer in the long run.”
DairyCo’s Staffordshire extension officer Nicky Fair said, “We want to support British dairy farmers in running profitable and sustainable businesses. This event was about helping people to think strategically about their business but also enable them to share experiences, best practice and how to overcome problems. Everyone attending was very open about the day-to-day running of their business and so it was really rewarding to find out people’s different experiences which could well benefit others.”
Sunday, June 23rd, 2013
Conservative controlled Staffordshire County Council is on of a trio of councils that has won a prestigious national award for their work to secure millions of pounds worth of investment at i54 South Staffordshire.
Last week Staffordshire County Council, Wolverhampton City Council and South Staffordshire Council picked up the MJ Community Investor Award, a national award that recognises the efforts of local authorities to support development in their communities.
The three councils worked together to secure significant investment into the i54 site, stimulating growth and creating jobs for local people at a time when budgets are tight and councils themselves are coming under increasing financial pressure.
i54 is now home to a variety of international companies including Moog, Eurofins and Jaguar Land Rover who have all invested into the site. Jaguar Land Rover alone is investing £500million in a new advanced engine manufacturing facility and bringing with them nearly 1,400 jobs.
The whole site is forecast to employ almost 3,000 workers by 2015 and to double in size again by 2020. Added to this, a dedicated motorway junction is being built to accommodate the site.
Receiving the award were the leaders of Staffordshire County Council, Philip Atkins, Wolverhampton City Council, Cllr Roger Lawrence and South Staffordshire Council, Cllr Brian Edwards.
In a joint statement, they said, “Our three councils have worked hard to attract major investment and jobs to the area, and this award recognises the efforts we have made and the commitment we have to developing our local communities.
“i54 is a unique project that not only benefits local communities, but also supports economic growth and job creation regionally. The importance of being able to attract major international companies to the area cannot be underestimated, and this award is testament to the hard work and dedication of all three councils in securing this vital investment.
“With work at Jaguar Land Rover’s engine manufacturing plant progressing well and both Moog and Eurofins already operating, the site has firmly been put on the map. We hope that this award shows that councils working together to achieve a common goal can have benefits that extend across boundaries, and can make a significant impact on local communities, and the local and national economy.”
Thursday, June 20th, 2013
Christopher Pincher during a previous meeting with the Secretary of State for Transport
On Tuesday 25th June Tamworth’s MP, Christopher Pincher, will lead a delegation of local people to meet the Secretary of State for Transport, Patrick Mcloughlin MP, to discuss their concerns about the impact of Hs2 on their communities.
Representatives from Hints, Drayton Bassett and Weeford, together with County Councillor Alan White, who chairs the local HS2 Community Forum, will present Mr McLoughlin with a list of mitigations they want to see for their villages and communities. Proposals will include the rebuilding of the Knox Grave Lane community’s homes in another area away from the line and a tunnel at Hints.
Mr. Pincher said, “I am pleased that the Secretary of State has found time to meet us so we can raise with him directly our concerns about HS2 and ask him to take action. I will also raise my concern that there is no Property Bond compensation mechanism explicitly linked to the proposed Paving Bill on HS2, which will be tabled in the House of Commons next week. I will be discussing this Bill, which is partly about compensation funding, directly with the responsible minister, Simon Burns MP, this week.”
Mr Pincher also visited the HS2 Environmental Statement “road show” at Hints village hall on 18th June. A steady stream of concerned residents arrived at the hall to quiz a bevy of HS2 experts on everything from the impact on ancient woodland to noise mitigation.
Thursday, June 20th, 2013
Cllr Robert Pritchard, Deputy Leader of Conservative controlled Tamworth Borough Council, is calling on councillors to support his proposal to honour LCpl Watchman V (and his successors) by presenting him with the “Freedom of the Borough of Tamworth.”
Cllr Robert Pritchard believes this is a very important proposal that will honour our historic links with the Staffordshire Regiment (now 3 Mercian).
LCpl Watchman V is the former regimental mascot of the Staffordshire Regiment and still carries out numerous duties. He is loved by former Staffords, current 3 Mercian soldiers and most of all – the public. LCpl Watchman V is the fifth mascot to carry the name Watchman, and it has been handed from one mascot to the next.
The Staffordshire Regiment was merged with other regiments in 2007 leading to the formation of the Mercian Regiment here in Tamworth. The Staffordshire Regiment became their third battalion and like the rest of the regiment adopted LCpl Derby (a ram), who was the mascot of the Worcester Foresters.
The Mercian Regiment no longer officially recognise LCpl Watchman V as a mascot and this has ended a very long and treasured tradition of the Staffordshire Regiment. Although LCpl Watchman V no longer has any official position in the Mercian Regiment, he is still serving and working to promote the actions being carried out by all soldiers in the Mercian Regiment. Furthermore, he still actively engages in local events including the Olympic Torch relay celebration here in Tamworth last year.
This lack of official recognition LCpl Watchman V no longer has the Freedom of the Borough and would be present with the Regiment when it marches through Tamworth. This honour was enjoyed by previous Watchman when the Staffordshire Regiment held Freedom of the Borough.
Cllr Robert Pritchard’s proposal would further cement Tamworth’s special links with the Mercian Regiment, while remembering the local significance of the Staffordshire Regiment.
Cllr Pritchard said, “I think it is important that we have such a powerful and significant symbol of Staffordshire regaining the honour and joining the Mercian Regiment when they return home to Tamworth. I am very confident that most other Staffordshire towns will follow our example.”
He added, “As you can imagine there is a lot of passion over LCpl Watchman V’s importance, especially as many regular army veterans in Tamworth are former Staffords. Like them, I would very much like to see LCpl Watchman V again in Tamworth, carrying out his duties with unique the Staffordshire links he provides, while backed up with restoration of the important “Freedom of the Borough of Tamworth” status.”
Thursday, June 20th, 2013
Christopher Pincher, MP for Tamworth, attended the HS2 Road-Show in Hints village hall on Tuesday 18th June, as part of the Draft Environmental Statement Consultation.
The Environmental Statement sets out the fine details of the construction phase for the project including mitigation.
Mr Pincher said, “I discussed a number of issues with HS2 experts including further mitigation for Hints Drayton Bassett and Weeford and what further measures can be taken. I also raised some concerns about train noise and the volume of construction traffic around Drayton Basset, Fazeley and the Sutton Road.
“I still hope the government will consider a Property Bond compensation scheme to underwrite the value of homes affected by HS2 and so help reduce the blight that afflicts many homes and entire villages.”
Mr Pincher will also lead a delegation of community representatives from Hints, Weeford and Drayton Bassett to the Department of Transport in London next week (Tuesday 25th June) to meet Secretary of State for Transport, Patrick McLoughlin MP, so he can hear directly local concerns.
A steady stream of concerned local residents arrived at Hints village hall throughout the day. Within half an hour of opening, more than twenty residents were in the hall talking to HS2 experts.
Thursday, June 20th, 2013
Conservative controlled Staffordshire County Council has agreed an extra £3.8m a year for private residential care homes across the county.
The County Council have approved a 13.2% increase in the amount it pays for private care places, an average rise of £46 per week. The authority currently spends about £58m a year for 3,500 people in private homes and council-run care facilities.
Cllr Robbie Marshall, Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing, said, “Our review of fees for care homes for our vulnerable people has taken into account all of the relevant care costs.
“If someone needs residential or nursing care but is unable to pay for it, we must make arrangements to provide care in a place of the person’s choice.”
The council have also confirmed that the increase in fees will apply from the start of the current financial year, and will be backdated to the start of April 2013.
Newer Posts —
Older Posts
