Following an Independent Examination and public referendum Cannock Chase Council has adopted the Hednesford Neighbourhood Plan.

This is part of the development plan for the District and will be used to determine planning applications in the Hednesford Neighbourhood Area (same as the Hednesford Parish area). 

A Neighbourhood Plan can only be adopted following several stages of public consultation, independent examination and a majority ‘yes’ vote in a referendum of the local electorate (for the relevant Neighbourhood Area). 

Residents are being warned not to turn to predatory loan sharks to solve Christmas money worries. 

The Stop Loan Sharks project has launched a national campaign to raise awareness of the risks posed by illegal money lenders and provide guidance on where help can be found.  

Loan sharks do not operate under official financial regulations and can cause extreme misery to those who choose to use them.  

The limited company which operates Lea Hall Social Club in Rugeley has been prosecuted after pleading guilty to a breach of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, having allowed one of its members to use an unsafe ladder.

At Cannock Magistrates Court today, District Judge Strongman fined Lea Hall Social Club Limited £20,000 and ordered the company to pay costs of £17,000.

On 21 November Universal Credit full service started in Cannock.  Cannock Chase Council is raising awareness of the changes affecting residents with the launch of the ‘Managing your Money’ campaign.

Universal Credit is a new benefit system which replaces Income Support, Income Based Jobseekers Allowance, Income Related Employment Support Allowance, Tax Credits and Housing Benefit. 

Following the successful initiative in May this year, Cannock Chase Community Partnership is giving away purse charms to residents in the District this winter.

Purse charms can alert you if someone is trying to steal your purse or wallet. This type of crime is called purse dipping and is most common in busy town centres, shops or public spaces.

These charms are a simple but effective personal security item and are suitable for people of all ages. They have previously helped to cut crime in other parts of the country like Leicester, Sheffield and Manchester.

The Community Safety Team based at Cannock Chase Council and partners have successfully tackled a drug and anti-social behaviour issue that was causing distress to the community.

Following a site visit to the wooded area, at the juncture of Hallcourt Lane and Hunter Road in Cannock, it was apparent that the land was being used for drug use.

Further visits saw that approximately 10-15 people were visiting the site, some of these from as far afield as Burton upon Trent and many were of no-fixed abode.

Cannock Town Centre is supporting Small Business Saturday by hosting in Cannock Shopping Centre a FREE local craft and artisan market on Saturday 1 December, with 30 plus stalls.

Stalls have been offered to local people to support creative and budding entrepreneurs to showcase their talents and products for Christmas shoppers.

This arts and craft market will complement the normal Saturday street market and will be open for business from 10am until 4pm.

People living in areas across the Cannock Chase District are set to benefit from a new project to help improve their health and wellbeing, fitness and general quality of life, thanks to a £416,000 National Lottery grant from the Big Lottery Fund.

The ‘Chase Up’ project will be led by local communities and will work with local residents, schools and voluntary organisations in Hednesford North, Chadsmoor and the Springfields estate in Rugeley.

Cannock Chase District played its part in the national Remembrance Day commemorations yesterday (11 November) with a Beacon Lighting outside St Luke's Church in Cannock (pictured here) - one of 1,000 beacons lit at different locations across the UK at 7pm last night to mark the 100th anniversary of the end of World War 1. Church bells rang out after the lighting.

A new Town Centre Partnership was given the green light to be facilitated by Cannock Chase Council, at last week’s Cabinet Meeting.

The new Partnership will, through its Board Membership represent the interests of stakeholders and businesses in Cannock Town Centre. Election of Board Members is taking place and this looks set to be an exciting time given the volume of support shown to join the Partnership Board.

Anybody can join the Partnership so long as there is a desire to help to create a strong and diverse town centre for the future.