Cannock Chase Council are celebrating equality and diversity and has raised the rainbow flag for LGBT History month.

This follows a motion at the Council meeting on Wednesday 8 January, where members voted to support LGBT History month and the LGBTQ+ community by flying the Rainbow flag for the month of February.

LGBT History month is intended as a means of awareness and to combat prejudice against the LGBT community, whilst celebrating its achievement and diversity making it more visible.

Cannock Chase Council has taken the difficult decision to close Cannock Indoor Market Hall. It follows a consultation with stall holders and the public in October 2019.

Cabinet members confirmed their view at their meeting yesterday that it would be more viable in the long term to use the space occupied by the indoor market to support the Council’s ambitious plans to redevelop the town centre.

Cannock Chase Council’s Cabinet have approved the proposed Economic Prosperity Strategy (EPS) for the District.

The ten year strategy sets out the Council’s vision and ambition to develop the District to be a better place to live, work, invest and visit.

Cannock  Chase Council’s Cabinet have approved at their meeting tonight to spend £10,000 to undertake a feasibility study in respect of the toilet facilities located within Elmore Park.

The feasibility study will look at the practicalities and costs for a potential toilet refurbishment scheme to upgrade the facilities.

Cannock Chase Council’s Cabinet have approved at their meeting tonight to implement a new district-wide health improvement programme, ‘Cannock Chase Can’ to tackle obesity and its wider health impacts..

The Council will work closely with the Community Wellbeing team at Inspiring healthy lifestyles and other partners to develop an exciting new health programme which will focus local efforts on supporting the Government’s Child Obesity Action Plan.

Cannock Chase Council’s Cabinet have agreed to adopt a new approach –‘Health in All Policies (HiAP)’ to help the Council identify how best to tackle health inequalities within Cannock Chase District.

Cannock Chase Council’s Environment Team has been delivering environmental awareness sessions in primary schools across the District as part of a new engagement programme addressing environmental issues.

Taxi drivers in the Cannock Chase District were subjected to a taxi test purchase operation last month.

A small number of five taxis were tested over one evening in December last year.  The purpose of a taxi test purchase operation is to ensure that licensed drivers in the District are not overcharging, refusing fares without reasonable cause and are using the meter appropriately.

Cannock Chase Council’s Cabinet is to consider the future of Cannock Indoor Market Hall at its next meeting on 30 January when councillors will discuss the results of a consultation with stallholders and the public carried out last October.

The long term financial viability of the indoor market is in doubt despite investment from the Council in recent years to improve its entrance and raise its profile in the town centre, adjusting the opening times to reflect shoppers’ habits and regular marketing and promotional work undertaken.

Cannock Chase Council is set to lose £1.2 million as a result of changes to the Rateable Value of the warehouse and premises owned by Amazon at Gazeley Park in Rugeley.  Overall the company will receive in the region of £3.2 million as a refund.

The refund back dates to the site opening in August 2011.