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January 23, 2020

Plaque presented to village pub turned community hub

A PLAQUE will be installed at a village pub, recognising public funds used to save it. The plaque was presented in the same week the pub received a five-star food hygiene rating. And the group behind The Shrewsbury Arms in Kingstone is to hold its AGM tonight (Wednesday).

Town hospital to be “repurposed”

A HOSPITAL in a Moorlands town is set to be “repurposed” after medical authorities voted on future health and social care community-based services. The decision on Cheadle Hospital, located on Royal Walk, comes after members of the North Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Clinical Commissioning Groups’ (CCGs) Governing Bodies voted on which Integrated Care Hubs ‘option’ they wanted to see implemented at a meeting at the Moat House in Stoke-on-Trent on Tuesday, January 21. Out of several choices, members elected to vote in “Option 2b” which stated that: “Leek Hospital Hub services delivered from existing Leek Hospital site (with rebuild) with Cheadle hospital site repurposed.”

“He was my rock and a perfect son”

THE mother of a young man who tragically passed away last week has paid tribute to her much-loved son. Lewis James McFarlin, who lived in Tean, sadly passed away on Tuesday, January 14. Known to his family and friends as Lewj, the 24-year-old was a much loved son, brother, grandson, nephew and friend to many.

Public meeting to focus on closure of community response post

A TOWN COUNCIL will be holding a public meeting this week following West Midlands Ambulance Service’s (WMAS) announcement that a community response post is scheduled to be closed down. The Times and Echo reported last month that the WMAS had revealed that it’s response post on Ashbourne Road in Cheadle is to shut by the end of March. Last week, a spokesperson for WMAS told the Times and Echo that now “the rapid response vehicle will be taken out of Cheadle by the end of January.”

Council tax increase of 5.39 per cent in town

A TOWN council is set to raise it's precept by over five per cent for the next financial year. Cheadle Town Council has budgeted for events such as the 75th Anniversary celebrations of VE Day and the Cheadle Carnival 2020 – all of which will be taking place within the coming 12 months. A precept is a 'bill' which parish and town councils, and other statutory bodies, send to district councils – the authorities which collect council tax.

Green light for major plans at scenic site

PLANS to redevelop a scenic site in the Moorlands have been given the go-ahead by the Staffordshire Moorlands District Council (SMDC). Applicant Ben Reeves submitted the proposals for Consall Hall & Gardens, near Wetley Rocks, which include the change of use and redevelopment of Consall Hall, private house, gardens and wedding venue to form “a hospitality venue, wellbeing hotel and lodges.” The plans include 15 “low-impact, high quality holiday lodges” as well as ten 'shepherd huts' and 21 accommodation pods.

Hero Joe donates stems cells

A SELFLESS father has donated millions of his stem cells to help a patient with a life-threatening illness after he came up as a match for the sufferer. Joe Marlow, from Tean, had been on a stem cell register for over three years after becoming involved with organisation DKMS (standing for “Deutsche KnochenMarkSpenderdatei” which means “German Bone Marrow Donor File” in German) through a family member. Joe recently received the news that he had come up as a match for a patient and was asked if he could go down to London as soon as it was possible so the patient could receive treatment.

PM visits JCB factory – and so do climate protestors

PRIME Minister, Boris Johnson, smashed through a wall of polystyrene bricks at a JCB factory as part of his election campaign last week. The PM took to the wheel of a Union Jack branded JCB backhoe loader in a symbolic gesture meant to illustrate his determination to break the Brexit deadlock ahead of voters heading to the polls last Thursday. But the stunt didn't go entirely to plan as protestors with Extinction Rebellion targeted the Conservative 'battle bus' while the PM visited JCB.

“Stuck red lights are dangerous”

A COMMUNITY leader is calling for temporary traffic lights to be fixed as, he claims, they are continously getting stuck on red. Councillor Richard Alcock is so concerned about apparent drivers jumping the 'stuck' red lights at Freehay crossroads, near Cheadle, that he has even reported the issue to the police. The temporary lights were put in place at Freehay crossroads months ago and are set to remain until further road safety improvements are made at the site by Staffordshire County Council.

Teenager left injured after group assault

A TEENAGER was left with minor injuries after being assaulted by a group of other teenagers at the weekend. Police officers were called to a report of an assault on Uttoxeter Road in Blythe Bridge on Sunday afternoon with members of the West Midlands Ambulance Service (WMAS) also in attendance. The teenager subjected to the attack was assessed and discharged at the scene into the care of a relative.

Community devastated after memorial vandalised

A COMMUNITY has been left “devastated” after a memorial plaque which they had erected in memory of one of their neighbours has been vandalised – within less than 24 hours of it being installed. And the wife of the late Basil Bridgett, who the plaque honours, has stated that she feels the offender(s) “must be sick in the head or have a sad life” for the damage they have caused to the plaque which is situated on an old gate post at the top of Meadow Drive in Cheadle. The plaque is inscribed with: “In memory of Basil “Baz” Bridgett, who worked hard to keep those using and living in Meadow Drive safe.”

General Election results are in

The 2019 General Election results are in, and as the nation wakes up to a Tory majority Government, we take a look at the results for our area.....

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