Posts Tagged ‘Staffordshire Moorlands District Council’

NewsDesk – Council wants your help to protect Leek’s heritage

June 16th, 2013

Leek’s historic Roebuck Hotel in Derby Street was built in 1626

Staffordshire Moorlands District Council is asking local people for their views on proposals to protect Leek’s heritage.

For over 40 years, the town centre has been a conservation area but its character is still at risk from “harmful alterations” to some buildings.

The council wants to safeguard Leek’s heritage by:

  • Reviewing the conservation area’s boundary;
  • Controlling significant external alterations to domestic properties in the area; and
  • Publishing an appraisal describing its characteristics.

Councillor Edwin Wain, cabinet member for planning, development and property, said: “Leek town centre is a special place which is rich in historical character. Architectural features such as windows, doors, traditional roofing materials, chimney stacks and boundary walls and railings contribute so much to the appearance of the conservation area.

“Removing or altering these features can be damaging to the nature of the area and most changes of this type to dwellings do not currently require planning permission. We’re now looking to protect these historic buildings by restricting permitted development rights but before any decisions are made, we want to hear the views of local people about the proposals.”

Leaflets are being distributed to every address in the conservation area detailing the proposals.

Consultation on the proposals has already started and people have until 26th July to make comments and observations.

You can find out more here or by emailing conservation@staffsmoorlands.gov.uk or from reception at Moorlands House, Stockwell Street, Leek.

Photograph © Copyright Jonathan Kington and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

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Moorlands NewsDesk – Help for “over fifties” groups

January 10th, 2013

A  JANUARY workshop is being planned to help local people bid for their share of a £50,000 fund aimed at improving opportunities for the over fifties in the Staffordshire Moorlands.

Staffordshire Moorlands District Council has teamed up with the Beth Johnson Foundation to kick start services which will encourage the over fifties to retain their independence and live healthy, active lives.

The council has created a £50,000 Innovation Fund, which will be managed by the Beth Johnson Foundation, to encourage new ways of working with older people to improve their quality of life.

Already several projects have been funded. They include a men’s over sixties group, a series of walks for stroke survivors and a community café.

A special workshop is being held at the council headquarters, Moorlands House, Leek, on Thursday, January 31st to help local groups and individuals apply for funding.

Lynne Wealleans, from the Beth Johnson Foundation, said: “We want to support activities managed by older people themselves and would like to see projects aimed at people in their fifties as well as older age groups.”

The foundation is keen to work with established groups who want to do something new as well as with new groups and individuals who want to try out new ideas.

Booking forms for the workshop are available from the Beth Johnson website and places must be reserved by January 24th.

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If you live in Leek ask your councillor: “Whose town is it anyway?”

May 8th, 2012

“Ruthin: Market Town of the Future” will be one of the first community led town plans to be implemented in Wales.

Making the plan brought together the local community, architects, planners and specialists to evaluate the North Wales market town and develop a community led vision for its future.

Since late 2009, the Design Research Unit Wales (based at the Welsh School of Architecture, Cardiff University) has been working closely with Ruthin Town Council on “Market Town of the Future”, a scheme designed to breathe new life into the historic market town by using sympathetic regeneration to retain its character.

Genuine consultation gave local people the chance to have their say. There was a Ruthin Future Week which included a debate (Whose Town is it Anyway?), a conference (Designed for Business), an exhibition and workshops for schools. The community led town plan that emerged from these consultations has given Ruthin a ten year development plan which is supported by local people.

Cardiff University and the Design Commission for Wales believe this approach will work in every market town. They are going to produce a Distinctive Towns Toolkit which will give power to the people and ensure that Welsh market towns avoid the antagonism that has been created in Leek by the local authority’s behaviour.

For more information go to www.dru-w.co.uk and Ruthin Town Council

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Moorlands NewsDesk – £100,000 to improve local High Streets

April 4th, 2012

Staffordshire Moorlands District Council will receive £100,000 from the Government’s High Street Innovation Fund.

The district council is one of a hundred councils in the country to be given a share of the £10 million fund which is part of the Government’s ‘Porta-Plus’ response following recommendations made by the retail expert Mary Portas to help the nation’s high streets.

The High Street Innovation Fund supports councils in their efforts to improve the look of local high streets by encouraging new start-ups and bringing empty shops back into use.

Cllr Andrew Hart, Cabinet Member for Housing and Regeneration said:  “This is very welcome news and will help to support the work already achieved in the Moorlands to improve our town centres – in particular, the Masterplan for Cheadle and the Action Plan for Biddulph.

“We have been busy developing our very own enterprise workshop programme to support the local economy which is looking to help people wishing to start-up their very own business but who may be unsure as to how to go about it.

“This extra funding could not have come at a better time, helping to support the work we’ve already got planned but enabling us to do even more.”

 


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Moorlands NewsDesk – A thriving entrepreneurial spirit

March 24th, 2012

Research, commissioned by the BBC and carried out by research company Experian, shows the Staffordshire Moorlands is the fourth most entrepreneurial place in the UK.

The study looked at the number of businesses operating in all 404 local authority areas between 2010 and 2012.

Max Firth, managing director of business information services at Experian, said: “There are really good pockets of entrepreneurial, potentially-successful businesses, not just in the South East but across the UK.”

Experian’s recognition of Staffordshire Moorlands’ entrepreneurial spirit was welcomed by Cllr Andrew Hart, the District Council’s portfolio holder for regeneration, who said: “This important research shows that the Staffordshire Moorlands has a climate that lets the entrepreneurial spirit thrive.”

Cllr Hart highlighted the vital role played by the council in supporting businesses through initiatives including:

  • Workshops on subjects such as tax, exporting and online marketing
  • Signposting businesses to expert advice
  • Running a string of employment sites that had almost 100 per cent occupancy levels.

He said the council is continually seeking ways to improve its services for the business community and added: “For example, we’re in the process of developing an improved website containing a wide range of support for businesses – including a grant finder, sources of advice and a directory of events and networks.”

The council has joined forces with the Moorlands Together Partnership to fund a series of start-up workshops for people who want to find out if self-employment is for them. These workshops will start at the beginning of May but budding businesspeople can register an interest now by calling customer services on 0345 605 3010.

 


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