New postings made to the Staffordshire County Council website in the last 7 daysen-gb(c) Staffordshire County Council 2005A drive to carry out fire assessments at the homes of vulnerable people has led to the completion of nearly 400 visits across the county. Together with the Fire and Rescue Service, the county council ploughed resources into identifying people aged 65 and over who are most at risk from experiencing fire-related injuries. Previous incidents showed that older people were more likely to harm themselves in this way, with the highest number of deaths happening in this age range. The home fire risk check is free...http://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/news/fireassessments.htm{DD09BAC3-DBEC-4164-A136-A08DAE8DAA79}Mon, 08 Feb 2010 14:00:01 GMTBarbara's name was picked at random from the hundreds of people who have signed up to support their local traders. The delighted winner celebrated her windfall by hitting the high street and picking up some top notch treats. And after a good dose of retail therapy, she was able to put her feet up and enjoy a hearty slice of cake and a hot drink in Indulgence Coffee Lounge. More prize draws will be taking place over the coming months. To be in with a chance of winning, people simply need to collect six...http://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/news/shoputtoxeterjanwinner.htm{E5DDD3D3-F01D-4DD4-B12E-EB07224DC017}Mon, 08 Feb 2010 10:09:53 GMTVisitors to the Shire Hall Gallery in Stafford can see first hand one of the 10 objects chosen to tell a history of Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent as part of the BBC's exciting new A History of the World project. The list is part of the wider A History of the World project formed out of a unique partnership between the BBC, the British Museum and 350 museums and institutions across the country. The object at the gallery, a tin of Evo-Stik Impact Adhesive, produced by Evode (formally Dove Polishes and S...http://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/news/press/JoininAHistoryoftheWorld.htm{AE58684E-B052-478F-B78C-C5CC7380C27F}Fri, 05 Feb 2010 12:57:25 GMTChildren across Staffordshire will get hands on with climate change from tomorrow. Primary schools pupils will become energy detectives, measure carbon footprints and take the solar scrapheap challenge in a range of interactive workshops. Climate experts at Staffordshire County Council have teamed up with top scientists from Keele University to deliver the workshops as part of the council's campaign to bring the climate change message to people across Staffordshire. Children at St Gabriel's Catholic Prim...http://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/news/press/Schoolenergydetectives.htm{37EC54DD-A3CC-41C8-A25B-63B6279936B3}Fri, 05 Feb 2010 12:53:40 GMTSocial Care and Health staff in the Staffordshire Moorlands have been praised after managing to maintain services throughout the recent period of severe weather. With the Moorlands having been particularly hard hit with snow and ice, many roads had not been gritted due to the national salt shortage, making travelling conditions and access to some areas difficult. Solutions introduced to help maintain day to day duties included care workers carrying out their calls on foot, instead of by car. Procuring ...http://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/news/press/SocialCarestandsuptoadverseweather.htm{84D8E647-7C01-47C4-A85D-BA715642F654}Fri, 05 Feb 2010 12:50:33 GMTChildcare providers from across Staffordshire who have been recognised as 'outstanding' in their recent Ofsted inspections, are to receive recognition for their hard work in a special ceremony on Wednesday February 3. Hosted by the Early Years and Childcare service at Staffordshire County Council, Peter Traves, Corporate Director for Children's Services, will present the awards at the ceremony, which will be held at County Buildings in Stafford. Also receiving a Star award will be twelve childcare provide...http://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/news/press/ChildcareStarswillbeshining.htm{3B91F6DC-A340-48CC-A4C0-2FAA7E742974}Fri, 05 Feb 2010 12:46:51 GMTA major £700,000 project to revamp road surfaces and upgrade the drainage system along the B5000 in Glascote Village is set to start on February 1. Staffordshire Highways, which is part of Staffordshire County Council, will be embarking on the 18 week improvement programme. The team will be resurfacing the carriageway and modernising the drainage system between Abbey Road roundabout and the Marlborough Way roundabout. Around 200 metres of drain pipes will be replaced to help alleviate flooding in th...http://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/news/press/Projecttorevamproadsurfacesanddrains.htm{91126B11-02C4-4614-81B8-4D7841F3DF74}Fri, 05 Feb 2010 12:39:36 GMTConservation teams are planning another onslaught on invading scrub on Cannock Chase this winter, to protect rare heathland and the wildlife that depends on it. Staffordshire County Council's countryside rangers will be leading a team of volunteers every Sunday until spring, removing small pine that, if left, would swamp the open heath and drive out scarce wildlife such as woodlark, common lizard and a range of attractive butterflies and moths, including the stately Emperor moth. Experienced contractors ...http://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/news/press/BattlingtoProtectRareWildlife.htm{1C6DDCCF-0804-4E4D-B6F8-694B1036F7BC}Fri, 05 Feb 2010 12:35:25 GMTStaff and pupils at a local primary school are celebrating after constructors finished work on their newly-refurbished school. Thomas Vale Construction officially handed the school over to staff and pupils on January 19. The building work on the Victorian school has cost £1.6 million, and has taken nearly a year to complete. The work was designed and project managed by the County Council 'in house' Design Consultancy and includes complete refurbishment of the existing building, a new build extension ...http://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/news/press/HandoverofHorninglowSchool.htm{3DCB5C4D-04A1-4C01-8B06-77DF73B703F4}Fri, 05 Feb 2010 12:31:55 GMTParents of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder are being invited to a support group in Abbots Bromley. Since 2008, the SkillShare project has been helping parents to get together in Abbots Bromley to share the joys and challenges of having a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder. The meetings are attended by friendly and interested parents, and hosted by Elizabeth Attfield of Autism West Midlands and Hilary McFadyen, SkillShare Co-ordinator. It's an informal get together and an opportunity for parents to...http://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/news/press/ParentsshareAutismSupport.htm{3C8C4372-928D-4C69-BDC7-9F8A84F7F6F7}Fri, 05 Feb 2010 12:29:34 GMTA major improvement scheme to boost safety at a busy traffic island in Cannock is set to get underway on January 30. Staffordshire County Council is carrying out the £200,000 project which aims to reduce accidents and delays at Leacroft Island. Crews from Staffordshire Highways will be undertaking the work which will include alternations to the kerb lines on each of the approaches to the traffic island. The roundabout itself will also be realigned. The improvements will encourage motorists to negoti...http://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/news/press/Safetyboostingscheme.htm{10524DE1-5119-4F10-8CB1-6FD6893F6B38}Fri, 05 Feb 2010 12:26:39 GMTParent and carers of a children with Dyslexia or Dyslexic tendencies can find out more about the condition at four workshops in Tamworth. The Skillshare project workshops will be held at The Castle Hotel in Tamworth on 19 and 26 January, and 2 and 9 February, between 10am and 1pm. The workshops are free, but there are only a few places left. People should contact coordinator Hilary McFadyen as soon as possible to book a place. County Councillor Ian Parry, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Children and...http://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/news/press/ParentsgetchancetohelpwithDyslexia.htm{F27C1D80-5392-45E8-808C-B4DEF8C2F619}Fri, 05 Feb 2010 12:22:21 GMTStaffordshire Highways' teams are embarking on a major pothole repair programme across the county following the longest cold spell in decades. The freezing weather has led to many potholes being created on Staffordshire's roads. Water seeping into cracks has frozen and degraded road surfaces, leading to more pothole problems. The situation has been particularly acute this year due to the exceptionally low temperatures - which have dropped to minus 10 in some parts of the county - and the prolonged cold spe...http://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/news/press/Pledgetotacklepotholes.htm{18CDB761-276B-4BC1-81E2-A25969F94BE7}Fri, 05 Feb 2010 12:18:49 GMT partnership initiative in Tamworth, which has received national recognition and has been cited as an example of good practice, is now going from strength to strength. Older people living in sheltered schemes in Tamworth are benefiting from the initiative, which is helping them to maintain their independence and improving health and wellbeing. The Tamworth Sheltered Housing Outreach Project (TSHOP) has now reached out to six of the town's sheltered schemes by bringing together the support, advice and info...http://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/news/press/Partnershipprojectreachesout.htm{C3B9A216-EADA-459D-BCD2-011B5CEACEE2}Fri, 05 Feb 2010 12:15:41 GMTCountryside Rangers have been helping Staffordshire's most reclusive residents cope with the snow and ice. Deer that populate Cannock Chase hate the cold weather. They struggle to cope when their staple diet of grass is buried by snow, so the rangers have been supplementing their short rations with deliveries of fresh vegetables. The veg has been collected from local farms and left for the deer at secret locations where they are least likely to come into contact with people. County Councillor Mike Maryon...http://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/news/press/Foodparcelshelpsecretivedeer.htm{9CA029DD-9F0F-4768-B15A-26C367DF44CE}Fri, 05 Feb 2010 12:13:00 GMTHighways chiefs have announced that Cemetery Road in Newcastle under Lyme will soon be open to one way traffic. Staffordshire County Council's highways crews completely closed the stretch last September to allow improvement work to be carried out along the carriageway. The project has been designed to support a major scheme which will see around 1,250 jobs created at Keele University's new Science Park. Improvements to the infrastructure will enable the area to cope with the increased volumes of traff...http://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/news/press/Highwaysteamsre-openCemeteryRoad.htm{56B935AE-398F-40B4-B786-5018FC82BFEA}Fri, 05 Feb 2010 12:08:07 GMTCannock Library will be a focal point for a collection of titles which are to be discussed in the TV Book Club programme due to return to TV screens in January on More4 and Channel 4. The titles have been ordered and visitors to the library will soon be able to borrow them and take part in this reading experience. The selection represents a combination of established writers and emerging talents. Launching with Sarah Waters' The Little Stranger on Sunday January 17, the rest of the selected titles will ...http://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/news/press/LibraryTVBookClub.htm{BD569599-1D70-4FD1-82AC-AD63D1A85961}Fri, 05 Feb 2010 12:05:11 GMTVisitors to Holmcroft Library will soon be able to share their thoughts on their favourite read as the library launches its new free reading group on Tuesday January 26. Every month at 2.30pm, and with a different theme every session, the reading group will be giving adult readers the opportunity to discuss what they think about the books in which they have read. Session one will begin with the topic 'Our Favourite Reads' and everyone is welcome to take along a favourite book of their choice. Local co...http://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/news/press/NewreadinggroupatHolmcroftLibrary.htm{24B4FA3A-07A8-4841-ABFE-DDF5462D7F60}Fri, 05 Feb 2010 12:02:25 GMTStaffordshire County Council leaders today gave their stamp of approval to the appointment of a new Chief Executive, Nick Bell. In April Mr Bell will succeed the current Chief Executive Ron Hilton who is retiring. Nick is currently the Deputy Chief Executive of Essex County Council and also acts as their finance director. Council leader Philip Atkins said: "We had high expectations of the type of person we wanted to replace Ron Hilton. After a thorough nationwide recruitment search, I am delighted to an...http://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/news/press/NewChiefExecutive.htm{B76F652A-F012-4E37-BFAD-D44892233A55}Fri, 05 Feb 2010 11:59:08 GMTCheadle Councils Connect is hosting a weekly service at the town's library which will offer support and counselling to people facing a life changing illness, their carers, family and friends. The Dove Service will begin on Tuesday January 19 between 10.15am and 1.15pm. All counsellors are highly trained, and will act in a confidential manner. Local county councillor Mike Maryon said: "This is a wonderful service for those in need of support at a very difficult time, and offers a confidential, skilled and...http://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/news/press/Newcounsellingservice.htm{E29B2446-2B98-42E0-A9F8-683C49F5FFB8}Fri, 05 Feb 2010 11:55:36 GMTVisitors to Burton Library will soon be able to share their thoughts on their favourite read as the library launches its new Reading Café on Tuesday January 26. Every week between 10am and midday, and with a different theme every month, the Reading Café will be giving adult readers the opportunity to discuss what they think about the books in which they have read. Local county councillor Peter Beresford said: "Reading is one of life's great pleasures, and its great fun to share what you're en...http://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/news/press/NewReadingCafe.htm{EC404D6B-73FA-42C8-9CA2-C0D6E6FD1660}Fri, 05 Feb 2010 11:52:06 GMTStaffordshire school pupils have a good reason to celebrate success today, after once again showing an improved performance in their GCSE results. The Department for Children, Schools and Families have released figures for the 2009 GSCE examinations, taken by school pupils aged 16. The number of pupils achieving 5 A*-C grades has increased, with 69.7 per cent gaining this number, an increase of nearly 4.7 per cent on 2008 results. Pupils obtaining 5 A*-C grades including Maths and English has also increa...http://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/news/press/GCSESuccessforpupils.htm{A7A6D59C-3CC1-4A68-8FFC-5DA9F96C1414}Fri, 05 Feb 2010 11:47:25 GMTA campaign which will see kids cracking down on illegal parking outside their school is set to be launched next week. Pupils at Holly Grove Primary School in Burntwood will be taking on motorists - and their own parents - who park inconsiderately or dangerously in the area. Children aged 10 and 11 will be spearheading the initiative to help get the message across to people that they can not park irresponsibly near to school gates. Staffordshire County Council has joined forces with Staffordshire Pol...http://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/news/press/crackdownonillegalparking.htm{21C7D2B0-852F-4E08-B6F9-F0CE1DA8313D}Fri, 05 Feb 2010 11:44:27 GMTBurton residents are being asked to use an alternative household waste recycling centre for a nine day period due to essential maintenance work. Resurfacing work, costing £70,000, is taking place at the Burton site on Shobnall Road from Monday January 18, meaning the centre will be closed until Tuesday January 26. Staffordshire County Council's recycling bosses have appealed to centre users to be patient while they get the vital work done as quickly as possible. Local County Councillor Peter Be...http://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/news/press/Burtonrecyclingcentre.htm{7BE557E3-C45D-4D41-9819-5B1D6EB24F48}Fri, 05 Feb 2010 11:41:14 GMTArtwork designed by community-minded young people will be unveiled in a special launch event this Saturday (16 January). Young people from Burntwood have been involved in Morph4us, a community arts project, to design a permanent focal point in Redwood Park. The aim of the project is to break down some of the social barriers between young people and the community, tackling the existing negative stereotypical image of young people in the area by showing them to be doing something positive for the community....http://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/news/press/ArtProjectUnveilsCommunitySpirit.htm{A6A2D9B9-22E4-45AA-BA00-ED86889404FB}Fri, 05 Feb 2010 11:29:44 GMTThe progress made by Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent in relation to the safeguarding of vulnerable adults has been praised in its annual report. Improvements in training, an increase in the number of referrals received and a stronger multi-agency approach has led to tackling this issues in a more strategic way across the county. The word safeguarding means abuse to many people. But it's not only physical abuse that can happen. It's also about neglect in an emotional or financial way. Traditionally, the ...http://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/news/press/Reportpraisessafeguarding.htm{C8BA1C48-FF04-4A4A-8B04-32BDC5575C03}Fri, 05 Feb 2010 11:24:12 GMTPeople travelling in the Baswich and Weeping Cross area are being given the chance to win top prizes by becoming bus spotters. As part of Staffordshire County Council's 'Park your Car at Home' campaign, which encourages people to use sustainable methods of transport, special adverts have been placed on the back of buses travelling through the Weeping Cross and Baswich areas. Anyone spotting a 'Park your Car at Home' advert should note down the registration number and date and send it to Staffordshire Coun...http://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/news/press/Busesmeanprizes.htm{EBC45A9E-2DE7-4111-9AB0-6D92E676DCBE}Fri, 05 Feb 2010 11:21:36 GMTStaffordshire Social Care and Health's County Equipment Centre is celebrating after reaching yet another million pound recycling milestone. The county council's Stafford-based centre provides a range of equipment to help Staffordshire residents remain independent in their own homes. Since opening in 1997, it has now received, cleaned, checked and reissued over £11 million worth of items ranging from hoists and bath lifts to trolleys and toilet frames. The majority of items dealt with are recycled, s...http://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/news/press/Recyclingmilestone.htm{71259570-E319-4DEC-83FC-AD4127472D13}Fri, 05 Feb 2010 11:18:55 GMTPeople of all ages and backgrounds are being urged to attend an event where they can help shape how local care and health services are delivered in Staffordshire. The session, which will be held on a date to be confirmed at the end of January, has been set up to attract fresh ideas and renewed interest in service delivery. The announcement comes following the county council's decision to take over the coordination of the LINKs (Local Involvement Networks) to help it restructure and gain new momentum befor...http://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/news/press/Pleaforpeopletohelpshapefuture.htm{7743BF9F-E61C-4AD5-93F6-C458D12B9D05}Fri, 05 Feb 2010 11:14:54 GMTBiddulph Household Waste and Recycling Centre (HWRC) has been temporarily closed as a result of the severe weather conditions. Problems with ice have forced Staffordshire County Council to shut the site. Workers have gritted access roads and but despite their efforts the extremely low temperatures are making access to the waste containers impossible. To maintain services to the public Cheadle Recycling Centre has been opened on Wednesdays and Thursdays when it would normally be closed. Residents in the Bi...http://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/news/press/WeatherconditionsforceClosure.htm{94671290-E247-450F-975D-DB2E549F4A8D}Fri, 05 Feb 2010 11:07:46 GMTVisitors to the Shire Hall Gallery in Stafford this month are set to be amazed as they have fun experiencing a world of optical illusions in a new exhibition. Visual Illusions opens to the public tomorrow, Saturday January 9, and explores the concept of impossible art and visual trickery. Visitors will be able to experience how their eyes can deceive their brain - or is it the other way round? They will discover how artists use light, colour and shape and learn about the science of sight. On display will...http://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/news/press/Visualillusions.htm{BE7A9AC5-40A3-4FE0-A63B-A380D562B99D}Fri, 05 Feb 2010 11:05:13 GMTFree taster leisure events are being provided to adult carers across Staffordshire throughout January and February. Staffordshire County Council is putting on the sessions following a successful £100,000 bid to the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills Transformation Fund. Taking place in local venues throughout the county, activities will include local and family history groups, arts and crafts, music, dance, yoga, complimentary therapies, gardening, crafts, IT, hair and beauty and much mo...http://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/news/press/Freeleisureopportunities.htm{6BF55E0F-9F78-403C-8BD7-612FB7CC2D5A}Fri, 05 Feb 2010 10:56:33 GMTResidents are being urged to only contact Staffordshire County Council's highways hotline in an emergency after calls peaked at 300 per hour this week. The huge increase in demand sparked by the prolonged cold snap has left call centre staff struggling to cope. On average, the team deals with around 30 calls per hour but this week the hourly figure was ten times the norm. The highways hotline, 0800 232323, should only be used to alert the team to emergency situations rather than general gritting queries....http://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/news/press/Pleaforemergencycallsonly.htm{A94F6D97-6D94-4C71-8A06-AB0C5B567B3E}Fri, 05 Feb 2010 10:53:16 GMTA free family history session takes place at Biddulph Library this Friday January 8. Between 9am and 1pm, local genealogist Irene Turner will be offering locals the chance to find out more about their ancestors from the year 1911. Irene will be offering census look ups which will offer a snapshot of families and communities shortly before the changes from the First World War. County Councillor Ian Lawson said: "The online census records are a vast resource and provide important information for anyone ...http://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/news/press/LookbackwithBiddulphLibrary.htm{CE9CF31F-1157-475D-996B-EB3EBCA69692}Fri, 05 Feb 2010 10:49:46 GMTPupils and representatives from schools across Staffordshire are celebrating a healthy start to the New Year as they descend on Stafford's County Buildings next week to receive a special award in recognition for their efforts to be healthy. Every school in the Staffordshire local authority area has signed up to Healthy Schools, an exciting national long-term programme that is making a dramatic difference to the health and well being of children and young people. To date, 295 of the county's schools have ...http://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/news/press/healthystarttotheNewYear.htm{028B8E88-6B19-4BDD-B8A7-F9F57528B637}Fri, 05 Feb 2010 10:46:58 GMTStaffordshire County Council's highways gritting teams will be adapting their anti freeze operations from tonight to keep the road network on the move - despite the national shortage of salt supplies. The decision has been made to grit A and B roads only in order to save on valuable salt reserves. Dedicated teams will continue to brave the weather to spread salt by hand in 'critical' places including around hospitals and GP surgeries and in town centres. The move comes after many weeks in which Staffo...http://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/news/press/Staffordshirereactstolowsaltsupplies.htm{65166CD0-B1B7-4002-AFAE-97ABA7C1F9C1}Fri, 05 Feb 2010 10:43:21 GMTResidents backing onto woodland at Pye Green Valley will see specialist conservation management teams start work this month. Conservation specialists will be improving the woodland, heathland and wetland habitats in Pye Green Valley, in the first phase in of the Pye Green link road project. The first phase of the £3 million road will run from the junction of Cannock Road and Belt Road, temporarily ending at a turning point mid-way between Stanley Road and Rose Hill. Improvements to the natural e...http://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/news/press/Nature+schemeatPyeGreenValley.htm{7D84EC87-B0B2-49FF-9B7F-FC09DF81AAA9}Fri, 05 Feb 2010 10:40:17 GMT Motorists in Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent are being urged to drive with extreme care as snow is expected to blanket much of the region today and overnight. Both authorities are gritting the major routes, but the onus is still on motorists to be cautious, particularly on roads that are not gritted. County Councillor Mike Maryon, Staffordshire's cabinet member for highways, said: "Our gritters have been working flat out, but no one has a magic wand that will make the bad weather go away. "Motorists...http://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/news/press/Motoristswarnedtousecaution.htm{51905F3A-496E-46BC-AE25-779FCEE8B8C1}Fri, 05 Feb 2010 10:37:21 GMT Fans of books, music and films can bag a bargain at Biddulph Library from Saturday January 16, when a sale of ex-library stock begins. From 9am a range of stock from libraries across Staffordshire will be on sale, including books, DVDs, and music CDs. There'll be hundreds of items at affordable prices and stocks will be topped up daily. County Councillor Ian Lawson said, "These sales always prove really popular with the local community. This is a great opportunity to pick up a bargain and it's guaran...http://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/news/press/JanuarySaleatBiddulphLibrary.htm{9D23FE4A-89C4-4519-A157-27692D47DF25}Fri, 05 Feb 2010 10:29:47 GMTResidents and businesses in the Stafford area are being invited to join a group which will monitor a new housing project to help people get back on their feet. Eagle House, on the Newport Road in Stafford, will be a 32-bed scheme run on behalf of the Borough Council and Staffordshire County Council. The site has been refurbished and is expected to open in early 2010. The premises will be run by the award winning Midland Heart - the largest housing and regeneration group in the region. In 2006 they we were...http://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/news/press/ResidentsoverseeEagleproject.htm{B14C0652-6785-473C-9FDA-57A3191111D6}Fri, 05 Feb 2010 10:26:11 GMTTrading Standards officers in Staffordshire are supporting a nationwide campaign which aims to help end the scourge of mass marketed scam mailings in the UK. County Councillor Ben Adams, Cabinet Member for Communities and Culture, officially launched Scams Awareness Month in Staffordshire on Wednesday at the Safer Stafford Shop in the town's Guildhall Shopping Centre. 'Scamnesty 2010' will see the county council working in partnership with the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) throughout February to raise aware...http://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/news/scamsawarenessmonth.htm{9D7BD603-4F84-4A90-BEED-9A19A895DDA0}Fri, 05 Feb 2010 10:04:48 GMTWith National Marriage Week just around the corner (7-14 February), latest figures show that registration offices are proving to be the preferred option for couples wanting a civil ceremony in Staffordshire. A civil ceremony can take place at the county register office in Stafford, at one of the seven district registration offices or at one of over 100 venues approved by Staffordshire County Council. These include stately homes and other prestigious buildings, hotels and restaurants. There were 3013 weddi...http://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/news/Registryoffices.htm{F73F1E46-C961-4155-A5E7-7F5698EC624B}Tue, 02 Feb 2010 17:02:02 GMTStaffordshire's social care bosses have added their voices to those raised recently at the potential cost of delivering free personal care at home. It is likely to be one of the key planks of the Government's general election strategy and a Bill was included in the Queen's Speech. A national survey of directors of social services at the weekend suggested providing free care to those most in need would cost £200 a week - double the government's estimate, placing additional burden on local council tax ...http://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/news/socialcarecostsgovernment.htm{ECDB4420-8CAF-43A4-84B8-F41FEC3E098B}Wed, 03 Feb 2010 12:46:38 GMTShugborough is opening its farm for half term week this year in order to help parents who are struggling to find things to do with the kids. A packed programme of activities will take place every day of the school holiday and the farm is open at a specially reduced admission price. The fun includes fabulous farm craft sessions, baking with the costumed characters, gloopy cheese making, hands-on butter-making and train rides (train running from Sat 13 - Fri 19). Lambing is due to start during half term w...http://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/news/Half+term+at+estate.htm{95BC3B13-6CEE-48DC-A908-790C3BB03954}Thu, 04 Feb 2010 12:24:08 GMT Produced by the Staffordshire Hoard Partnership, the newsletter has all the latest on fundraising efforts, events and research into the fantastic Anglo-Saxon treasure. Click here to view the E-newsletter Click here to subscribe to the E-newsletter Click here to donate to the Staffordshire Hoard Fundraising bid http://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/news/Newsletter+keeps+everyone+up-to-date+with+the+Staffordshire+Hoard.htm{472973B2-E918-40EB-B000-E79DC1785035}Tue, 09 Feb 2010 08:59:14 GMTStaffordshire County Council leaders' today gave their stamp of approval to the appointment of a new Chief Executive, Nick Bell. In April Mr Bell will succeed the current Chief Executive Ron Hilton who is retiring. Nick is currently the Deputy Chief Executive of Essex County Council and also acts as their finance director. Philip Atkins said: "We had high expectations of the type of person we wanted to replace Ron Hilton. After a thorough nationwide recruitment search, I am delighted to announce that we...http://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/news/staffordshiregetsnewchiefexec.htm{BB28D919-CC89-4497-AE96-69D68898246A}Fri, 05 Feb 2010 12:05:38 GMT