Archive for August, 2013

Conservative Controlled Council Provides More Garages for Rent

Saturday, August 10th, 2013

: the garages site in Richmond Close before the refurbishment

: Cllr Michael Greatorex by one of the newly refurbished garages in Richmond Close

Conservative controlled Tamworth Borough Council have handed back two town centre garage sites to their tenants after a programme of works which saw 33 garages rebuilt or refurbished.

The block of 20 rented garages at Richmond Close has been completely refurbished, while 12 garages at Sunset Close have been totally demolished and rebuilt. The rebuilding programme has also created an extra garage and two disabled parking bays at Sunset Close.

The Richmond Close garages have been fitted with new secure doors, roofing, windows and guttering. The garage area has been resurfaced and new security lighting has been installed. The garages at Richmond Close and Sunset Close were chosen for the first phase of the environmental improvement works in an attempt to create more much-needed residential car parking spaces close to the town centre.

Cllr Michael Greatorex, Cabinet Member for Public Housing and Vulnerable People, said, “I am really pleased that we are able to carry out these works, which have enabled us to increase the supply of high-quality garages for rent close to the town centre. We have had very good feedback from the people who rent these garages, saying they are very happy with the works which have been carried out.”

Residents living near the town centre are now being encouraged to rent one of the garages, to reduce the amount on on-street parking. Bids for garages to rent can be made on the Council’s Finding a Home website by first registering on the waiting list. Available garages are advertised on the site every Wednesday.

The works are part of a number of environmental improvements across the borough, including repaving, provision of bin stores and sheds and repainting at five sheltered schemes, installation of security gates, fencing and lighting in Caledonian and the upgrading of drying areas at Masefield Drive and Thackeray Drive.

Garages at Leisure Walk in Tinkers Green are also currently being demolished and rebuilt. It is hoped that the works will be completed by the end of the school summer holidays. The former garages at Linthouse Walk, Stonehill Walk, Callis Walk and Bakers Walk have already been demolished and the area resurfaced to create additional parking.

All the works which are being carried out under the environmental improvement programme were suggested by residents and the Tenant Consultative Group.

Conservative Controlled Staffordshire Leading on Reducing Offending

Saturday, August 10th, 2013

Staffordshire’s Conservative politicians are delighted that work around early intervention in Staffordshire has been recognised.

The announcement that Staffordshire has been chosen to work with the Early Intervention Foundation (EIF) came this week and was praised by Matthew Ellis, Staffordshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner, and Staffordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing, Cllr Robbie Marshall.

Working with the EIF will help Staffordshire to do even more work with offenders and those at risk of slipping into a life of crime. Evidence shows that the best way of preventing crime and having a positive impact on communities is to stop problems from arising in the first place.

Mr Ellis said, “This is brilliant news for Staffordshire, tackling the root causes of crime rather than the effects is absolutely key and at the centre of my plan for the next five years. Making sure that public services intervene early and stop problems before they happen is not only better for those individuals involved but also the best way of reducing crime and making a positive impact on their communities for the long term.

“The evidence is clear that reducing repeat offending and in some cases ‘breaking the cycle’ which is often generational, really works, not just in short term, but for years to come. It’s great that today that Staffordshire’s work has been recognised and with the extra support from experts more can be done.”

Robbie Marshall, Staffordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing, said, “As a county council we are committed to working with partners to shift focus to early intervention and prevention not just in crime, but in health, education and social care too.

“We are working hard to support families already in difficulties and if we want to reach more families sooner it is important to step in at an early an age as possible to give children the best opportunity to go on to lead healthy, fulfilling and rewarding lives and I am delighted Staffordshire has been chosen as a pilot area.”

Rise in UK Exports Helps Shrink Goods Trade Deficit

Friday, August 9th, 2013

A rise in UK exports have helped shrink the UK goods trade deficit to its smallest amount in almost a year in June, official figures have shown.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said the gap between imports and exports narrowed to £8.1bn in June, down from £8.7bn in May. The ONS also said construction output grew more in the second quarter of the year than it had first estimated. The data rounds off a week of positive economic news.

The trade gap in goods with non-EU countries fell sharply from £4bn in May to £2.6bn in June, well below forecasts of a £3.8bn deficit. UK manufacturers have been urged to trade with countries outside Europe – which have been growing far more quickly in recent years – rather than with those in the eurozone, where growth is much weaker. However, the UK’s single biggest trading partner remains the eurozone.

Although the UK usually imports more goods from other countries than it exports, it normally makes more from services sold abroad than it imports, and taking this into account the overall trade gap, including both goods and services, was £1.55bn, the lowest since January.

Over the three months to June, export volumes grew by 5.9% almost twice as fast as the growth in imports. June exports were worth £26.9bn, taking the total for the three months to the end of June to £78.4bn, a record sum.

Separately, the ONS released data on construction output, showing it rose by 1.4% in the three months to the end of June, up from the previous estimate of 0.9%. Earlier in the week, ONS figures showed that manufacturing output rose in June at the strongest pace since the end of 2010. Other surveys have also pointed to strong growth in the service sector and in retail sales.

UK Manufacturing Sector Surges in June

Tuesday, August 6th, 2013

Manufacturing output surged in June at the strongest pace since the end of 2010, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Manufacturing output rose 1.9% month-on-month in June, following declines in both May and April. This growth came at more than twice the rate expected by analysts.

The latest upbeat news follows a stream of recent economic data that has indicated an improvement in the UK economy.

Retail sales enjoyed their fastest July growth in seven years, according to the British Retail Consortium, as the heat wave boosted sales of swimwear, sandals, sun cream, beer and barbecue foods
UK car sales enjoyed another strong month in July, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, with a total of 162,228 new cars registered in the month, up 12.7% on a year earlier
On Monday, a closely-watched Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) survey indicated that the UK service sector expanded last month at its fastest pace since December 2006
Last week, the PMI survey for the construction sector suggested it was growing at its fastest pace for three years

Overall, industrial production, which covers output from the UK’s factories and mines, rose by 1.1% between May 2013 and June 2013.

The figure was held back by lower oil and gas extraction and a fall in energy output, the ONS said. However, manufacturers reported rises in output across all sectors, with the strongest contribution coming from transport equipment, up 5.3%.

Manufacturing output was up 0.7% between the first and second quarters of 2013 and up 2% from June 2012. The statistics mirrored the recent manufacturing PMI survey by Markit, which indicated that the sector grew at its fastest pace for more than two years in July.

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Archive for August, 2013

Conservative Controlled Council Provides More Garages for Rent

Conservative Controlled Staffordshire Leading on Reducing Offending

Rise in UK Exports Helps Shrink Goods Trade Deficit

UK Manufacturing Sector Surges in June

Discounted Travel and Theme Park Thrills for Staffordshire’s Teenagers

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