Cabinet

Stoke-on Trent's longest serving Member of Parliament Mark Fisher is to stand down and will not contest the upcoming election. The veteran Labour MP is the former Minister for the Arts and has served the Constituency of Stoke-on-Trent Central since being elected to Parliament in 1983. Although no official reason has been given for his decision, it is known that he has been in ill health for a while. Mr Fisher recently underwent surgery and is understood to be on the road to recovery.

Parents applying for school places in Staffordshire will have good reason to celebrate today, since 95 per cent of applicants have been allocated their first choice of Staffordshire secondary school and 98 per cent have been allocated one of their top three preferred schools.

Staffordshire County Council is extending the rent freeze for companies at the council’s 13 business centres for another year. Businesses at Lymedale, Silverdale and Newcastle under Lyme, Cannock, Burton, Stafford and Uttoxeter will continue to benefit from the employer friendly measure. The move comes as Staffordshire continues to support the business community through the recession.

Senior politicians in Stoke-on-Trent say Schools Minister Vernon Coaker has given his full support to the Building Schools for the Future programme in the city.   Mr Coaker met council leader Ross Irving and cabinet member Councillor Ian Mitchell along with senior council officers after a fact finding mission including visits to a number of schools in the city yesterday (Thursday).   <

Staffordshire’s social care bosses today added their voices to those raised over the weekend at the potential cost of delivering free personal care at home.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council’s cabinet has today (Wednesday) approved plans to relocate Burslem Library to the Ceramica Annexe.   The library, currently in the Burslem School of Art, is planned to open in the Ceramica Annexe building at the end of March 2010.   Burslem Library has been temporarily housed in the School of Art since moving in October 2008 from the Wedgwood Institute.

Youngsters across Stoke-on-Trent are being invited to try different sports for all the family at James Brindley Sports Centre this month. The Centre, at James Brindley Science College in Chell will be featuring a host of sports throughout at day as part of the city’s “Festival of Sport” which will be officially launched later this year as part of the centenary celebrations for the city’s federation status.

History will be brought to life at Ford Green Hall this weekend with free guided costumed tours. The event, on Sunday January 24, will provide visitors with a look into what life was like for yeoman farmers during the Tudor and Elizabethan periods. The guide through the hall will also demonstrate how each room was used in running the household.