Ross Irving

Stoke-on-Trent City Council has approved its 2010/11 budget at a meeting today. The increase in council tax will be 2.89 per cent and will mean residents of Stoke-on-Trent continue to pay the lowest council tax in Staffordshire. Council tax for Band A homes, which make up 61 per cent of properties in the city, will be £925.87 a year, including the contributions towards the costs of the police and fire service. The increase will be 41p a week for Band A properties.

Community School Action Group Press Statement Following an encouraging meeting with Education Minister, Vernon Coaker yesterday, five members of the Community School Action Group, Margaret Lowe(Chair), Pat Smith (Head of Governors, Mitchell High School), Terry Crowe (Head of Governors, Berry Hill High School), Mick Stone (parent of Mitchell High School) and Graham Lowe (member of the group)) met with Cllr Ross Irving and Cllr Ian Mitchell with a view to trying to resolve their differences over t

Stoke-on-Trent’s contentious and hard fought Building Schools for the Future programme has been given a major boost with the announcement that the project’s Outline Business Case (OBC) has been approved. Confirmation of the approval means government funding is now confirmed in principle for the £250m programme, which will see all secondary and special schools in the city rebuilt or refurbished between 2010 and 2014.

Norsheen Bhatti, the recently selected Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Stoke Central has today launched her campaigning website www.norsheen4stoke.com  The website is also a chance for local people to get in touch with Norsheen to tell her about the issues that affect them and about their experiences of living in Stoke Central.

Well here we are at the start of a new decade. Many people would say that we are at the begining of a new year and a new decade, but we've still got the same old problems. A significant budget deficit, possible council tax rises, and accusations of being an officer led authority. In our latest episode of our 'In Conversation' specials, Council Leader Ross Irving, give us his views on the year past and the year ahead. Click on the video below...

Stoke-on-Trent City Council’s cabinet is to be asked to retender two demolition contracts following an internal review.   A report to the cabinet meeting of 23 December recommends retendering the contracts for the demolition of Westcliffe Hospital and Hamilton House.   It also recommends that a full review is carried out into the council’s procurement procedures and that appropria

Council Leader Ross Irving gives his reaction and thoughts on the £45 million of proposed budget cuts. The Medium Term Financial Strategy was released last week. Each council department has highlighted possible cuts. These cuts are set to be implemented over the next three years. Please watch the video below.