Warning Bogus Traders
Residents living in North Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent need to be on their guard and beware of rogue traders who are offering checks on homes for frozen pipes.
Vulnerable people are being visited by criminals claiming to be from a water company. Once they have gained access into the house the owner is distracted in the kitchen or bathroom while the burglars make away with valuables.
The warning comes as water companies in the UK publish details that they are taking a record number of calls for maintenance - three to four times more than the winter average. Frozen pipes and leaks are the main complaints after a sustained period of cold weather.
Just last week, there were three distraction burglaries in the Longton area. One of which was in Sandford Hill at the home of an 85 year old female where three men claimed to be from the water-board.
Councillor Adrian Knapper advice is that all residents living in the local area need to be more vigilant and always ask for ID when someone calls at your door, if you not expecting any one, ask them to leave.
If you need repairs or checks carried out to any utilities Service to you home contact your supplier direct to make an appointment for a service engineer to call
You can also contact the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Trader Register on 01785 330888 for a list of traders local to you. This scheme is run jointly by Staffordshire Trading Standards and Stoke-on-Trent Trading Standards, and all traders on the scheme have signed up to a code of practice which demonstrates a commitment to trade fairly.
If you have any doubts about the credentials of a trader knocking on their door, write down as many details as you can, including the registration number on the vehicle, and report them to their local trading standards service or the police.
Let's Save
Finney Gardens Pets Corner/City Farm.
Within their Budget Plans for 2010/11 the Conservatives/Independant Lib/Dems who now run Stoke-on-Trent City Council want to close Finney Gardens Pets Corner/City Farm. With plans to move it to Parkhall or transfer it to a Trust.
Councillor Adrian Knapper is fighting to stop the closure and ask that you sign the online petition below.
The aim of the petition is to ask the current administration that runs s Stoke-on-Trent City Council to Keep open this much loved public attraction at it's current location in Bucknall and invest money into it, in order to improve it.
Please fill out your details and support the fight to save Finney Gardens.
or sign the on-line pettition at
By giving your name, address, phone number + email you are agreeing under the data protection act for the information to be stored and for you to receive communications via letter, email or SMS from the Labour Party. under the data protection act if you do not want your information stored please state this in the message box above. Printed,Promoted & Published by Adrian Knapper 11 PES CW5 5NR.
1st Jan 2010
Better Local Governance with Power to the People
Recommendations to reduce the number of Councillors upon Stoke-on-Trent City Council to 45 members will result in increased demands on time. The role of an elected member is to balance the role within the community and role of work at the Civic Centre.
The fourteen recommendations from the governance report include the need for devolved governance and more local engagement.
Since the City Council became a Unitary Authority, there as been a lack of understanding that the role of being an elected member at this level of local government is about giving clear strategic direction.
It’s my belief that this is down to the fact that Stoke-on-Trent has the missing link of Parish/Town Councils that with devolved (ward) budgets and local neighbourhood management teams can address the needs of local communities. There is a need for a lower tier of governance arrangements that address local issues and problems, at present local concerns are addressed via AIT/DDG but its clear that their is a need to review these arrangements with some element of an elected role/position to neighbourhood boards.
Parish/Town/Neighbourhood Councillors (unpaid) working in partnership with other agencies and neighbourhood management teams could then deal with local issues such as fly tipping, cleansing of community streets, maintaining public space and other local devolved solutions.
This will then allow elected City Councillors to be more engage in moving forward such issues as Regeneration, Education and more strategic issues needed to progress the City forward.
The problem is that last City Council meeting demonstrated the breakdown of politics and that more work needs to be done to rebuild confidence that in future years an improved system of governance arrangements are in place for Stoke-on-Trent.
My own private view is that this can only be achieved by the development of two tier governance arrangements of Community Neighbourhood Boards and a Strategic City Council.
Let’s debate does Stoke-on-Trent need Parish/Town Councils (local neighbourhood boards)
15th Jan 2010
WARD SURVEY Councillor Adrian Knapper Asks? What are your Views and Concerns?
Question of Cabinet asked by Councillor Knapper.
The Children & Young People’s Overview & Scrutiny Committee – recommendation in response to the call-in is to merge Berryhill with Mitchell and build a new School in the Bucknall area at the Mitchell site.
Rather than delay the submission of the BSF bid and to ensure that funding is drawn down in order that the process to start building new schools in the City is commenced prior to the general election next year.
Will the Cabinet Member for CYP now undertake a review of the BSF proposal to be submitted to the Government and include a statement within this document that outlines the potential to include the site at Mitchell High School as an option to the location for a new school rather than the Parkhall or Springfield site’s?
That consideration within the proposal is allowed that give flexibility to further examine the merger of Berryhill & Mitchell at the preferred Mitchell Site. With flexibility that Ensor High is then merged with St. Peter’s to form a new faith school to serve the Fenton/Longton community based at Fenton Manor?
Can the leader of the City Council ensure the Minister for Schools is made aware of the above, when any submission of documents around the BSF plans is submitted to Government?
12th August 2009
Cricket match to unite City Waterside
Regeneration officers and residents are to go head to head in a celebratory cricket match in the city.
Officials from Renew, the partnership delivering new housing in the city, will be bringing the community together in a game of twenty20 cricket at Meakins cricket Club, in Hanley.
Renew regeneration officers will play against residents and business people from City Waterside at 5.30pm on Thursday 13 August.
Local Ward Councillor Adrian Knapper said "The aim of the game is to bring people together."
"Allowing officers from the regeneration partnership to build a better relationship with the local community."
The cricket match is part of a series of celebratory events in City Waterside -
Fight to save Post Office Workers JOBS
Labour & Co-operative Party Councillor Adrian Knapper has raised concerns about the Post Office plans to close its cash transport depot in the heart of Stoke-on-Trent with the loss of 15 jobs.
In a cost cutting exercise work will be transferred to Birmingham, Sheffield and Chester with only 7 jobs being retained. Under the plan staff will have the option to transfer, but in real terms the Post Office plan means that most of the staff will be made redundant.
Councillor Knapper Said “The Post Office needs to consider its obligations to its staff of keeping employment local within the City of Stoke-on-Trent.”
“In the current economic climate the City can not lose any employment that provides a reasonable level of security.”
Post Office staff will be highlighting their concerns by a protest outside their depot on early hours of Thursday morning at 6am, prior to the start of their shift.
Kevin Clarke Communications Workers Union Rep said “Our members want the right to earn an income in this City.”
“We are hard working people, who have dedicated our lives to working for the Post Office.”
The Staff at the depot are highly concerned that the plans will place many of them on the scrap heap, when many of them have families and mortgages.
Councillor Knapper added “The Labour Party within Stoke-on-Trent fully support the staff and their campaign to protect these jobs for the City.”
4th August 2009
Have your say on what your council looks like
The independent Boundary Committee for England has begun the first round of public consultation on the electoral arrangements for Stoke-on-Trent City Council.
The review, which is aimed at deciding the right number of councillors to sit on the council and the number, boundaries and names of the electoral wards, includes three rounds of public consultation. This first period starts today and lasts for six weeks, ending on 14 September 2009.
At this stage, the Committee is consulting locally to help it decide how many councillors the council should have. Later in the year, it will ask for views on what areas those councillors should represent.
Anyone wishing to submit their views at this stage should let the Committee know what they think might be the most appropriate number of councillors for their council and why. The Committee needs as much clear and well-argued evidence as possible in order to reach conclusions.
Max Caller, Chair of the Boundary Committee, said: “We want to make sure that the electoral arrangements for the council work best for all of Stoke’s residents. In order to make a decision on council size, the Committee will need to look at the evolving role of councillors in the council, the political management structure of the authority, and the way in which the council plans to engage with and empower local communities. “
Further information on electoral reviews and guidance on what sort of information the Committee is looking for should be available at local authorities and in your local library. Alternatively, visit the Boundary Committee website at
www.boundarycommittee.org.uk and click on ‘about electoral reviews’.
The review is likely to conclude in autumn 2010 when the Boundary Committee makes its final recommendations.
To have your say, please write to:
The Review Officer (Stoke-on-Trent)
The Boundary Committee for England
Trevelyan House
30 Great Peter Street
London
SW1P 2HW
Or email reviews@boundarycommittee.org.uk
Kier Stoke completes work on new animal houses at City Farm, Bucknall Park.
The animals at City Farm at Bucknall Park have two new homes thanks to work done by Kier Stoke.
The two new buildings will house some of the farm’s goats and ferrets, as well as a new aviary. Each of the new animal houses will have Perspex panels built in so visitors can see inside.
Two apprentices from Kier Stoke, Ashley Timmis and Gareth Jones, spent two weeks working on the new buildings.
Ashley said: “It is good to see Kier helping out the local community, and I was happy to be part of the project.”
Gareth added: “The public will enjoy this for many years to come.”
Local Ward Councillor Adrian Knapper said “I like to thank both of these young people and kier for providing new homes for the animals.”
“This type of work demonstrates the importance of encouraging the next generation learning new skills, while making a positive outcome for the community.”
1st August 2009
New Base for Sid's the Barber's.
Councillor Adrian Knapper has welcomed the news that the long established family barbers Sid’s Hairdressing has found a new business base within the Berryhill & Hanley East Ward.
The business is due to move into the vacant Bottleslow Arms pub in Leek Road due to the fact that their current shop is due to be bulldozed as part of the City Waterside redevelopment.
The new shop will be next to the Co-op on a busy main road and within walking distance of the barber’s former base, with the hope that many customers will remain loyal to the business.
Adrian Knapper says “It’s important that small businesses become an integral part of the regeneration, every community needs this type of business to make it a good neighborhood in which to live.”
1st August 2009
Build a new community school in Bucknall.
March to build a new school in Bucknall
Councillor Adrian Knapper will be waving off a protest march on Sunday 12th July 2009 that is being organised by residents of Bucknall, Bentilee, Berryhill, Townsend and Eaton Park who aim to highlight their concerns over the City councils plans to build a new School to replace Mitchell High outside of the local community at the outer edge of the area at Parkhall or at Springfield's off Anchor Road that is even further away.
Councillor Knapper said "Residents want a new secondary school to be located within the community at Bucknall."
"During my time on the EMB, I have always been on record that the Parkhall was the wrong site and I am still concerned that revised plans been presented to the public by SERCO, will result in no community secondary school to be located that serves the neighbourhoods around Bucknall and the regeneration area of City Waterside."
"The plans will result in a doughnut effect of children within the central part of Stoke-on-Trent having to travel outwards to remote areas to gain an education and their will be no provision of outer school activities within the local area."
The march will start at 1pm from the Parkhall Golf Course, Hulme Lane and will progress down Dividy Road and end outside the Mitchell School, it will be joined by many concerned residents of the area and its hope that Mark Fisher MP will be able in attendance.
The aim of the march is to highlight that local residents want a new community school to replace Berryhill High and Mitchell High upon the Mitchell Site that is within the heart of the community.
Now that Trentham High has won its right to remain open, the executive of the City Council needs to get on and build new schools especially at James Brindley. But action needs to take place to ensure investment is given to Trentham and that a solution is brought forward around Ensor/Blurton and Mitchell/Berryhill to delivery new community schools.
12th July 2009
Fight to save postal jobs in Stoke
Royal Mail is saved from privatisation but the fight to save the loss of distribution jobs at Stoke Mail Centre continues
Lord Mandelson confirmed today in the House of Lords that there is "no prospect" of the Government continuing with its Postal Services Bill.
Adrian Knapper said "Royal Mail has been saved from the Government plans to part-privatisation plans and will remain a service that provides a universal service, due to fight by the communication workers union to protect it within public ownership"
"Being a CWU trade union member, I have backed this campaign from the very start and congratulate the union for putting up a strong fight."
With Royal Mail having plans locally to reduce the number of jobs at its distribution depot at Leek Road and staff being balloted by the union to take industrial action, the fight now is to save local postal jobs within the city of Stoke-on-Trent.
Councillor Knapper, deputy leader of the Labour Party added "Its highly important that senior executive managers at Royal Mail understand the principle of providing a public service is to ensure that the postal service recognise its social obligation to provide local jobs for local people."
"I fully support any action that the postal union takes to save reasonable paid employment within the city."
Fight to help Dyslexia Service at Stoke-on-Trent College.
Berryhill & Hanley East Ward Councillor Adrian Knapper is highly concerned that Stoke-on-Trent College is to make staff redundant that assist and teach young people with Dyslexia.
In the week that the government announced (in response to Jim Rose's review) that they are going to invest in specialist dyslexia teachers in every school, it is somewhat ironic that Stoke-on-Trent College, one of the largest colleges in the country, is confirming proposals to make its small team of qualified specialist dyslexia tutors redundant.
Councillor Knapper said "It's important that everyone is given opportunities in life and I believe strongly in lifelong learning."
"Unless alternative provision is provided, the removal of this team will result in young people not getting the dedicated help with their studies and result in lower levels of achievement."
"I would prefer the college to continue to provide extra help to pupils."
The removal of this service by Stoke-on-Trent College amounts to this education establishment taking a retrograde step at a time when the government is taking positive action to help dyslexic pupils,
Museum Tops the Poll.
Wedgwood Museum moves to winning ways.
Adrian Knapper the deputy leader of the Labour group and the official opposition upon Stoke-on-Trent City Council firmly congratulates the Wedgwood Museum upon winning the public vote to find the best Museum in Britain.
The Art Fund Prize, worth £100,000, is awarded to the most imaginative and original museum or gallery and is the largest single arts prize in the UK.
For the first time, the public were asked to vote for who they would like to win and the winner of the People's Choice poll will get an extra vote at the final judges' meeting.
This means that the Wedgwood Museum is now in an excellent position to be crowned best museum when the winner is announced on 18 June 2009.
The results were as follows:
Wedgwood Museum, Stoke-on-Trent 43.8%
The Centre of New Enlightenment, Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, Glasgow 41.6%
Orleans House Gallery, Twickenham 8%
Ruthin Craft Centre, Denbighshire, Wales 6.5%
Councillor Knapper said " Our Museum at Wedgwood is a firm part of the heritage of Stoke-on-Trent, If successful in winning this prize, this will help to ensure the museum is kept to be the best within the UK."
New Vision to Regenerate Area and Save the Coachmakers Arms.
Come View the Plans and have your say to Save the Coachmakers Arms.
Labour & Co-operative Party City Councillor Adrian Knapper, welcomes the news that the people of the potteries will have an opportunity to view details of the plans for the redevelopment of land off Lichfield Street at a public display that will take places from 1pm to 5pm on Thursday 18 June at the City Waterside Community Centre, Dresden Street and then at the Emma Bridgewater Factory, from 3pm to 8pm on Friday 19 June, and 10am to 1pm on Saturday 20 June.
Members of the public will be able to see a clear vision of regeneration plans for the area, these include a new ‘boulevard' style walkways, a wide choice of new homes, and a ‘state of the art' new pottery for Emma Bridgewater.
The aim of the scheme is to marry the tradition of creative pottery industry to heart of a modern City Centre that holds opportunity for all the people of the potteries.
Councillor Adrian Knapper said "That in times of this difficult downturn within the economy, Stoke-on-Trent is being transformed and changed by multi-million pound investment that will help provide a secure new factory for Emma Bridgewater, plus convert parts of the old factory into studio workshops that will provide employment opportunities for small businesses."
The development will encompass Cafes, restaurants and small shops with the opportunity for a new pub to be built by the canal-side.
Adrian Knapper the Deputy Leader of the Labour Group, the official opposition upon Stoke-on-Trent City Council points out that this is a real opportunity for the City Council to use its regeneration plans to save part of the heritage of the potteries by re-building the Coachmakers Arms at this location.
In other Cities like Manchester, important building such as this pub have been moved and rebuilt, so why? Not save this pub by rebuilding this traditional real ale drinking establishment to form part of this development.