JULY 2011 - Stoke-on-Trent City Council

<strong>JULY</strong> <strong>2011</strong> Our City 9£50 voucher upfor grabs inmag surveyTransport to workgives big jobs boostANEW scheme has beenlaunched that is designed tohelp people in <strong>Stoke</strong>-on-Trentovercome transport difficulties theymay encounter when trying to accessemployment opportunities.Home to Work – which is jointly funded bythe city council and the European RegionalDevelopment Fund – offers cost-effectivesupport and advice regarding the besttransport options.The help depends on needs andcircumstances, but will include:● A travel information package – highlyindividualised advice and informationgiving tailored door-to-door travelinformation● Public transport tickets – if appropriate –for example those who apply could beoffered a bus pass.● Car share – the Home to Work team will tryto arrange a scheme, which will allow thoseBUSINESSES located in North Staffordshire’sproposed Enterprise Zone (EZ) will be entitledto a whole raft of incentives, which are aimedat stimulating the economy and job creation.If given the green light, the EZ would bespread over three development sites locally –and companies situated in one of the areaswould benefit from tax breaks, relaxedplanning rules and superfast broadband.The target is to create up to 14,000 jobs in anumber of different sectors by attractingpotential inward investors, offering a range ofready-made sites, all with something unique tooffer. The three EZ areas are based at Etruriausing the service to share the cost oftravelling to work.The aim of providing the support is toencourage people to eventually sort their owntravel arrangements while giving them anysupport needed in the meantime. Differentlevels of support are available depending onspecific needs.Work with employersThe project will also work with employersin the city and across North Staffordshire toencourage sustainable travel among theirworkforce.To be entitled to support from the Home toWork scheme people must:● Live in <strong>Stoke</strong>-on-Trent.● Be applying for a job, have a job or a joboffer in the North Staffordshire area.● Be aged 16 or over.Councillor Adrian Knapper, CabinetMember for Transport and Planning, said:Valley, Hadleigh Business Park, in Blythe Bridge,and Keele Science Park in Newcastle.The proposed EZ covers approximately 150hectares and the majority of the land is readyto build on.Hadleigh Business Park is seen as animportant location for large logisticscompanies, while Keele is ideal for creatingknowledge-based and business service jobs.Maitland Hyslop, Chairman of the LocalEnterprise Partnership (LEP) – which isbusiness-led and supported by the city counciland Staffordshire County Council – said:“Twenty one Enterprise Zones are being set upCabinetmembers CouncillorMark Meredith (EconomicDevelopment) and CouncillorAdrian Knapper (Transportand Planning) with the Hometo Work travel packs whichwill help people travelto their jobs.“The Home to Work team will work closelywith our existing staff to ensure the whole ofthe transport network is available to peoplewho are having difficulty getting to work, ordifficulty getting a job where they would needto travel.“It will hopefully increase accessibility forpeople looking for work who are being limitedby their lack of transport, and help others findalternative, sustainable ways of getting to theircurrent job.”Councillor Mark Meredith, Cabinet Memberfor Economic Development, said: “Givingpeople more ways to get to work, or helpingthem with transport so they can get a new job,is part of the city council’s role in helping localemployers maintain a reliable workforce.“By encouraging people to use differenttypes of sustainable transport, we can open upthe job market to people who are restricted inhow they can get to work.”For more details about Home to Work call01782 235367 or email H2W@stoke.gov.ukEnterprise Zone bid to kick start city economyby the Government as a way of encouragingdevelopment. They will benefit from simplifiedplanning rules, discounted business rates of upto £275,000 over five years and funding forsuperfast broadband.”A total of 29 LEPs are bidding for the secondround of 10 EZs. However, the NorthStaffordshire site has received the support ofthe Prime Minister David Cameron.City council Leader Mohammed Pervez said:“It is our intention to make <strong>Stoke</strong>-on-Trent aworking city again and this kind of majorproject is exactly the kick start the citydesperately needs.”£50 worth of vouchers tospend in the city’s popularmarkets are up for grabs forpeople who help the councilto improve Our City.The magazine, which wasnamed the UK’s Best CouncilPublication in 2008, aims toinclude as many people aspossible in promotingeverything good about<strong>Stoke</strong>-on-Trent and tellingresidents how they canaccess the public servicesthey need.But in a bid to make themagazine even better, andhelp it reflect what the city’speople want to see, Our Citywants readers to answer thefollowing questions:● What do you like bestabout Our City?● Is there anything youdon’t like?● What would you like to seemore of in the magazine?Send your answers by emailto ourcity@stoke.gov.uk, orwrite the answers on apostcard including your nameand contact details and sendto Freepost Our City.All answers will be enteredinto a prize draw and thefirst pulled out of the hat on26 August will receivevouchers to the value of £50to spend in the city’smarkets.Learning aboutother culturesSCHOOLCHILDREN and theirteachers have been exploringthe diverse contributionsrefugees bring to the UK as partof a week-long celebration.Pupils worked with officersfrom the Narrowing the Gapteam within the council’sLearning Services.They raised awarenessabout arts, music, food andculture and the difficultiesfacing asylum seekers.The team also worked withschools to raise awarenessabout Gypsy, Roma andTraveller History Month.Jo Softley of the Narrowingthe Gap Team said:“<strong>Stoke</strong>-on-Trent is a city rich inculture and the team supportschools in raising theachievement of children andyoung people from a range ofreligious, social and culturalbackgrounds.“We have been workingwith schools to raiseawareness of Refugee Weekand Gypsy, Roma and TravellerHistory Month by deliveringworkshops to children andstaff.”