Margaret Jones

Spate of fly-tipping over Easter –
Call for witnesses after 50 reports of fly-tipping across Lichfield District since the beginning of April.

From sheets of asbestos and unwanted fridges, to an old mattress and builder’s rubble, Lichfield District Council is continuing to clear up after a rise in rubbish being dumped across the district.

Ben Percival, Head of Operational Services, said: “Our team is struggling to cope with the sheer number of fly-tipping incidents, which seem to get worse around bank holidays.

“Everyone can help us keep the district free of fly-tipping by making sure they only use properly licensed companies to dispose of waste on their behalf.

“So, when employing a gardener, tree surgeon, builder or house clearance company, it’s important to check they have a waste carrier licence, which means they can legally remove your waste. If they cannot produce this paperwork, please don’t use them.

“We’re also calling on anyone who may have seen the culprits in the act of fly-tipping to report it to us to help us with our investigations.

“The cost of removing fly-tipping is funded by Lichfield District residents, and the more spent on clearing up this type of environmental crime the less can be spent on other services that benefit the district.”

Useful information needed includes the date, time, location and type of waste being dumped, vehicle details, a description of the people involved, as well as any photographic or video evidence of the offence taking place.

To report fly-tipping or information about a recent fly-tipping offence go to www.lichfielddc.gov.uk/report or call 01543 308999.

Library reopens info

Lichfield District Homes will promote social housing vacancies across Lichfield District

Lichfield District Council has launched Lichfield District Homes, a new choice-based lettings system for advertising local social housing. The service is now accepting applications from residents wanting to be considered for social housing.

Lichfield District Homes will advertise the majority of social housing vacancies across Lichfield District from registered housing providers and replaces the Homes Direct service which closed on 31 March.

The first opportunity to express an interest in properties through Lichfield District Homes is from Wednesday 7 April until Sunday 11 April.

Anyone wanting to be considered for social housing in Lichfield District should register their interest with Lichfield District Homes at – https://lichfielddistricthomes.housingjigsaw.co.uk/

Available properties will be advertised on a weekly basis on the Lichfield District Homes website. Applicants that have been assessed as eligible to join the scheme will be able to place a bid on the available properties they wish to be considered for.

Gareth Davies, Head of Regulatory Services, Housing and Wellbeing, said: “Launching Lichfield District Homes means that we are able to continue supporting customer choice by allowing people to see what different types of property become available. Having the majority of social housing advertised in one place also provides us with valuable information on the demand for social housing across the district”.

Changes have also been made to how the council will allocate social housing to prioritise applicants in the greatest level of housing need and make the best use of the homes available. These changes were agreed by Lichfield District Council’s Cabinet last November.

Voters urged to register in time to have their say in May

On Thursday 6 May 2021 residents in Lichfield District will have their say on who represents them on Staffordshire County Council and who the next Police, Fire & Crime Commissioner for Staffordshire will be. Some areas will also vote in by-elections and a neighbourhood planning referendum.

To vote in these important elections, residents must be on the electoral register. With the deadline to register to vote fast approaching, Lichfield District Council is urging people who have not registered at their current address to make sure they are registered in time.

The deadline to register to vote is midnight on Monday 19 April. It takes just five minutes to apply online at www.gov.uk/registertovote.

This year residents in Lichfield District will be voting in a range of elections, including:

• County councillors, who represent their local area and residents, and contribute to the development of county-wide policies in areas such as transport, social care and education.
• The Police, Fire & Crime Commissioner for Staffordshire, who is responsible for policing and the fire and rescue service.

Diane Tilley, Electoral Registration Officer for Lichfield District, said: “Time is running out to make sure you can take part in these elections. They are an opportunity to make your voice heard and have a say on who represents you on issues that directly affect day-to-day life here in Lichfield District. If you’re not registered by 19 April, you won’t be able to vote.

“If you have recently turned 18 or moved home, it is particularly important that you act now to ensure you are registered. However, if you were registered to vote in the last election and your details have not changed, you don’t need to take any action.”

Voters from across the district are also being urged to check and keep hold of their poll card ahead of the 6 May elections, as the locations of a number of polling stations have changed. This is because, in line with government guidance, the council is trying to avoid using local schools.

Voters have a range of options for casting their ballot: in person, by post or by appointing someone they trust to vote in their place, known as a proxy vote.

The deadline to apply for a postal vote is 5pm on 20 April, and for a proxy vote the deadline is 5pm on 27 April. To find out how to apply for a postal or proxy vote, visit www.lichfielddc.gov.uk/elections.

For those who choose to vote in person, polling stations will be Covid-secure places to vote. This will include social distancing, the wearing of face coverings, hand sanitiser and the request for voters to bring their own pen or pencil.

Lichfield District Council is offering business start-up grants of £3,000 to local residents who have been made redundant or are out of work, and planning to start a business over the next year.

In total the council has set aside £200,000 from the Additional Restrictions Grant funding it received from the Government, to invest in new local businesses.

The grants, which will not need to be match-funded, can be spent on:

• Business equipment, excluding laptops, mobile phones and tablets
• Marketing
• Professional qualifications or training

To be considered for support, prospective applicants must first go on a start-up masterclass workshop provided by Enterprise for Success before applying for a grant. This two-day interactive session will be a useful way to get expert advice to help create a sound business plan.

Councillor Liz Little, Cabinet Member responsible for Economic Development, said: “On top of helping businesses to come out the other side of lockdown, we also want to invest in local people who are out of work, and help them realise their dreams of building a business.

“This is why we are launching a business start-up grant scheme, which aims to give local entrepreneurs the boost and skills they need to start a new venture.

“We are looking forward to receiving funding applications, and to seeing more businesses established across the district, while helping more people into employment.”

The four applications rounds are:

• 28 May 2021
• 27 August 2021
• 26 November 2021
• 28 January 2022

The scheme will run until January 2022, or when all the funding has been allocated.

For the criteria and to find out how to apply, visit www.lichfielddc.gov.uk/startupgrants.

Loneliness can affect anyone at any point in their lives and can have an impact on our health, wellbeing, productivity and self-esteem. In Staffordshire, there has been an increase in people reporting feeling concerned about not seeing wider family and friends and the effects of loneliness and isolation, since the beginning of the Coronavirus pandemic.

Although the issue of loneliness has certainly been highlighted over the past year, it will continue to be an issue for many beyond the restrictions.

Beating loneliness

Tip #1: Just acknowledging that fact to your friends, family, GP or health professional can start to take the weight off the feeling. This could be face-to-face, a call, text, email or letter – however you feel most comfortable communicating.

Tip #2: Becoming a volunteer can provide so many opportunities – you’ll learn new skills, meet new people, build your confidence and self-esteem and ultimately be helping those in need. Search for opportunities on the Do It Staffordshire website.

Tip #3: Try connecting with someone you haven’t spoken to for a while or someone you’ve lost touch with. A phone call, FaceTime or letter can really help to brighten your day. It might then become a more regular catch up and something to look forward to.

Tip #4: There are lots of positive online communities, where you can make new friends, get inspired and chat about things you care about. You could try searching for groups involved in causes, music, games, hobbies or TV shows you are passionate about.

Tip #5: Online courses can be a great way to meet people, learn new skills and develop interests – all in the comfort of your own home. Staffordshire Community Learning offers a wide range of courses to suit everyone – from arts and crafts, languages and creative writing to belly dancing and computing. Find out more about Staffordshire Community Learning.

For more tips you can visit the Doing Our Bit website.

Organisations in your local area

Across Staffordshire there are many organisations that offer services to help you to deal with loneliness from telephone befriending, interest and hobby groups, online social events, online courses and much more. You can visit the Staffordshire Connects website to search for an organisation that’s right for you or take a look at the Doing Our Bit website for some organisations that we have handpicked for you.

Other resources

• What is loneliness?
• What impact does loneliness have?
• How can I help somebody that is lonely?

Businesses with one to four employees can benefit from 12 months’ free business support to guide them through the pandemic recovery thanks to a partnership between county, borough and district councils which is a UK first.

Essential advice and guidance on areas such legal and tax issues, employment legislation, health and safety advice, cyber protection and insurance is available through a free 12-month membership package with the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB). Staffordshire County Council is pooling its resources with each district and borough council to offer the membership places.

It is the first arrangement of its kind nationally for the FSB – where county, district and borough councils have worked together to offer its expert support. The membership offer adds to the package of support available by councils, central government and partner organisations in response to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Businesses must not be a current FSB member and the memberships will be awarded on a first-come-first-served basis for eligible applicants. Successful applicants will have all the benefits of full membership straight away.

Tamworth Borough Council and Lichfield District Council launched a joint membership scheme with the FSB last year and this additional county council funding will support its continuation and benefit more businesses.

Applicants will need to contact their district or borough council in the first instance. Information about this and a wide range of other targeted support programmes can be found by contacting the Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Growth Hub at www.stokestaffsgrowthhub.co.uk

Councillor Liz Little, Cabinet Member responsible for Economic Development, said: “Support for small businesses will play a vital role in the economic recovery from the pandemic. We have worked closely with the Federation for small Businesses for some time and I am really pleased that this new and unique partnership will allow us to extend the range of advice and support we have available.

“We know that the past 12 months have been exceptionally difficult and I would encourage any small business to get in touch to see what help we can provide.”

Staffordshire County Council’s deputy leader and cabinet member for economy and skills Philip White said: “Micro businesses have been greatly impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic though many have shown incredible resilience through this period.

“By providing free expert advice on a wide range of business-related issues, from marketing to legal and finance, we can remove an additional burden and allow them to concentrate on their operations.

“This is a pioneering scheme in terms of the FSB working jointly with county, district and borough councils on a single programme. We’re pleased to be able to direct our businesses to industry advice that could make a critical difference as our economy recovers and that as a county, we have led the way with this initiative.

“Putting the right targeted support in place is most effective when organisations work together – serving our businesses and communities in the best way we can.”

Karen Woolley, Development Manager for FSB for Staffordshire and the West Midlands, said:

“FSB is proud to be partnering with Staffordshire County Council and Lichfield District Council on this crucial initiative to get robust, on-the-ground and immediate business support to local small businesses to help them not only survive this crises, but to go on to revive and then thrive.  Both Staffordshire County Council and Lichfield District Council have always had a real passion for identifying businesses in need of support, and this initiative will be pivotal to ensuring this aim is met.  FSB membership provides vital support including 24/7 legal advice and a legal hub containing a wealth of fact sheets and documents which are oven-ready for use, a funding platform, medical care helpline, free debt recovery and cyber protection to name but a few of the benefits which our members are relying on most at this difficult time. We look forward to supporting more businesses across Staffordshire to weather this crisis.”

More information on the full suite of benefits offered to FSB members can be found at: www.fsb.org.uk/join-us/membership.html

Library Order and Collect Service

New services:

Telephone Reading Friends. Staffordshire Library and Arts Service have been working alongside The Reading Agency to launch a Telephone Reading Friends service for members of our Staffordshire community who are finding it difficult to visit a library. Telephone Reading Friends offers a series of four chats, once a week, on the theme of books and reading and is very flexible to account for all tastes and flavours! Telephone Reading Friends – Staffordshire County Council

Telephone IT Support. If you need some basic IT support a telephone call from one of our staff, volunteers or one of our partners in adult community learning might be able to help you out. Telephone IT support – Staffordshire County Council

Library buildings:

Currently libraries are offering a doorstep service whereby library members can either order books in advance using our “order and collect” service or they can ask for a selection of books in a “grab and go” bag. It is also possible to book a one hour session on a computer at Tamworth Library – this should be booked in advance.

Book selections can be ordered by contacting the library or by visiting the Staffordshire Libraries website: Order and collect library service – Staffordshire County Council

It is possible to join the library online: Self Registration – Staffordshire County Council

Up to date information on Staffordshire Libraries during Covid is available here: COVID-19 restrictions and what it means for libraries – Staffordshire County Council

Currently Tamworth Library is open 10am-4pm on weekdays and 9am-1pm on Saturdays.

Online services:

An online library service is being offered from the Staffordshire Libraries Facebook page, offering storytimes, craft activities, information, groups and much more.

Staffordshire Libraries | Facebook

Library members can borrow e-books, audio books and magazines by downloading an app. eLibrary – Staffordshire County Council

Please click on the link for information

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