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SEN-eO1-S2 [P] THE SENTINEL Wednesday April 25, 2012 3 THE SENTINEL Tuesday April 17, 2012 7 NEWS In brief Drink and drug addicts to get ‘buddies’ help Funeral held for ‘Mr Cobridge’ Do you remember the Queen’s royal visits? Share your stories with us for the Diamond Jubilee... Email featuresdesk@thesentinel .co.uk, including your contact details Plus: Your special Jubilee pullout in The Sentinel on May 29 BY ALEX CAMPBELL Finance officer’s challenge for title wins few votes Leader holds on to top spot at council What do you think about the challenge to Mohammed Pervez’s leadership? RIVAL: Mohammed Pervez. NEWS In brief NEWCASTLE: Andrew Fonad has appeared in court to admit offences of disqualified driving, driving with no insurance and possession of cannabis at Newcastle on March 23 North Staffordshire magistrates yesterday heard the 26-year-old had been handed a nine-month prison sentence suspended for two years at crown court for cultivating cannabis. Magistrates decided the new matters should go before a judge. The defendant, of Shrewsbury Drive, Newcastle, had his case committed to Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court where he will appear on a date to be fixed. BENTILEE: Drink-driver Jerzy Bielecki was banned from the road for 25 months by magistrates. The defendant, a Polish national, aged 56, of Calvary Crescent, Bentilee, was nearly three times over the limit on April 9. Bielecki pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol and failing to stop after a road accident. He gave a reading of 98mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath against a legal limit of 35mg. He was also fined £550 with £85 costs and a £15 victim surcharge. HANLEY: The North Staffordshire branch of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) will stage a Workers’ Memorial Day as part of a national day of action this Saturday. The event will take place at the Workers’ Memorial Tree outside the Potteries Museum, in Bethesda Street, Hanley, from 11.45am. There will be a minute’s silence at noon followed by speeches. BARTHOMLEY: Both lanes of the A500 were closed following a collision between a lorry and a van last night. The crash happened between junction 16 of the M6 and the A5020 Old Park Road shortly before 7pm. It was not clear if anyone was injured when The Sentinel went to print. Police staff targeted to boost PCSOs POLICE civilian staff could be asked to sign up as PCSOs to boost numbers. Staffordshire Police have frozen recruitment as part of their budget cuts but could look to recruit PCSOs internally as more have left the force than expected. The number of PCSOs has fallen to 209, which is 20 less than budgeted, because replacements have not been recruited for those leaving their posts. Training for PCSOs has to be delivered to groups of at least eight to be practically effective and cost efficient. It means the force, which is saving almost £40 million over four years, is likely to wait until numbers fall even further before attempting to sign up civilian staff. The number of police officers employed by the force is also falling because of forced retire- ments and the recruitment freeze. It currently has 1,951 officers, a reduction of 268 since October 2009. £300k bid to open up parks to disabled MORE than £400,000 could be spent on a pioneering project to help more disabled residents enjoy the city’s green spots. Stoke-on-Trent City Council has finalised a bid for £300,000 in Big Lottery Funding to kick-start the scheme, which would be among the first of its kind in the country. If successful, the £300,000 funding would be topped up with up to £60,000 from NHS Stoke-on-Trent and £40,000 from the council’s own disability access budget. Ideas so far include: Specialist cycle hire facilities with both standard equipment and bikes for disabled people; Guided walks around parks and beauty spots for disabled visitors; Specially-designed nature trails, adapted for disabled visitors and people with learning disabilities. A report to cabinet members, who are due to approve the bid on Thursday, states: “Stoke-on-Trent’s informally laid-out green spaces are not well used by people with disabilities. “Disabled people tend to be overweight and may be more prone to weight-related illness such as diabetes, heart disease as well as poor emotional well-being.” BEDS FIGHT: Our story from Monday. Mental health under spotlight A SHAKE-UP of mental health community services leading to the closure of dozens of beds will go under the spotlight tomorrow. Combined Healthcare trust wants to shut all beds in North Staffordshire’s three mental health resource centres. They are Bennett in Shelton, Ashcombe in Cheddleton and Lymebrook in Bradwell. The plans also include the complete closure of Bennett although day services will remain at the other two locations. Elderly care day hospitals at Hazlehurst House, Hartshill, and either Weaver House, Cheadle, or Newcastle’s Maple House will go. A public meeting to discuss the plans will be held in the Oak Room at Bucknall Hospital at 10am. Directors will decide whether the cash- saving programme is ready to go out for 12 weeks of public consultation from May 8. ‘Members will miss me more than I will miss them’ Finance chief fires parting shot in council resignation BY ALEX CAMPBELL [email protected] SACKED city council finance chief Sarah Hill has resigned as a councillor after being stripped of her cabinet posi- tion. Mrs Hill quit the Labour group and city council after The Sentinel revealed she and councillor Debra Gratton had lost their cabinet roles though Mrs Gratton says this is because she decided not to apply for a cabinet position. Mrs Hill mounted a leader- ship challenge to Mohammed Pervez at the first part of the Labour group’s AGM last week, and was promptly relieved of her cabinet duties at a private group meeting on Monday. Mrs Hill did not attend the meeting and tendered her resignation yesterday, stating she would not consider serving as an independent or for any other party. It means the council will hold a by-election in Spring- fields and Trent Vale to elect a replacement. Aiming a parting shot at the leadership, Mrs Hill criticised Mr Pervez for maintaining a full-time job as well as the £44,000-a-year leader’s role. She also blasted the Labour group’s policy of ask- ing press officers to speak for cabinet members on non-polit- ical issues. Mrs Hill said: “I had just had enough. I was never going to be able to work with Mohammed Pervez and felt if I was on the back benches I would be poison and it better that I leave. “I always felt we should have a full-time leader and I had issues with the way we com- municate with the press. I think I’m good at telling it as it is, whether it’s good or bad. “Colleagues have said ‘what did you expect’ and I under- stand what Pervez did, but he didn’t have to do it. Maybe a stronger leader would have managed it differently. “I do disagree with things, I do have other viewpoints and I do challenge things. “The cabinet does need that and I think they will miss me more than I will miss them.” Mrs Hill’s son Matthew, aged 31, died last year after taking party drug M-Cat. She said the responsibility of balancing the council’s books through £35.6 million budget cuts has helped her cope with her loss. She said: “It has kept me sane; it kept me so busy I didn’t have chance to think about things. “Everybody goes into polit- ics to make a difference and I didn’t think I was doing that. “I will look for other ways to do that. I don’t want to work 60 hours a week anymore.” Mrs Hill, a former social worker, rose to become Stoke- on-Trent City Council’s assist- ant director of social services before leaving to work as a lecturer in 2006. She served as the Labour group’s chairman in Stoke-on- Trent before being elected in 2010, and held key cabinet pos- itions overseeing service trans- formation and, later, finance. Mr Pervez said last night: “The Labour Group is a tal- ented and united team of people who care passionately about our city and will con- tinue to deliver the progress we have already started. “I would like to thank Sarah Hill for her contribution to the council over the last two years.” What do you think? Email us at [email protected] Mike Wolfe: Page 10 4 THE SENTINEL Monday April 23, 2012 WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY Sun and moon Outlook Weather The region tonight The region tomorrow Yesterday’s weather 0905 168 0601 0905 168 0604 NEWS National Lottery NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL NEWS Coalition split on Lords Park campaign hailed success £1.4m refurb at swimming pool NHS reforms will see day centres closed down ‘Help us save our community beds’ BY DAVE BLACKHURST Would the changes affect you? Train crash investigated Briton killed in hotel fall Woman dies in marathon DRAMA: Our story on Sarah Hill’s challenge for the leadership. EXIT: Sarah Hill has decided to stand down as a councillor after her failed bid for the leadership of the Labour group. Supplied and fitted with brass fittings £85 each Painting is a thing of the past with these plastic coated interior doors Full range of interior and exterior doors available Ring 01782 623683 From 9am-8pm 7 days Ask for Dan www.adoorabledoors.com ©NM a b c www.leonsholidays.co.uk book on-line Pick ups in Hanley, Newcastle, Stone & Stafford The Travel Association W5476 tel: 01785 241319 ©NM THE ISLE OF MAN IS A BEAUTIFUL ISLAND WITH BREATHTAKING SCENERY, UNSPOILT BEACHES AND A RELAXED PACE OF LIFE RUTLAND HOTEL IS SITUATED IN AN EXCELLENT POSITION ON QUEENS PROMENADE AND OFFERS EXCELLENT ACCOMODATION. EXCURSION TO PORT ERIN THE ISLANDS CAPITAL. EXCURSION PORT ERIN VIA CASTLETOWN & CALF SOUND MANX EXPLORER Rutland Hotel, Douglas SUNDAY 27TH MAY £365 5 DAYS HALF BOARD

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www.leonsholidays.co.uk bookon-line PickupsinHanley,Newcastle,Stone&Stafford SEN-eO1-S2 [P] [email protected] Leader holds on to top spot at council ‘Help us save our community beds’ TheTravelAssociationW5476 ©NM ©NM Do you remember the Queen’s royal visits? NHS reforms will see day centres closed down In brief Finance officer’s challenge for title wins few votes Weather Park campaign hailed success Drink and drug addicts to get ‘buddies’help NEWS 5

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SEN-eO1-S2 [P] THE SENTINEL Wednesday April 25, 2012 3

SEN-eO1-S2 [P] THE SENTINEL Tuesday April 17, 2012 7

BATTLE: Sarah Hillchallenged the leadership

of Mohammed Pervez.

NEWS

In briefSTOKE-ON-TRENT: A supportworker who looks afterpatients with dementia haswon an Unsung Hero awardfrom her NHS bosses.Glenys Bithell took theplaudit at the annualprizegiving ceremony of heremployers, CombinedHealthcare, at the Moat HouseHotel, Etruria.She works on the complexneeds ward at BucknallHospital concentrating onpatients with dementia.The citation on her trophyreads: “Her unconditionalcommitment to deliveringperson-centred care isoutstanding.“Glenys always has a smileand a consistentdetermination to offer thebest possible care to ourp at i e n t .“She is calm in the face ofaggression, offers reassuranceand interventions to soothe ordistract patients.”

FENTON: Two people wereinjured and three vehiclesdamaged following anaccident on the southboundside of the A500 at Hanford inDecember last year.Ronald Wakelin, aged 58, ofPine Road, Fenton, pleadedguilty to driving without duecare and attention onDecember 14.North StaffordshireMagistrates fined him £465with £60 costs and a £15victim surcharge.

ECCLESHALL: The EccleshallSingers will hold its annualgeneral meeting at EccleshallMethodist Church on Tuesday,April 24, starting at 7.30pmwhen the club's officers willbe elected.The club, which has 32members, is always lookingfor new members.

Drink and drugaddicts to get‘buddies’ helpA CHARITY has had itscontract renewed to helpyoung people tackle drink anddrug addiction in NorthStaf fordshire.

Brighton-based CrimeReduction Initiatives has beenrunning community servicesto rehabilitate addicts in thecounty for four-and-a-halfye a r s.

Its successful bid hasallowed it to launch a newscheme this month to recruitpeers to mentor addicts.

People over 16 who havealready used CRI’s serviceswill be trained to act as“bu d d i e s ” to youngsters stillin treatment. The mentorswill receive a nationalq u a l i f i c at i o n .

A new volunteeringprogramme is also beingl a u n ch e d .

CRI already provides anadult community drug servicein Stoke-on-Trent, where itruns the Lock centre inEtruria and drop-in centres inHanley, Bentilee and Meir.

It took over from NHSmental health trust CombinedHealthcare after beingawarded a £2.23 millioncontract by the primary caretrust in 2009.

County council spokesmanAlison Perry said: “CRI’sservices have been crucial inenabling young people andadults in Staffordshire totransform their lives.”

Funeral held for‘Mr Cobridge’FRIENDS and relatives of acommunity champion willgather to pay their lastrespects to him tomorrow.

Bernard Wragg, chairmanof Cobridge Residents’ ActionGroup, died on April 3 after ashort stay in hospital.

The father-of-five, of ElmStreet, Cobridge, earned thenickname ‘Mr Cobridge’following a 20-year effort torestore the image of hiscommunity against abackdrop of anti-socialbehaviour problems.

He will be laid to rest inBurslem Cemetery following afuneral service at ChristChurch, Cobridge, at 1.30pm.

His family have requesteddonations are made in hismemory to the cancer centreat the University Hospital ofNorth Staffordshire.

Mr Wragg had been battlingstomach cancer when he wastaken ill on his 68th birthdaylast month.

LAID TOREST: Thefuneral ofBernardWraggtakes placetomorrow.

Do you remember theQu e e n’s royal visits?

Share your stories with us for the DiamondJubilee... Email [email protected], including your contact details

Plus: Your special Jubilee pullout in The Sentinel on May 29

BY ALEX [email protected]

LABOUR group and city council chiefMohammed Pervez has fought off a shockleadership challenge from his head of fin-a n c e.

The Moorcroft councillor secured athird year as Stoke-on-Trent City Councilleader at the ruling Labour group’s AGM,defeating councillor Sarah Hill in a secretballot at a tense three-hour meeting.

Mrs Hill, a former council officer andcurrent cabinet member for finance, chal-lenged Mr Pervez’s leadership at theprivate meeting, but is understood to havewon only a handful of votes from the 34-strong group.

It follows behind-the-scenes speculationabout Mr Pervez’s future as leader in thewake of the authority’s £24 million budgetcuts for 2012/13.

Councillor Paul Shotton was electedunopposed to his current role as deputyl e a d e r.

In a speech to councillors, Mr Pervezpraised the group as a“diverse, talented andunited team.”

He said: “In spite of theGover nment’s cuts we areseeing jobs being createdat great companies likeSteelite, investment in man-ufacturing through LongtonAvia Trucks and ground-breaking researchthrough interna-tional leaders like

Finance officer’s challenge for title wins few votes

Leader holds on totop spot at council

Ceram. These companies are recognisingthe part the city council has played in theirprog ress.

“I am grateful to my colleagues for theirfaith and support and will continue towork hard for our city.”

Mrs Hill, who represents Springfieldsand Trent Vale, was unavailable for com-ment after last night’s vote.

Mr Pervez took over as council leaderafter huge Labour gains in elections heldin May 2010, displacing Conservative andIndependent Alliance leader Ross Irving.

Labour has held 34 of 44 seats on thecouncil since all-out elections last May,giving the group an unassailable advant-age in votes on council policy.

But ongoing disputes with trade unionsand budget cuts to care and children’sservices have led to backbench unrest.

Councillor Tom Reynolds, who repres-ents Broadway and Longton East, was re-elected as group chairman.

He said: “It has been a difficult job andthe challenges will only continue so I thinkhe is well placed to lead the group.”

Members also deferred until next week acrucial decision on how they will

vote on businessman KeithRyd e r ’s takeover of Port Vale,which will result in a net lossof £1.4 million to the council.

A final decision will bemade at a full council meeting

on April 25.

What do you think about the challengeto Mohammed Pervez’s leadership?Email us at [email protected]

OH, BABY: Parents are beingurged to stop using disposablenappies on their babies.Waste minimisation officers fromthe Staffordshire RecyclingPartnership handed out realnappy trial kits at the Jubilee2

centre in Newcastle yesterday.The event was part of NationalReal Nappy Week, which runsuntil Sunday.Go Real, the social enterprisebehind Real Nappy Week, saysthat real nappies work out

cheaper and are better for theenvironment.A spokesman for NewcastleBorough Council said: “We’retrying to encourage parents inthe borough to try out realnappies.

“It’s an important issue becauseof the amount of disposablenappies that end up in the bin.”Waste minimisation officerEmma Ray is pictured with someof the real nappies.

Picture: Alex Severn

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RIVAL:MohammedPervez.

NEWS

In briefNEWCASTLE: Andrew Fonadhas appeared in court toadmit offences of disqualifieddriving, driving with noinsurance and possession ofcannabis at Newcastle onMarch 23 North Staffordshiremagistrates yesterday heardthe 26-year-old had beenhanded a nine-month prisonsentence suspended for twoyears at crown court forcultivating cannabis.Magistrates decided the newmatters should go before ajudge. The defendant, ofShrewsbury Drive, Newcastle,had his case committed toStoke-on-Trent Crown Courtwhere he will appear on a dateto be fixed.

BENTILEE: Drink-driver JerzyBielecki was banned from theroad for 25 months byma gistrates.The defendant, a Polishnational, aged 56, of CalvaryCrescent, Bentilee, was nearlythree times over the limit onApril 9.Bielecki pleaded guilty todriving with excess alcoholand failing to stop after a roadaccident. He gave a reading of98mg of alcohol in 100ml ofbreath against a legal limit of35mg. He was also fined £550with £85 costs and a £15victim surcharge.

HANLEY: The NorthStaffordshire branch of theTrades Union Congress (TUC)will stage a Workers’Memorial Day as part of anational day of action thisS at u rd ay.The event will take place atthe Workers’ Memorial Treeoutside the Potteries Museum,in Bethesda Street, Hanley,from 11.45am. There will be am i nu t e ’s silence at noonfollowed by s p e e ch e s.

BARTHOMLEY: Both lanes ofthe A500 were closed followinga collision between a lorryand a van last night. Thecrash happened betweenjunction 16 of the M6 and theA5020 Old Park Road shortlybefore 7pm. It was not clear ifanyone was injured when Th eSentinel went to print.

Police staff targeted to boost PCSOsPOLICE civilian staff could be asked to sign upas PCSOs to boost numbers.

Staffordshire Police have frozen recruitmentas part of their budget cuts but could look torecruit PCSOs internally as more have left theforce than expected.

The number of PCSOs has fallen to 209, whichis 20 less than budgeted, because replacementshave not been recruited for those leaving theirp o s t s.

Training for PCSOs has to be delivered to

groups of at least eight to be practically effectiveand cost efficient.

It means the force, which is saving almost £40million over four years, is likely to wait untilnumbers fall even further before attempting tosign up civilian staff.

The number of police officers employed by theforce is also falling because of forced retire-ments and the recruitment freeze.

It currently has 1,951 officers, a reduction of268 since October 2009.

£300k bid toopen up parksto disabledMORE than £400,000 could bespent on a pioneering projectto help more disabledresidents enjoy the city’sgreen spots.

Stoke-on-Trent City Councilhas finalised a bid for £300,000in Big Lottery Funding tokick-start the scheme, whichwould be among the first of itskind in the country.

If successful, the £300,000funding would be topped upwith up to £60,000 from NHSStoke-on-Trent and £40,000from the council’s owndisability access budget.

Ideas so far include:■ Specialist cycle hirefacilities with both standardequipment and bikes fordisabled people;■ Guided walks around parksand beauty spots for disabledvisitors;■ Specially-designed naturetrails, adapted for disabledvisitors and people withlearning disabilities.

A report to cabinetmembers, who are due toapprove the bid on Thursday,states: “Stoke-on-T rent’sinformally laid-out greenspaces are not well used bypeople with disabilities.

“Disabled people tend to beoverweight and may be moreprone to weight-related illnesssuch as diabetes, heartdisease as well as pooremotional well-being.”

BEDSFIGHT:Our storyfromMonday.

Mental healthunder spotlightA SHAKE-UP of mental healthcommunity services leadingto the closure of dozens ofbeds will go under thespotlight tomorrow.

Combined Healthcare trustwants to shut all beds inNorth Staffordshire’s threemental health resourcec e n t re s.

They are Bennett in Shelton,Ashcombe in Cheddleton andLymebrook in Bradwell. Theplans also include the completeclosure of Bennett althoughday services will remain at theother two locations.

Elderly care day hospitals atHazlehurst House, Har tshill,and either Weaver House,Cheadle, or Newcastle’s MapleHouse will go.

A public meeting to discussthe plans will be held in theOak Room at BucknallHospital at 10am. Directorswill decide whether the cash-saving programme is ready togo out for 12 weeks of publicconsultation from May 8.

‘Memberswill missme morethan I willmiss them’Finance chief fires partingshot in council resignation

BY ALEX [email protected]

SACKED city council financechief Sarah Hill has resignedas a councillor after beingstripped of her cabinet posi-tion.

Mrs Hill quit the Labourgroup and city council afterThe Sentinel revealed she andcouncillor Debra Gratton hadlost their cabinet roles –though Mrs Gratton says this isbecause she decided not toapply for a cabinet position.

Mrs Hill mounted a leader-ship challenge to MohammedPervez at the first part of theLabour group’s AGM lastweek, and was promptlyrelieved of her cabinet duties ata private group meeting onM o n d ay.

Mrs Hill did not attend themeeting and tendered herresignation yesterday, statingshe would not consider servingas an independent or for anyother party.

It means the council willhold a by-election in Spring-fields and Trent Vale toelect a replacement.

Aiming a partingshot at the leadership,Mrs Hill criticised MrPervez for maintaininga full-time job as well asthe £44,000-a-yearleader’s role.

She also blasted the

Labour group’s policy of ask-ing press officers to speak forcabinet members on non-polit-ical issues.

Mrs Hill said: “I had just hadenough. I was never going to beable to work with MohammedPervez and felt if I was on theback benches I would be poisonand it better that I leave.

“I always felt we should havea full-time leader and I hadissues with the way we com-municate with the press. Ithink I’m good at telling it as itis, whether it’s good or bad.

“Colleagues have said ‘wh atdid you expect’ and I under-stand what Pervez did, but hed i d n’t have to do it. Maybe astronger leader would havemanaged it differently.

“I do disagree with things, Ido have other viewpoints and

I do challenge things.“The cabinet does need

that and I think they willmiss me more than I willmiss them.”

Mrs Hill’s son Matthew,aged 31, died last year

after taking partydrug M-Cat.

She said there s p o n s i b i l i t yof balancing

the council’s books through£35.6 million budget cuts hashelped her cope with her loss.

She said: “It has kept me sane;it kept me so busy I didn’t havechance to think about things.

“Everybody goes into polit-ics to make a difference and Id i d n’t think I was doing that.

“I will look for other ways todo that. I don’t want to work 60hours a week anymore.”

Mrs Hill, a former socialworker, rose to become Stoke-on-Trent City Council’s assist-ant director of social servicesbefore leaving to work as alecturer in 2006.

She served as the Labourg roup’s chairman in Stoke-on-

Trent before being elected in2010, and held key cabinet pos-itions overseeing service trans-formation and, later, finance.

Mr Pervez said last night:“The Labour Group is a tal-ented and united team ofpeople who care passionatelyabout our city and will con-tinue to deliver the progress wehave already started.

“I would like to thank SarahHill for her contribution to thecouncil over the last twoye a r s. ”

What do you think? Email usat [email protected]

Mike Wolfe: Page 10

4 THE SENTINEL Monday April 23, 2012 SEN-eO1-S2 [P]

Information supplied by

WEDNESDAYDull and breezy with rain spread-ing in, this turning heavy later.

THURSDAYGenerally cloudy with the chanceof a few passing showers.

FRIDAYSunny spells and heavy showers.A risk of a few rumbles of thunder.

Sun and moon

Lighting up times 8.47pm to 5.17am

Sunrise 5.49am Sunset 8.17pmMoonrise 6.00am Moonset 9.57pm

OutlookºC ºF ºC ºF

Shwrs 9 48Shwrs 11 52Fair 10 50Cloudy 11 52Shwrs 9 48Shwrs 10 50Shwrs 9 48Hail 10 50Fair 8 46Fair 12 54Shwrs 10 50Shwrs 10 50

Sunny 19 66Sunny 19 66Fair 21 70Shwrs 15 59Sunny 25 77Fair 18 64Fair 32 90Cloudy 21 70Shwrs 11 52Sunny 6 43Fair 22 72Drizzle 21 70

BelfastBirminghamBlackpoolBrightonCardiffEdinburghGlasgowJerseyLeedsLondonManchesterNewcastle

AthensBarcelonaCape TownIstanbulMalagaMoscowNew DelhiNew YorkParisStockholmSydneyTenerife

Weather

The region tonightA generally cloudy night is expected with patchylight rain and drizzle. Possibly drier for a timefurther west. There will be gentle north-westerlywinds. Min temp 2-5C (36-41F).

The region tomorrowOvernight rain will continue throughout much ofthe day and will become fairly heavy and persis-tent at times. Gentle to moderate north-westerlywinds. Max temp 8-11C (46-52F).

Yesterday’s weather

max 11C (52F) min 4C (39F)

max 14C (57F) min 5C (41F)

max 12C (54F) min 6C (43F)

4

2

3

3 3

5

11

9

10

10 10

10

For the latest weather forecast for Stoke, call:

0905 168 0601For the weather forecast for your holiday destination, call:

0905 168 0604Calls cost 51p/min from a BT landline. Other networks may vary.

NEWS

National LotterySaturday’s Lottery numbers: 25, 41, 10,34, 47 and 23. The bonus ball was 30.Thunderball draw: 08, 21, 13, 06 and 18.The Thunderball was: 05.Yesterday’s Lotto Plus 5: 14, 21, 28, 39, 40and 44. The bonus ball was: 26.

NATIONAL ANDINTERNATIONAL NEWS

A TORY government wouldnot be pressing ahead withreform of the House ofLords in this parliament,Ken Clarke has admitted.

The Justice Secretary,p i c t u re d , hinted at tensionsin the coalition amid reports at least sixCabinet ministers would prefer to seethe changes delayed.

Philip Hammond, Iain Duncan Smith,Michael Gove, Eric Pickles, OwenPaterson and Lord Strathclyde are saidto be among Conservatives who havevoiced doubts.

Coalition split on Lords

Park campaignhailed successPOLICE say a campaignagainst anti-social behaviourat a park has been a success.

Officers conducted high-visibility patrols atChesterton Memorial Park onFriday nights from 5pm to11pm throughout Februaryand last month to deal withrecent problems.

A police spokesman said:“Since the initiative wasimplemented we haveconfiscated alcohol fromunderage drinkers and havereturned several youths hometo their parents.

“We have noticed asignificant decrease inincidents and we willcontinue to monitor thes i t u at i o n . ”

The crackdown came afteryouths persistently causeddamage to the park’s new£250,000 pavilion during thehours of darkness.

The multi-purpose bu i l d i n gwas built in 2010 after theoriginal pavilion was pulleddown four years earlierfollowing an arson attack.

Residents will be updatedon the campaign at a policemeeting at ChestertonPrimary School, in BrittainAvenue, on Thursday, May 10from 2.30pm to 3.30pm.

£1.4m refurb atswimming poolA POPULAR swimming poolis set to undergo a majorre f u r b i s h m e n t .

The Sentinel revealed lastyear that NantwichSwimming Pool was in linefor a £1.4 milliontransfor mation.

Now Cheshire East Council,which runs the facility inWall Lane, has submitteddetailed plans for the work.

The scheme involvesdemolishing the outdoorchanging rooms and replacingthem with a “new unisexchanging village”.

There will also beimprovements to the entranceand reception area to createnew meeting facilities and anew area for exercise and gymequipment will be built.

The council’s design andaccess statement says: “All ofthese extensions andrenovations will receive new,flat roofs to minimise theimpact on the appearance ofthe pool.”

The council is now askingresidents to submit theirviews on the plans before adeadline passes on May 16. Adecision will be made afterthat date.

NHS reforms will see day centres closed down

‘Help us save ourcommunity beds’BY DAVE [email protected]

DOZENS of beds, a community carecentre and two day hospitals all faceclosure under a new wave of NHS cutsto mental health services.

Combined Healthcare’s wide-sweeping reforms involve wiping outNorth Staffordshire’s entire networkof community beds.

Instead patients will either betreated at the main Harplands psy-chiatric hospital or at home.

The changes involve shutting Ben-nett mental health resource centre inShelton, together with day hospitalsHazlehurst House, in Hartshill, andeither Weaver House, Cheadle or New-castle’s Maple House.

A total of 24 beds are under threat atBennett, the Ashcombe centre, inCheddleton, and Lymebrook,in Bradwell. The last twowould retain their day andnon bed-based services.

Patients, carers andcampaigners today vowedto fight the shake-up “allthe way”.

They fear the move willturn the clock back decadesto when people were treatedin full-scale hospitalswhere they would be

exposed to others experiencing moresevere mental illness.

Combined, which will launch a 12-week consultation next month, claimsthe reforms are needed to bring theservice in line with national policyand to save money.

It says care would be more “p at i e n tc e n t re d ” allowing people to “eng agein their own recovery”.

A paper, by nursing director DavidPearson to go to a trust board meetingon Thursday, says: “There will be lessdependency on bed-based care,improved recovery, care closer tohome and more choice of community-based services designed to maximiseinde pendence.”

Eight community beds at the Suth-erland, in Longton, were lost last yeardespite mass protests.

Phil Leese, aged 62, from Longton,who has been treated for psychosisunder day service at the Bennett for10 years, said: “This will be foughtevery step of the way. The staff havebeen brilliant and it is these ser-

vices which have stopped manypeople having to be admitted toHar plands.

“They are now terrified thatwill happen so the proposals

will face huge opposition.”Hanley-based charitythe North Stafford-

shire Users Group, which speaks forhundreds of patients, was one of theorganisations consulted by Combinedbefore the plan was unveiled.

Co-ordinator Lorien Barber said:“We challenged the proposals at thattime but it seems our concerns werenot considered.

“These changes are driven by theneed to cut costs. They will reducechoice and make the service lesspatient centred, as well as increasingpressure on the Harplands beds.”

Ian Syme, pictured, co-ordinator ofcampaign group Healthwatch, said:“If we lose this highly-valued service,are they considering putting up mar-quees in the Harplands grounds to seeall the extra people who will needt re at m e n t ?

“The problem with home care ispeople’s problems are often madeworse by home circumstances so thatis the last place they want to be seen.

“It will return us to when peoplewere treated in an institution.”

Jenny Harvey, secretary of thetr ust’s branch of Unison, said: “Wehave concerns both for the service andimplications for the staff which wewill raise in consultations with man-a g ement.”

Would the changes affect you?Email us at [email protected]

UNDER THREAT: Clockwise from left, the Bennett centre, in Shelton, the Ashcombe centre, in Cheddleton, and the Lyme Brookcentre, at Bradwell Hospital.

A 68-YEAR-OLD woman has died ofinjuries she sustained when two trainscollided head-on in Amsterdam,injuring scores of passengers.

She died yesterday, a day after thecrash. Sixteen other people seriouslyinjured in the crash remained inhospital last night.

A Dutch rail official described thecollision on Saturday as one of the worstin the Netherlands’ recent history.

Investigators are trying to work outthe cause of the collision.

Train crash investigated

A BRITISH tourist has died after fallingfrom a balcony – the second Briton todie at the same resort in three days.

Benjamin Harper, aged 28, fromT w i cke n h a m , fell to his death at thefour-star Sol Antillas hotel in Magaluf,Majorca, on Friday.

It is believed Mr Harper had gone outon to the balcony for a cigarette beforefalling to his death while on a stag do.

His death came three days afteranother Briton, Adam Atkinson, aged20, of West Yorkshire, died in the resortafter reportedly falling down stairs.

Briton killed in hotel fall

A 30-YEAR-OLD woman collapsed anddied while running in the LondonMarathon, organisers said last night.

She collapsed at Birdcage Walk, nearSt James’ Park, on the final stretch ofthe 26.2 mile course.

The woman was given medicalattention at the scene.

A statement on the London Marathonwebsite said: “We would like toemphasise that our immediate concernis for the family of the deceased. Ourthoughts and deepest sympathies arewith them at this difficult time.”Marathon effort: See Page 16

Woman dies in marathon

DRAMA:Our storyon SarahHill’schallengefor theleadership.

EXIT: Sarah Hill has decided to stand down as a councillor after her failed bid for the leadership of the Labour group.

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