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Castle debt upfor discussionCREDITORS owed moneyfollowing the collapse of thecompany behind an historiccastle are due to meet today.

Accountants MooreStephens were approached toplace Caverswall CastleLimited into liquidationearlier this month.

More than 50 couples hadbooked to hold their weddingceremonies and receptions atCaverswall Castle over thenext 21 months when thecastle shut.

The meeting will take placeat the Best Western MoatHouse Hotel, in Etruria, from11am to 3pm.

The castle’s owner anddirector, Robin MacDonald,has been at the centre of along-running planning rowwith council officials after hewas refused retrospectivepermission to use the 13thcentury building as acommercial wedding venue.

Trees schemefor the QueenABOUT 70,000 trees will beplanted in Stoke-on-Trent tocelebrate the Queen’sDiamond Jubilee.

The scheme by theWoodlands Trust scheme willsee the trees planted inFenpark, Fegg Hayes andChell.

The two 60-acre sites, aboutthe size of 50 standard footballpitches, would benefit fromthousands of native species oftrees, as well as fruit-bearingorchards.See Page 16

Last chanceto be City’smascot atWembleyPage 22

DISPUTE:CaverswallCastleownerRobinMacDonald.

CLOSED: Tunstall Pool CLOSED: Fenton Library CLOSED: Parkhall Golf Course

CLOSED: Gladstone Tea Rooms CLOSED: Burslem Library CLOSED: Stoke Recreation Centre

Many much-loved community facilities shut today after thousandslost their battle to keep them open. Now campaigners says it’s...

OUR DARKEST DAYBY HAYLEY HARPhayley.harp@thesentinel.co.uk

CAMPAIGNERS branded today oneof the worst days in Stoke-on-Trent’shistory as two swimming pools, asports centre, a golf course and alibrary shut for good – savingjust £464,000.

The facilities opening forthe final time today areShelton and Tunstall pools,Fenton Library, Park Hall GolfCourse, Stoke RecreationCentre and the cafe at GladstonePottery Museum in Longton.

Pensioners’ bus service Dial-a-Rideis also running for the final time andthe free collection of bulky waste iscoming to an end.

Terry Cope, chairman of Green-fields Residents’ Association, saidtoday was one of the darkest in thecity’s history.

The 60-year-old, of Linwood Way,Tunstall, said: “It’s a very sad day. All

these cuts are coming thick andfast. There is no relief at all.

“These services will prob-ably never come back andpeople are rightly very angry,especially when you considerthe savings only equal the

wages of the top couple ofofficers. It’s disgusting.”

Stoke-on-Trent City Council is clos-ing the services after having to cut£35.6 million from its 2010/11 budget.

But Andy Bentley, who sits on thecampaigns committee of North Staffs

Against Cuts, said the council wasconning taxpayers.

Mr Bentley, from Hanley, said: “Theamount of cuts all in one day isunprecedented and so unnecessary.

“The council says there’s no altern-ative, but that’s simply not true.

“They can use reserves and bor-rowing powers, but they don’t havethe will.”

The closures come after the CityFarm, based at Bucknall Park, closedearlier this month and Burslem Lib-rary shut yesterday.

Two care homes are expected toshut at the end of next month andWillfield Community EducationCentre, in Bentilee, will also beaxed.

Ceramica, in Burslem, has closed

its doors after losing its £150,000-a-year funding from the council.

Council chief executive John vande Laarschot said: “The decisionstaken by the council on budget cutshas been extremely difficult, but wehave never been as open and trans-parent as we have during this budgetprocess.”

Buildings which house the axedservices will be shut up.

They will then go through an “assetrationalisation” process, where theirfuture will be determined.

How will you be affected by thecuts? Email us at letters@thesentinel.co.uk

Secret saviour for pool?: Pages 6&7

RobbieEarle:WhyI’mbacking MoPAGE 46

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NEWS

In briefSTAFFORD: A motorcyclistdied after a crash with a car.The man was confirmed deadat the scene of the tragedy inWeston Road, Stafford, at8.40pm on Saturday.Police closed the road, nearthe County Showground, forabout three hours asemergency services dealt withthe accident and officerssearched for clues to find outhow it happened.An emergency ambulancecrew which was passing thelocation at the time stoppedimmediately to help.A second ambulance and anincident support officer alsoattended and fire enginesfrom Stafford and RisingBrook were called out.Neither the victim’s identityor age were being released bypolice yesterday.A West Midlands AmbulanceService spokesman said:“Sadly there was nothing thatcould be done to save themotorcyclist and he wasconfirmed dead at the scene.”

CREWE: Trustees of CreweHeritage Centre will todayfind out what is to happen tothe land they currently usefor the attraction.Plot owners Cheshire EastCouncil had initially agreedto sell off the land near to theTesco site on Vernon Way,albeit with a restrictivecovenant that it should beused to promote railwayherita g e.But that decision wasquestioned by othercouncillors who called in thematter, asking for it to bere c o n s i d e re d .Councillor Jamie Macrae,cabinet member forprosperity, will look again atthe matter today withnotification then being sent totrustees of the centre.Crewe Heritage Trust, whichowns the lease for the next 30years, currently pays apeppercorn rent.

NEWCASTLE: Plans to convertan office into a funeraldirectors have been approved.Officers at Newcastle BoroughCouncil agreed the change ofuse for the premises in WaterStreet, Newcastle.The funeral directors will beopen from 9am to 5pmMonday to Saturday and twopeople will be employed at thep re m i s e s.Architects Wood, Goldstrawand Yorath say any changes tothe exterior of the buildingwill be covered by separateplanning applications.

WESTLANDS: Engineers willtoday start resurfacing workon pothole-plagued LangdaleRo a d .Staffordshire County Councilstarted repairs four weeks agofixing kerbing and footwayworks. From today, the roadwill be closed to trafficbetween 8am and 5pm eachday. Work is due to last fivedays. Residents havepreviously complained aboutthe state of the road.

PEAKPRACTICE:KingsleyRobinson.

Dad completescharity climbA FATHER has stepped up tothe challenge of climbingB r i t a i n’s highest mountain asa tribute to his brave son.

Kingsley Robinson reachedthe summit of Ben Nevis onSaturday after five-and-a-halfh o u r s.

He was accompanied by 10friends who have all joinedhim in helping to raisethousands of pounds for theUniversity Hospital of NorthStaffordshire and LeukaemiaResearch who are both helpinghis son Ben, aged eight, who isfighting leukaemia.

Kingsley, aged 45, ofRedwing Drive, Biddulph,said: “We all made it in onepiece. It was tough and we’vegot aches and pains now, but Iwas really grateful I had myfriends around me.

“They took the weekend outto make the trip with me andthere was a great sense ofachievement when we reachedthe top.

“Ben understands we’vedone this because of what he’sbeen through and he’s chuffedto bits. He knows it’s going tohelp other children who aresuf fering.”

The climbers are stillcollecting donations and thetarget is £4,000. They havealready reached £2,500 online.

To donate call Kingsley on01782 522157 or visit the pagesset up to support the charitiesw w w. j u s t g iv i n g . c o m /benrobborobinson andw w w. j u s t g iv i n g . c o m /b e n n ev i s ro b i n s o n .

THE creator of the ChiefInspector Banks televisionshow will give a talk inBiddulph on Thursday.

Author Peter Robinson, whopenned the DCI Banks books,is to discuss his new novel atthe town hall at 7.30pm.

Called Before The Poison, itis the gripping tale of a newinvestigation into a 58-year-old murder in Yorkshire.

Tickets cost £5 but areredeemable against the priceof the book, which waspublished last week.

Peter is stopping off inNorth Staffordshire as part ofan extensive book-signingtour of England and Canada.

Last week he appeared withthe hosts of BBC BreakfastTelevision to talk over then ove l .

He has written around 20books featuring north-countrydetective DCI Alan Banks andITV has televised a numberwith Stephen Tompkinsonstarring in the lead role.

Author to talkabout his tale

Concern £36m cutstarget won’t be hit

New threat to services unless more savings found

BY ALEX CAMPBELLalex.campbell@thesentinel.co.uk

FINANCE chiefs at Stoke-on-Trent CityCouncil are on course to miss the author-ity’s savings target by more than £4.5million.

Hundreds of jobs have been cut and anumber of key services closed or reducedas the council made £27.8 million in cutsalready this year.

More savings have been identified andagreed but the £4.5 million shortfall hasnow emerged as the council budgets forcuts totalling almost £36 million.

Figures show three departments areheading for significant overspends due to afailure to make planned savings or meetincome targets.

It could lead to extra cuts elsewhereto compensate.

A report on the council’s financesin 2011/12 so far reveals that£4.52 million of the planned savingshas been classed as “high risk andpotentially unlikely to be achieved bythe end of the year”.

Latest figures show:■ A total of £445,000 of the forecasted over-spend relates to children’s centres aftercontroversial budget cuts were delayed bythe council’s legal obligation to consultparents on which individual servicesshould be cut;■ Much-criticised procurement practicesat the council are on course to miss a£1.5 million savings target;■ Income from facilities such as car parksis much lower than expected;

■ Increased budgetary pressures createdthrough the council having to repay£5 million into its cash reserves after

borrowing £14.3 million from the pot tofund voluntary redundancies pro-

gramme last year.About 800 workers left during

last year’s redundancies as a res-ult of the cuts. Swimming pools inTunstall and Shelton and libraries

in Burslem and Fenton have cl o s e ddue to the savings package.

The city council has a history ofprojected overspends in the earlystages of the financial year.

But the pressures are cur-rently intensified by theamount being cut from thebudg et.

Now directors have been askedto draw up options for “fur thers av i n g s ” to prevent complicationsin setting the 2012/13 budget, whichcould see another £20 million of

spending cuts unveiled. Councillor SarahHill, cabinet member for finance, said: “Wehad to make a huge amount of changes atthe beginning of the financial year whichall came at once. Some have started late,but we’re confident we can turn ita ro u n d .

“We all recognise that procurement is anarea we haven’t done well with.

“Discussions have been held with thechief executive and plans will be comingforward shortly.

“I’m not too worried about it. If we are inthis situation in February or March I willbe less happy, but there’s plenty of time to dosomething about it.”

Former cabinet member Brian Wardbelieves officers may have overestimatedhow much can be saved.

He said: “Councillors are not financialexperts. The figures provided by a head ofdepartment have to be taken as gospel.

“What you can do is ask questions ab o u twhether forecasts are achievable.”

The report notes: “Savings plans, risksand predicted overspends will continue tobe monitored closely. It is important theforecast overspend is continually managed

and wherever possible recovery plans areimplemented.”

What do you think of the citycouncil’s budget plans? Email us atletters@thesentinel.co.uk

Comment: See Page 10Children’s centre legal battle may

cost council £225,000:See Page 15

STRIPPED: A streakerwas today facing a banfrom Port Vale’s groundafter running onto thepitch during Saturday’smatch.Wearing only his socks,the man emerged fromthe Railway Paddockduring the second-half ofVale’s 4-1 win againstAccrington Stanley.Play was stopped forabout two minutes as hesprinted, arms aloft,towards the away fans inthe Hamil End of ValePark and then lappedhalf the pitch before

performing press-upsnear the centre spot.Vale midfielder GaryRoberts tried toapprehend him before asteward wrestled him tothe ground and he wascarried off lying facedown by colleagues.Club officials confirmedlast night that thestreaker would bebanned.Chief executive PerryDeakin said: “We will bedeciding the length ofhis ban shortly havingreviewed the evidence.“I know a lot of the

crowd found the incidentamusing, but there werechildren at the groundand so his actions werecompletely inappropriate.“We were comfortablywinning the game at thetime but this could havebroken our players’concentration.”Asked what actionwould be taken againstthe streaker, aspokesman forStaffordshire police said:“We have no informationon this incident so wecannot comment.”Pictures: Wesley Webster

CHANGES: City councillor Sarah Hill. Ourfront page from The Sentinel in Marchdetailing some of the services facing cuts.