Yesterday, Thursday 26th February 2026, saw the reserved matters for the New Royal Gardens development off Froghall Road in Cheadle discussed and agreed at the SMDC planning meeting, Stockwell Street, Leek. While outline planning (the decision for the development to go ahead) had been approved for this second phase of the Persimmon Homes development, reserved matters on this application for access, layout, scale, appearance, and landscaping have not been approved. Northern Di

Cheadle Flower Club Chairman, Sheila Jones, welcomed members and friends to a ‘Spring Workshop’ for their February meeting.  Sheila was also our host for the evening with a demonstration of creating a spring door wreath. Everyone was provided with a wicker woven wreath, together with a huge selection of silk flowers, spring bunnies, Easter eggs, butterflies, and ribbon for decorating our wreath. Sheila demonstrated how to wire and hold our flowers in place and also how to use

Residents across the Moorlands are being reassured that upcoming changes to their waste and recycling services as a result of the national scheme to introduce weekly food waste collections will not require households to have a fourth bin and will not result in fines. Recent reports in the national and local media have suggested that all residents will receive additional bins and could be fined up to £400 if recycling isn’t separated in line with the new rules. Staffordshire M

The UK government has just published its white paper on biodiversity, ecosystem loss and national security. Quite a long title, but what does it mean? And how does it affect us living in Cheadle? This is the first time an issue related to climate change has been cited as affecting national security. The big issue directly affecting the UK is related to possible food shortages for supermarkets that rely on a nationwide road distribution service to deliver to our shops, wherea

Dearly Departed - Staffordshire Moorlands

Community arts programme OUTSIDE is launching a new photography project with artist Ruby Nixon to celebrate women across the Staffordshire Moorlands, marking International Women’s Day in March 2026. The project is inviting nominations for women who make a difference in their communities – in big or small ways. This could be through their work, volunteering, creativity, leadership, advocacy, or everyday acts of care and support. OUTSIDE wants to recognise women whose contribut

Staffordshire Moorlands District Council has set its budget for providing essential services to residents, businesses and visitors at £14.4 million for the coming year. A council tax increase of £5.17 (2.99%) has been agreed setting Band D payments at £178.21 for 2026/27. Councillors also agreed to revise the council tax reduction scheme to: Allow all applicants who receive Universal Credit but who do not have any earnings to receive the maximum amount of support Disregard

According to Staffs County Council news released yesterday, 27th February 2026, early improvements are already beginning to impact how the county’s roads are managed. This follows the county council's launch of a new approach to road travel in October 2025. The Staffordshire Roadmap to a Better Network is starting to make a difference in how highways are managed. Improvements include: Highways engineers have changed the way they plan works so they cause less disruption on the

On Wednesday, 25th February, Cheadle Foodbank was presented with a cheque for £250 to help run the service by Cheadle Lions. COGNEWS was told that they sometimes run short of stock and that this money will help them restock their shelves, as they are totally reliant on donations. The food bank has been in the town for 12 years and is based at the Guild Hall. They have given out over 125 tonnes of food over that period. They are staffed entirely by volunteers and also provide

For years, local residents have expressed concerns that the pool at South Moorlands Leisure Centre has been too cold for a comfortable swim. As there is no local alternative, when several residents informed us about improvements in the temperature, we decided to investigate. Steve, the leisure centre manager, told COGNEWS that the swimming pool is being kept at 27–28°C, with the temperature moving a little higher when catering for their disabled visitors at the weekend. Steve

For Youngsters | Walking Tours | Spotlight Talks Staffordshire, especially the South Moorlands area, is rich in history. Here's what residents and visitors can look forward to. For Youngsters Toy Time Travellers  Travel back in time through play, get hands on with historical objects and help fix a toy emergency! Sensory hands on story time for ages 1-6. All children must be accompanied by an adult.  When:  Friday 13 March, 10.30am - 11.30am Location:  Staffordshire Histo

Friday 6th March will see a fund raising event by the friends of St Edward's Church, Cheddleton. It promises to be an evening of wonder and heartfelt laughter with many characters of Cheddleton & Wetley Rocks. Tickets include cheese and wine and at £15 per person this promises to be a lovely memorable event. A Magic Lantern Event in Cheddleton - created 22nd February 2026

Events for adults | Local Group Events | Easter Holiday events Events for adults Spring walk and cream tea at The Wolseley Centre Saturday 15 March, 1pm - 3pm Enjoy a gentle stroll and spot the signs of spring all around. You'll receive helpful identification tips as you explore. Binoculars and ID guides provided. Delicious cream tea at The Kingfisher Café included in the price. Find out more Forest School and Sustainability Conference at The Wolseley Centre Thursday 19

If you feel a little let down by a partner, husband, or boyfriend this Valentine's Day, then it is no problem for you if you live in Cheadle, because if you are a signed-up member of Clair’s Pantry, you will get free beautiful flowers with your purchases. The picture above does not do justice to the wonderful smell coming from the volunteer’s car (Vicky), who was met exiting a local supermarket. Clair’s Pantry is open Friday, Saturday, and Tuesday each week between 9 am–4 pm

"Pride in Place" is the UK Government's decade-long strategy aimed at revitalising towns and cities throughout Britain. It is intended to empower local residents, instead of central and local authorities, to take charge of enhancing their own communities. This investment is crucial for the town of Cheadle, particularly after Deputy Mayor Ian Plant announced at the last town council meeting that the funds for upgrading the Cheadle Leisure Centre have been cut, although no spec

This week we're thinking about love, love for your family and friends but also for your community! Below is the cover and contents so do look out for your printed copy in your favourite retail store this week or contact us to collect. If you'd rather read online you can do that here: and here's the pull-out too! Whatever you do today - we hope it's lovely for you! This Week's Pocket COG - Love Is in the Air! - created 14th February 2026

COGNEWS would like to wish everyone in Staffordshire Moorlands a very Happy Valentines Day! St. Valentine's Day originated as a Christian feast day honouring a martyr named Valentine, and through later folk traditions it has also become a significant cultural, religious and commercial celebration of romance, commitment, and love in many regions of the world until it became the celebration we have today. Whilst it's a great day to celebrate your partner it's also great day to

POV: Bernie's Story As a reporter for COGNEWS, I come across many people who, through no fault of their own, spend the Christmas and New Year season on their own. This may be due to the loss of a partner or having gone through the breakup of a relationship. The feeling of isolation can be quite painful, especially after a time spent with friends and relatives. In this modern world, we don’t have the social connections we once had, and certainly in Cheadle isolation can be qui

Just over a year since their re-development, Leek’s Butter and Trestle Markets have achieved national recognition by being voted the Best Small Indoor Market in the Great British Market Awards 2026 organised by NABMA, the National Association of British Market Authorities.   The annual awards, where peers in the industry are invited to vote for their favourite market across 11 categories, celebrate excellence, innovation and commitment across the UK markets sector.   The judg

The Cheadle and District Lions Club is a local charity dedicated to serving our community by either raising funds or providing services. L to R: Local Lion Keith Godwin, District Governor Lion Ian Francis, and Cheadle Lion President Lesley Godwin. What makes them special is that they do their work within a social framework, such that one day they may be selling tickets for a plastic duck race at Tean; the next, they will be having a social meet in a pub. One example is if you