![New childcare recruits in city to be offered £1,000 sign-on bonuses]()
by West Midlands Magazines | Feb 14, 2024 | Bilston, Council, Health, Uncategorized, Wednesfield, Wolverhampton
The City of Wolverhampton Council has been chosen to take part in a pilot scheme offering £1,000 tax-free payments for those starting childcare jobs.
The ‘Do Something Big’ recruitment campaign has been launched by the Department for Education.
As part of the campaign a trial initiative – covering 20 local authorities including Wolverhampton – will see new-starters and those returning to childcare roles given a cash bonus payment shortly after they take up post.
It aims to help ensure nurseries and early years providers have the staff required to offer more childcare places for parents.
The move comes ahead of April when eligible working parents of two-year-olds will get 15 funded hours on top of existing childcare provision – ultimately putting more money in parents’ pockets at the end of the month.
The rollout is set to save working parents using the full 30-hour entitlements up to £6,500 a year.
Councillor Chris Burden, the City of Wolverhampton Council’s Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, said: “We welcome the opportunity to take part in this national pilot scheme.“The recruitment drive will help support our efforts to ensure nurseries and early years providers have the workers they need to be able to offer more childcare places for parents as provision is expanded.
“This will allow more parents to stay in work, supporting the local economy in the knowledge their children are receiving good childcare, laying the foundations for them to achieve their full potential.”
The campaign will look to boost recruitment across the sector by highlighting the array of childcare career routes and progression opportunities offering on-the-job training and flexible hours.
by West Midlands Magazines | Feb 13, 2024 | Council, Environment, Wolverhampton
More than 250,000 trees across Wolverhampton have been carefully inspected and mapped to help protect the city’s green landscape for the future.
The far-reaching inspection programme has included all 258,295 trees that fall under the direct care of City of Wolverhampton Council.
It covers a diverse range of species that are located in streets, near public buildings, in cemeteries and at various parks and open spaces throughout the city.
The inspection programme, which has taken two years to complete, firstly involved identifying the exact number and location of the trees that fall under the care of the council.
Tree inspectors then assessed each tree to determine its specific management needs. Every tree has undergone a thorough health and safety review and any necessary maintenance has been identified and planned in accordance with the council’s Tree Risk Management policy.
The result is a comprehensive city-wide record which will help provide information about any tree under the council’s care.
In addition, the council has also launched an innovative interactive tree inspection map which allows both residents and stakeholders to access real-time information on tree locations and inspections.
Councillor Craig Collingswood, cabinet member for environment and climate change, said: “This is a huge achievement which has been made possible by the dedication of our arboriculture team alongside the development of a digital platform to manage the tree inspection programme and ongoing maintenance.
“Thanks to officers’ efforts in inspecting, cataloguing and tailoring strategies for each one of our 258,295 trees, we are ensuring both public safety and the wellbeing of the trees themselves.
“This comprehensive record and new interactive map will now be vital tools to help us with risk management, maintenance and expansion of our tree stock. This is important work that will benefit generations to come.
“Trees play a vital role in our commitment to tackle climate change. They capture carbon, provide a habitat for wildlife, reduce the effects of summer heat and offer a way to limit the risk of flooding.
“Not only are there huge environmental advantages, but there are health and wellbeing benefits too. Getting outside and creating and enjoying green spaces in our neighbourhoods can make a real difference to peoples’ physical and mental wellbeing.”
The council’s arboriculture team responds to more than 1,600 customer enquiries each year about trees.
These include queries about pruning, fallen and damaged trees, diseased and unhealthy trees and requests for planting.
For more information about the council’s tree service visit www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/environment-and-climate/trees-hedges-and-grass
