Chase Chase Chamber Patrons


CONTACT: Chris Plant T: 0845 603 6650


Chaos and crowds on MP’s commute


Amanda Milling, MP for Cannock Chase, has experienced first-hand the difficulties experienced by Chase Line users during a fact-finding mission. Following the debate on the Chase Line this


Wheely-good deal: Steve Budding


Acquisition is the solution for Gateway


Hednesford-based wheel and tyre specialist Wheel Solutions has bought Hull chassis maker Gateway Chassis Ltd. Gateway will now join the Wheel Solutions


Limited (WSL) group of companies, which also includes TyrePal Ltd, Chassis Solutions Ltd and Wheel Solutions Ltd. The group is now a £20m plus turnover business, employing 110 people at three sites across the UK. Wheel Solutions managing director Steve Budding said: “This brilliant acquisition will push our group turnover past the £20m mark, well in advance of our target – which was to achieve that landmark by 2020. “The purchase complements our existing


group, particularly Chassis Solutions, which specialises in chassis for the park home sector in Northamptonshire. “This move represents our third significant


acquisition in three years. Our progress, from a £6m turnover business when the 2008 recession hit, to our current status, is genuinely remarkable. But it’s not the end, we are still acquisitive and we are very focused on organic growth.” Previous owner Point Engineering Group


acquired Gateway eight years ago, and since then the company has more than doubled in size.


Train pain: Amanda Milling


Business support event is hailed a success


Cannock Chase Council has hosted a business support event as part of the Staffordshire Business Festival. ‘Pastries, Prospects and Patter’ was a free event held for local businesses


at The Moat House in Acton Trussell. Business enthusiast and author Dale Stafford was the guest speaker and


he spoke passionately about what it takes to be a success in business, as well as sharing experiences with the audience in a lively Q&A session. More than 70 people attended the event, which aimed to showcase funding


opportunities across the Cannock Chase District and South Staffordshire. Councillor Gordon Alcott, Portfolio Leader for Economic Development


and Planning said: “The Staffordshire Business Festival is two weeks of local events to facilitate better engagement between local businesses. I hope that businesses found it a useful networking opportunity.”


38 CHAMBERLINK February 2017


Business event (from left): Jess Robinson (Cannock Chase Council), Councillor Robert McCardle and Nikki Taylor (both South Staffs Council), Dale Stafford, Jackie Tomlinson (Cannock Chase Council), Councillor Gordon Alcott, Ann Oldnall and Debbie Harris (both Cannock Chase Council)


month, the Cannock Chase MP used recess to experience the service first-hand. Accompanied by Cannock Chase District


Councillor, Graham Burnett, Ms Milling boarded the 5.58am train from Rugeley Town train station towards Birmingham New Street. The MP saw what she described as chaotic


scenes at the station which only worsened through the journey.


Amanda Milling said: “I had to experience


the service for myself to get a sense of the problems that many constituents have complained to me about.” The Cannock Chase MP has written a diary


of her journey that she will be sending to London Midland as another example of how residents are being failed by the service on the Chase Line. She added: “The scenes at Rugeley Town


station were best described as chaotic and unsafe with passengers barging and physically tackling each other to get onto the train.” In a recent debate in Parliament the


Cannock Chase MP called on London Midland to address the issues of over-crowding on these peak time services.


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