Rosy view of town drawn up

The Cannock citizen of the future will be a non-smoking skilled worker who has pride in the area he lives and is involved in their local community.

They will live in areas untroubled by crime and anti-social behaviour and problems with alcohol and drug abuse will have been dramatically cut. This rose-tinted version of Cannock Chase in 2020 has been launched by Cannock Chase Council as part of a plan to improve the district over the next 12 years or so.

According to the council's new sustainable community strategy Cannock will be a place with less people on benefit, a district of entrepreneurs and vibrant town centres with little crime and a better reputation.

Tourists will visit the district where more people will be exercising, drinking less and school pupils will be achieving better results.

The plan has been put together by the council and its partners following a wide ranging consultation with local groups and bodies but while it is big on ideas and hopes the strategy gives little detail on exactly how the aim will be met.

According to the strategy residents in the area have listed tackling crime and health services as their top two priorities followed by affordable housing, cleaner streets and good education.

The strategy paints a grim picture of where the district is at now with an ageing population with some neighbourhoods suffering neglect.

The report claims negative media coverage of the area and the collapse of the coal industry could inhibit investment and over a third of residents have said they believe the district is a worse place to live than two years ago.

Council leader Councillor Neil Stanley said: "The guiding thread of this new strategy is to enable local people to enjoy a better quality of life today without compromising the quality of life for future generations."