By Ashley Hodnett: A transport firm is to cut three bus routes in Staffordshire.

Bakers Coaches is scrapping the Bakerbus 33/33A route from Westlands to Newcastle, the 77 sunset strip service from Congleton to Hanley and the 423/424 route from Mow Cop to Leek at the end of April.

The decision was taken by the company after a dispute with Staffordshire County Council about how much funding it will recieve in return for passengers who are entitled to free bus travel.

By Niamh Yates: A new project aiming to “stop families from going into crisis” is being launched in Staffordshire.

The Families First initiative will bring teams of professionals working with children and families together.

By Danielle Bagnall: Chipmunk is set to headline the Centenary Finale at Hanley Park.

The rapper is back again to entertain thousands after stealing the show at the park’s 2010Live concert in June last year.

The Centenary Finale celebrations will take place on March 26 after the event was postponed in December due to severe snowstorms.

By Georgina Evans-Phillips. Residents in Newcastle-under-Lyme are putting the brakes on speeding motorists with help from Staffordshire Safer Roads Partnership.

Twelve volunteers at Alsager’s Bank have been trained to use a hand-held radar device to record speeding vehicles in their village.

By Georgina Evans-Phillips. Cannock Hockey Club is in line to host one of the Olympic hockey teams in 2012.

The club, which staged three international matches between England and Pakistan in 2009, is hopeful of securing Staffordshire’s involvement in the 2012 games.

By Luke Mallett: People interested in fostering or adopting children are urged to call in at special Staffordshire County Council’s drop in sessions.

It is hoped the council’s campaign, called ‘Time to Care’, will encourage more people from North Staffordshire to come forward and be prepared to foster.

By Danielle Bagnall: A new interim chairman as been appointed for the new Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent NHS Parternship Trust.

Dr Nigel Ratcliffe from Leek will take up the role on the back of a 26-year career in the pharmaceutical industry.

By Naomi Herring: Thousands of cigarettes have been seized in Burton-on-Trent as part of a crackdown on tobacco smuggling.

More than 13,000 cigarettes and 2.5 kilos of hand-rolling tobacco were recovered from three shops in the town by officers from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

By Lee Kettle: A new regional bus pass which will allow young people to travel around Staffordshire for £1 is set to get the go-ahead.

The Your Staffordshire Card, which has been commissioned by Staffordshire County Council, will allow anyone under 20 to travel anywhere across the region for just £1 per journey.

The scheme is to be approved today (February 16), with young people then able to register for the card during April and May.

By Kamie Cooper & Matt Richardson: A controversial supermarket development in Leek, which could create 350 jobs, is to go ahead after a council vote.

Proposals for a £1.8million Sainsbury’s store, petrol station and housing went before the Staffordshire Moorlands District Council yesterday (December 16).