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MORE than ￡45,000 of taxpayers' money has been spent by a council on a shuttle bus; just to get their staff to and from work.

Cheshire East Council had run the bus service for employees whose place of work was transferred from Chester to Crewe when the authority formed in April 2009.

It ran between Crewe railway station and two council offices in Crewe and was seen as an incentive for staff to use the train to get to and from work.

Now figures obtained by The Sentinel under a Freedom of Information Act request show the council spent ￡45,745.50 on the bus service between October 2009 and April 2011.

Transport firm D&G Bus ran the service, which operated between the train station and Emperor Court and Delamere House, at the start and end of each working day.

The figures reveal 10,500 journeys were made by council employees – at an average of 140 passenger journeys per week.

A spokesman said: "The service was provided to aid the relocation of Cheshire East Council staff from Chester-based offices to Crewe as part of Local Government Reorganisation.

"The aim was to encourage as many staff as possible to travel by train from Chester to Crewe, with a direct shuttle bus operating to the main office locations."

The contract for the shuttle bus service was initially awarded on a temporary basis until April 2010.

It was then extended for a further year, only to be scaled back on February 28 to only serve Delamere House after consultations with employees and analysis of usage figures.

The entire shuttle bus service, which cost ￡89-a-day to run, was scrapped this April.

At the end, it had been providing three journeys each morning and three journeys each evening.

Taxpayers today hit out at the service which had been laid on just to ferry staff to and from work.

Managing director Mel Wilson, whose Crewe lifestyle store Macouti is threatened with demolition, said: "This seems like a lot of money to spend and could be better spent on improving the town centre and access to the town centre for shoppers.

"A free shuttle bus for everyone would be a great idea."

David Mountford, of Crewe Jewellers and Pawnbrokers, has previously called for a free bus service to link the railway station, the town centre, Grand Junction Retail Park and the Crewe Business Park.

Mr Mountford said: "I would donate ￡5,000 a year to it because I would have an influx of people from the retail park every hour.

"I have to pay for my travel to and from work and so do my staff, so why should council employees get a benefit?"

But Simon Nagington, aged 32, owner of cafe Riminis, in Market Square, Crewe, thinks the service is a good idea.

He said: "Anything which helps Cheshire East Council to keep its employees is a good idea if it helps to retain their expertise."

Drop everything you're doing and get yourself down to the most luxurious department store in the world, Harrods, as it's time for their world renowned Summer sale.

If you've been lusting over the perfect designer dress or pair of shoes but were too afraid to splash the cash, then now's the time as Harrods.com will be offering up to 60% off designer brands including Herve Leger, Valentino, Ralph Lauren and many, many more. Need some killer heels to finish off that outfit? Shoe lovers can enjoy generous reductions on Marc by Marc Jacobs, Stuart Wietzman, Gina and Giuseppe Zanotti.

For something a little more casual, check out sale styles from Current/Elliott, Levi's, Citizens of Humanity and VB Jeans. You can even pick up some gorgeous, flattering swimwear for this year's summer holiday from DVF and Missoni. You'll be the hottest thing on the beach!

And as if that wasn't enough, handbag lovers and hoarders will go wild for the one-off prices on handbags from designers such as Marc Jacobs, See By Chloe, Lanvin and Vivienne Westwood.

The much anticipated sale kicks off on Tuesday 14th June and will run until Monday 27th June, so get yourself over to Harrods and join the other shoppers that are already revelling in the amazing discounts on offer!

Take a look at this gorgeous Summer sale video featuring the devilishly handsome UK television presenter George Lamb and US style commentator Louise Roe.

Men's Wearhouse (NYSE: MW), a leading specialty retailer of men's apparel, announced today at the Company's Annual Shareholder Meeting, that Douglas S. Ewert became president and chief executive officer, succeeding George Zimmer as chief executive officer. Also at the meeting, the Company's shareholders elected Ewert to the board of directors.

As previously announced, Zimmer will continue as executive chairman of the board of directors.

Zimmer stated, "I am excited to turn over the day-to-day reins of Men's Wearhouse to Doug. I know he has the same passion for this company and its people as I do. With him leading our efforts, we will continue to provide the highest level of service to our customers and our unique culture will thrive."  

Ewert concluded, "I would like to thank George for his guidance. Over the years, he has mentored me and helped me prepare for this day. I know I have big shoes to fill, yet I step into them knowing I am leading a world-class organization."

Founded in 1973, Men's Wearhouse is one of North America's largest specialty retailers of men's apparel with 1,187 stores.  The Men's Wearhouse, Moores and K&G stores carry a full selection of designer, brand name and private label suits, sport coats, furnishings and accessories and Men's Wearhouse and Tux stores carry a limited selection.  Tuxedo rentals are available in the Men's Wearhouse, Moores and Men's Wearhouse and Tux stores.  Additionally, Men's Wearhouse operates a global corporate apparel and workwear group consisting of TwinHill in the United States and Dimensions and Alexandra in the United Kingdom.

KidsCan, which last year distributed 1.6 million food items to decile 1 to 4 primary and intermediate schools, has 105 schools on its waiting list.

For some children, the donated food was all they ate all day, chief executive Julie Helson said.

Demand had always outstripped supply in the six years KidsCan had operated, but this year about 11,000 children a day would miss out on food, she said.

KidsCan will feed about 4400 children each day this year.

The cost of living had increased and a Red Cross breakfast programme had been cancelled, which added to demand, she said.

"There are a lot of judgmental people in New Zealand who have this perception that people on low incomes are all down the pub or putting their money in gaming machines ... the majority of parents that we see actually do want the best for their children and they are very, very embarrassed when they can't provide for them."

Such poverty was the country's "hidden shame".

The story of the Uptown/Downtown collection, found in the Roger Vivier lookbook fall/winter 2011, is so good it had to be quoted here in its entirety.

“Crossing the night's threshold, moving from the daylight glam of Faubourg Saint-Honoré to the nocturnal 80s vibe of the legendary Parisian night club Le Palace, the Vivier woman is ever daring, ever chic. Belle de jour or sensual by night, she adores luxury, fine-crafted with Roger Vivier expertise and signature humorous twist.

Uptown New York, she's spied on Park Avenue in vertiginous heels and Miss Viv' Perfo bag. Dining Downtown at Bank Street's Waverly Inn, she exudes allure in her Palace 10 centimetre heels.

Hong Kong Central sees her in Boomerang boots and the new Nonsense clutch whilst in London's Mayfair she teams slim pants and biker jacket with Rallye ballerinas and Rock'n'Metro bag.

She paints the town red at Shanghai's The Bund in Crystal Palace pumps with Viv'R clutch and last but not least, Gstaad plays host to this young beauty in chunky 12 thread cashmere and Leg-up, her XXLong thigh-high boots stocking-styled in ultra-supple leather and worn with her Basquiat inspired Guardian Angel clutch in pink.

Bruno Frisoni, creative director for Roger Vivier, presents a blend of dreams and refinement, joy and chic, glamour and surprise, for both day and night. He captures every aspect of being urban: Uptown-Downtown, the spirit of our time, contrast-laden and playful. As with her heels or bags, the Roger Vivier woman remains true to her values and the timeless virtues of the Maison classics, thanks to the debut of styles sealed with the iconic R.V signature, recognisable in the Maison's emblematic buckle.
Quintessentially Parisian. Quintessentially Chic.

As shoes to fill go, John Wayne's dusty cowboy boots are about as big as it gets. So when the Coen brothers decided to take their shot at True Grit – the Charles Portis novel that finally won Wayne his Oscar –  the world sat back with folded arms to see whether Jeff Bridges could grizzle and swagger his way into the role of one-eyed Rooster Cogburn that Wayne made so completely his own.

He does, but that's rather beside the point; it's 14-year-old Hailee Steinfeld as sternly pigtailed Mattie Ross (“A harpy in trousers”) who carries the film, reinstated to the rightful place of heroine in this rather more faithful adaptation. A straight genre piece, the quirky Coen touches find newly muted shades, bringing matte humour to the glossy period dialogue, and peopling the bit-parts with a menagerie of quirky characters.

As the marshall with “one foot on either side of the law”, Bridges is all unkempt whiskers and drawling tones, swaggering uncertainly about, like the threadbare rooster his name suggests. Almost unrecognisable under a luxuriant moustache, Matt Damon gets a rare and welcome opportunity to exercise his comedic muscles as Texas ranger LaBoeuf, the marshall's city-slick rival.

The success of True Grit all comes back to Steinfeld however, the typewriter rattle of her precise period delivery balanced by her steady gaze and calm repartee. It is she who spices some of the Western's oldest conventions; the final shoot-out between cowboy and nemesis – Tom Chaney (a pleasingly feral Josh Brolin), murderer of Mattie's father – takes new significance when it sees a young girl come face to face with a bearded psychopath, and the natural bathos it generates in no way undercuts the intensity of the scene.

The fairly basic extras include an extended interview with the articulate and enchanting Steinfeld, as well as input from Damon and Bridges. A featurette strips away the peeling facades of the Coens' Fort Worth and explains the process of recreating the frontier town, complete with stripping trees of their leaves by hand, and covering telegraph poles in faux bark.