Fly tippers get away with it!

28th December
Noting some anti social folk in a Peugot tipping their garden refuse in Mill Street Walsall, I thought that me taking the registration number and reporting this would mean their number would be up and a knock at their door to pursue this evidence... not so.. the police tell me that i have to report to Steetcare and that they will not take any action unless I possess a video capture in high quality to back up my evidence. I should ask for the setting up of a CTV camera at that site to ensure that when they repeat the tipping they can be filmed and then prosecuted.  Get real.... surely the efforts of the public in watching and then reporting evidence of fly tipping should be rewarded by the thought that they will be at least scolded for their act of vandalism... but why not anyway prosecuted.? they cost us thousands and I object to paying for their criminal activity in having to clean up after them.
I have started a campaign to get a change in a current justice bill to make it illegal for scrap merchants to pay for scrap in cash... money would have to go into a bank account to a registered person.. that would in a small step prevent illegal scrap merchants from gettiong any money from their activities. I find it is costing this Country millions... for example over £34M in wales where their rail network has been subject to attacks from these scrap metal theives and so stopped the trains and caused enormous disruption to passengers,,,, then there is the issue of those who attack our power sub stations and again unfortunelty escape with their lives but of course cause serious disruption to our power supplies after trying to short out the sub station and so grab some copper!
What do you think?
Regards
Cllr Ian Robertson

Scouts face cuts in Walsall

I note that the scouts have had all their support cut by Walsall Council... over 250 excellent volunteers from our Borough give up their time to provide suberb motivation, training, guidance and inspiration to our young people and the Council get amazing value and savings from their work. Now Walsall havd cut the £12000 grant they used to get for training and money towards room hire and will mean closure of some groups. Surely this is  so short sighted?
What a kick in the teeth!!!

This coalition is unravelling and shows up as a con!

Recent undercover recordings show how evern the liberals are concerned at the way thsi Tory Government is handling this Counctry

 The cuts brought about as a result of the actions of greedy bankers will cause hardship in many areas of our communities. Maybe those who are better off will not notice these cuts much, but there are many less well off who will find these cuts really hurt. The problem is that this Tory Government and so this Tory Council are cutting harder and faster than is needed. The cuts will hit areas that will have a higher cost long term


- trebling tuition fee limit which will make access to many universities restricted to young people with rich parents. This could have been prevented by Liberal MPs who broke their election promise. There is also the loss of the education maintenance allowance paid to 16 year olds help support them staying on at school .

- cuts in child benefit

- Those potholes in our roads I suspect will get bigger and cause more damage to both vehicles and pedestrians.

- Libraries will have both their opening hours cut and some will be axed altogether. Libraries used well can be vital to the progress of our children.

- Cuts to the music service based at the Forest will reduce access to music lessons and support over the whole of the schools in Walsall Borough.

- Support for the most vulnerable in our society, those with disability, the elderly, the mentally handicapped both young and old will see their support cut to the absolute legal minimum, loading carers to breaking point. Those who depend on the services of Social services will be very worried about their future level of support.

- Those who receive support from social service will be especially worried with reorganisation of the meals on wheels service and other support services.

- Cuts to the police force will mean a reduction in Officers available to deal with crime and criminal activity. I am sure the criminals will be waiting to take advantage.

- VAT will rise to 20% in 2011 which will mean most items will rise in cost … not much of a dent in the finances of the well off but will make a real impact for most of us.

- The future of our leisure centres , their opening hours and charges are also under the spotlight. This Tory Council would like to off load these to the private sector. Certainly I will expect that most of the swimming pools attached to schools will be closed ( there are around 46 pools which may well be cut to 5 or 6).

- We have to make the decision if we wish to maintain a quality of life that is fair for all our citizens young , old, disabled, handicapped or seriously disadvantaged. I fear that the current Tory direction will carry us towards a ‘ let the market decide’ economy where those with the savings, receivers of banker bonuses will survive and live excellent quality lives. Those who have much more limited resources will tell a very different story. Living in a caring society is the only sort that I want to live in. What do you think?

Read my lips. No increase in tuition fees. A promise!

Next Thursday, MPs will vote on the Government's plans to treble Tuition Fees.




I hope that as many MPs as possible will vote against these unnecessary, unfair plans.



They are cutting money for university teaching by 80%, much more than other services, and are making graduates pay the whole cost of most degrees. Students will be forced to choose the cheapest course, not what’s best for them - and will be paying back debts for 30 years.



The plans are bad for universities and not the road we should be going down. The Labour Party will be voting again the plans. Labour would avoid the big cuts in the university teaching grants and share the costs of higher education fairly.

We are not against fees ... in fact we introduced them many years ago... we are against such massive increases that will turn higher education into only available to those who are wealthy
Cllr Ian Robertson

You cannot be serious

Walsall’s Tory Cabinet will be discussing  'a new approach to school improvements' when it meets on 13th October.. They are developing a new collaborative approach that they say will see the authority and local schools working together to improve our schools.

They are expected to commission a major new survey into the condition of secondary schools in Walsall which would be carried out later this year and cost £500,000. This would be part funded by the council but is likely to require a contribution from schools. This is after a very recent major survey of the same schools in preparation for the now cancellled 'Building schools for the future' programme now cancelled by the current Tory/Liberal Government.
What potentially a serious waste of our resouces!!!
Cllr Ian Robertson

28th June

This evening we had a meeting of the community services scrutiny to look at the decision of the Tory cabinet to close Willenhall Leasure centre and Bryntisilo campy site in Wales.

After some agrument the meeting was adjourned as many of those who are directly affected by this had not been invited to have their say...

I often !! despair of Walsall Council... this is yet another example of issues that should have been foreseen years and years ago but the relevant senior officer has not taken ownership of that issue and in conjunction with the relevant politician from cabint has not had the foresight to deal with and plan of action way long ago rather than leave until the clock is nearly at midnight and actions are just panic reactions... a story of a culture in walsall that has been disgraceful over the years and I think is the cause of many of the disasters that have happened in Walsall Council to the detriment of the council tax payers in thsi Borough and has wasted so much both in effort and money.....!! and we pay the chief executive of walsall Council nealry twice the pay ( including pension contributions) than the Prime Minister.. does it not get your blood to boil even without the heat of the present sunshine!?

regards

Ian

Cllr Ian Robertson

Blakenall Ward

Ban the Tat wagons from parking up in residential streets!

W Hi
    I am fed up and I am sure you are that these Tat wagons continue to flout the laws of planning.. again as your local councillor , both myself Ann Young and Bob Thomas keep raising this issue.. the latest is Notice of Council agenda for 19th July...

Notice of motion

This Council welcomes both the   efforts of individuals and those running a business,  to increase recycling.  .

Council notes the Notice of Motion passed on 2^nd July 2007… where

This Council resolves to make every effort via a full strength enforcement team to stop this activity and to urge and give every assistance to our partners such as the environmental agency and the police . Further this   Council will also share such  information with Walsall Housing Group to encourage them to enforce their tenancy agreements which are clearly being broken in these cases and where appropriate information will be shared with our statutory partners.

This Council notes with concern that since that Notice, the problem appears to have become considerably worse and is affecting an even wider area of streets in this Borough.

Council resolves to have urgent discussions with local Councillors, the Police, the environmental agencies, Walsall Housing group, and other appropriate agencies on how this serious anti social behaviour can be permanently stopped, while still encouraging the efforts of the more responsible people in recycling various forms of scrap or ‘tat’.

Also am asking the following questions.... 

Question…  …

What is the detailed breakdown in reasons for sickness absence by employees of this Council over the last year along with a length of time absence expressed if possible please in numbers of weeks absent for individual employees and cost of providing cover either by agency staff or by seconding other employees to cover these absences ? 

  News that over 90000 days were lost at Walsall Council last year due to sickness absence, equivalent to 391 years in work days,

    

When will the disgraceful state of Butlers passage be corrected? and what has been the cost  so far in the previous attempts to restore and clean up?

-         What is the current estimated cost and time scale of correcting the pothole damage caused by the frost during last winter?
    

regards

    

Ian

    

Cllr Ian Robertson

    

Blakenall

welcome news on helping those who over indulge!!

I am pleased that one of the recommendations of a scrutiny working party which I chaired has been implemented...we were looking at issues around anti social behaviour esepcailly around the Town Centre... it is so sad that many young people drink too much too often and will be causing so much long term damage... this has worked in other Towns and I shall be looking carefully at how this works in Walsall

regards

Ian

Cllr Ian Robertson

Blakenall Ward

Walsall’s new triage centre

JUNE 25, 2010

by Walsall Licensing

Last Wednesday (23rd June 2010) saw the launch of a new triage centre in Walsall. The centre has been set up to deal predominantly with young people who are suffering from alcohol related illnesses and injuries, but the facilities are there for any visitor to the town centre to use should it be necessary.

The idea of the centre is to provide an initial response to people who may have consumed excess alcohol or those who are vulnerable due to intoxication. A paramedic and a police officer will be patrolling the town centre, looking for people who may be in need of medical intervention.  Anyone found in need of care will have an initial assessment before being taken to a place of safety in the town. There, medical staff and police officers will provide further care and establish a plan to get the person home.

Similar schemes operate in other towns and cities in the West Midlands and have led to a significant reduction in calls to the ambulance service and fewer admissions to hospitals. This has saved the National Health Service a great deal of money. We are delighted that our partners in West Midlands Ambulance Service, St John’s Ambulance and Walsall Manor Hospital are supporting this initiative, as it has potential to make a hugely positive impact on crime and disorder in the town.

Initially, the triage centre will be run during the World Cup games. In the long term, it is planned to open the centre whenever there is likely to be a heavy footfall in the town, such as on pay days. On these busy nights, there are additional officers on patrol in the town centre, so they will be able to make referrals to the centre.

Pubs, clubs and other venues in the town have been made aware of  this scheme and will be referring patients to police officers on the town.

Once the scheme has been running for a while, we will post some feedback. In the meantime, if anyone has any suggestions for improvements, please submit a comment.

The centre will be open again this Sunday during the England – Germany game on Sunday 27th June.

News from Walsall Council

We learn that the latest news to tory run Walsall from this Tory Government is that funding for the Borough has been cut by a further £6 million pounds, including over £2Million on education alone. The details are being worked out by the tory cabinet at the moment , but we await the details and will be probing especially the effects on the most vulnerable and already disadvantaged in the Borough and even more so in wards we represent.




The news that we shall not be sending any more children to Bryntysillio and that Willenhall Leisure centre will close is bad news for those from more disadvantaged backgrounds who value such opportunities. This Borough faces a serious problem of overweight children which will result in many such now children being outlived by their parents.



The committee looking at the loss by this Council of £ 3 million pounds due to poor record keeping and poor officer management met last Monday and it was admitted that the records are there but not in the right files and so claims back cannot be made. Next Monday the audit committee looks at the draft accounts for the Council and seeing that we have 91officers ( excluding education where we have 215 more) earning over £50000 a year and a chief executive earning over £190,000 a year .. that is £40000 more than the prime minister… are we getting value for money as council tax payers?



The news that 1 in 5 cancer patients are having to wait over 2 months to get treatment was revealed by the Primary care trust in their annual meeting… can they imagine what it is like to have to wait that long to find out if you have a possibly fatal illness and have some treatment?

We shall as labour councillors be pursuing these issues with vigour and welcome your comments.

Regards

Cllr Ian Robertson Cllr Bob Thomas

Blakenall Ward ( Labour)

threat to our leisure centres

I note a visit to leisure centres by members of this tory council in other parts of the Country. I wonder what this Tory cabinet has in store to propose for the future of our leisure centres in Walsall? including our Bloxwich centre? I fear rhey are all at risk at a time when excercise is so crucial to improve the health especially of our young people.
A daft decision to ban leisure activities on the Broadway playing fields due to apparent concerns on 'contamination' shows health and safety issues again apparently good mad. Plus probably no support to continue using Bryntisillo as an activity centre for our children.
I am wondering what we acutally get for our council tax?
We will be asking questions and probing these decisions and reporting back!
regards
Ian Robertson and Bob Thomas

New members flock to join the Labour Party

We learn that 15,000 joined Labour online, extra 3,000 joined off line. That's 18,000 new members in last 14 days - Remarkable.

Thus sends us a message from the people that we hold the respect of an increasing number of the electorate. Let us build on this support .

From

Ian Robertson



secretary walsall South and agent for Valerie Vaz MP

Residents may have to pay for all new bins

18th May
I noticed that in the 'forward plan' of the tory run walsall council there is an item to agree implementing a charge for all new bins.. this would mean that if your bin wears out and a number of new brown bins have already split.. and the green bins are now around 10 years old.. we will have to pay £18.50 for a new one... what do we get for our Council Tax? There is the argument about paying if your bin is stolen or vandalised which is current policy , but this would cost us all whatever the circumstances!
What do you think?
Will be grateful for reponses as of course will be taking this one up!
regards
Ian Robertson and Bob Thomas
Here are a list of issues that we must tackle! with ways you can help.

- Those selfish anti-social people who run illegally a ‘tat wagon’ business from their home in a residential area. They cannot be prosecuted by the Council unless some one is prepared to give evidence that they are trading and I suspect that it will be difficult to get such a volunteer. Some may be claiming benefits or council tax rebate or not paying tax on their earnings. If you suspect this is the case there are totally anonymous ways of reporting your suspicions ( see end of this article)

.

We shall continue to report them in this way but it helps if others can also do so. The reporting to Walsall Housing group is something we continue to do but again they clear up the mess jut prior to a visit . We take regular photos with dates and maybe you can also record dates when loaded vehicles are parked outside their houses to add support to our logs.



The state of our roads and pavements is dreadful putting vehicles and pedestrians at risk of harm. Patching these with a few stones is not enough and I shall be pressing for urgent repairs here.



There is another group of criminals who tip their waste onto empty spaces and expect us council tax payers to pay to clear it up. The only way to get them is for anyone seeing this happening to take their lorry numbers … report these numbers to police and to us. The same goes for any activity that suggests that a property may be the site for drug activity… let us and/or the police immediately. It can then result in a well timed raid to catch them red handed.



On the positive side we can see the new Hospice going up in Goscote along with the respite centre, The new Walsall college is a great success although I note that there is a large increase in street parking along North street at the back of the college.



The car park in Mill street will happen after some delay due to issues at the land registery.

The clearing of undergrowth around Swanneys field will make that site safer and hopefully when the playground is repaired reduce the risk of further vandalism.

Some rebuilding has started in Barracks lane and will soon start around Beddows. The consultation on the design and arrangement of developments in Goscote and Poets will continue to be ready for when the economic recovery gathers momentum. In the meantime we shall be pressing for a proper programme of maintenance for the somewhat abandoned open spaces.

Also for action on the eyesore of the closed Royal Oak which is privately owned , where we have repeatedly asked for action for owners to tidy up site and keep secure.

We are pleased that Leamore Park has an active Friends Group and we look forward to a proper sustainable maintenance programme with supervision of activity. Friends group meetings are the place to raise the many issues of concern.

Speeding vehicles.. There are a number of roads where vehicles seriously exceed the speed limit. Recent legislation allows councils to impose 20mph limits around all school entrances and we shall be pressing for this to be implemented. We have successfully petitioned for the speed camera to remain on Harden road especially as so near to edgar stammers school. Any member of the public who witnesses a vehicle or motor bike seriously exceeding the 30 mph can report this number ot the police or give us the number and we will do so. The police will make enquiries of the owner if a vehicle appears to be speeding even without a speed gun reading.

Off road bikes and other anti social activity. We need times/dates of these.. you can then tell us and we can pass on this information. If a pattern of times is there, the special police bikes can be arranged who are the only ones who can pursue the culprits… if they can be caught the police have the powewr to confiscate the bikes and in time have them crushed. Also the tat wagons can be confiscated and crushed.. what a victory if we could achieve that!!

We seem to have most of the tree pruning issues under control.. it has been a case of continually raising the issue with those who own the land where the trees are. No luck with the trees at the end of Amlmakers close… the owner there is not cooperating and th e only way is for residents to take out an action against him and there is a council charge to start this.

The privately owned house in chuacer which is derilict has a number of charges on the owner who has not done any maintenance ( and if fact lives in rented house elsewhere and seems to be wrecking it!) However we keep trying to resolve.. maybe th only way would be to serve a CPO but this is an expensive and lengthy route for the Council who may well not get back the cost to Council tax .

We continue to investigate how this tory council keeps throwing money away! We exposed the loss on lamppost advert money ( £7M) and the failed reclaim of European money already spent by the Council of £2.3M We would have had no CT increase this year if we have not lost the European reclaim money.

Have you looked at the state of ‘Butlers’ passage recently? This is the passage between the Bus station and Bridge street which was ‘restored’ some 3 years ago at a cost to CT payers of around £600,000. do you think we have had value for money with this spend of our CT money?

You can keep in touch daily with us on the ‘blogspot’ of

Blakenalllabour.blogspot.com you can email us on robertsonic@walsall.gov.co.uk or thomasr@walsall.gov.co.uk

Telephone us on 01922 634642 or 07956 829549 ( Ian Robertson)

Or 01922 611543 ( Bob Thomas) and 07969264635

Bob Thomas wins in Blakenall

I wish to thank all those who voted for me... you have put your trust in me and I promise not to let you down. Top of my list is to work to rid this ward of those anti-social folk who plague us with their tat wagons... if they wish to run that kind of trade , they must operate away from residential areas. I know it is dreadful for you , your families and for visitors to have to view such a disgraceful site of piles of scrap day after day outside their houses and on their drives. I have no objection if they ran this trade properly from a business park. if anyone has possible evidence that these people are claiming benefits or council tax rebate please either ring in or fill in a form on the benefit fraud site.. this can be done totally anonymously.

They are costing us all money, driving down the value of our homes and driving decent folk away from moving here. Comments gratefully received.

We got the one who owned property in Harden Close and was claiming vast amounts of benefits from a number of addresses in Walsall.. he will be sentenced next week.

Next comes at least tidying the empty spaces where houses once stood... the area at least needs to look cared for to attract new residents who wish to move here. The pub on Walker road is an eyesore and we are putting pressure on the owners to agree to sell to allow some permanent clear up.

Many thanks for your support... now the work begins

regards

Bob

Bob Thomas Blakenall

Bob Thomas was raised, educated and lived for most of his life in the Blakenall ward. He is not an outsider “parachuted” in to fight the election (unlike, say, the DLP candidate). As a teacher, he worked in local schools, including Manor Farm and Frank F. Harrison and was Chairman of the former Harden Alliance, the local neighbourhood committee. He is well aware of the challenges facing the ward and is ready to take them on.
The voters of this ward have a choice of four candidates. The DLP is represented by a disgraced former councillor, rejected by the voters and expelled from the Labour Party for his extremist activities. He reduced this once proud town to being a national laughing stock. Do we really want a return to the days of “Citizen Church” and the extremist fringe?

The Lib-Dems have never really fought for this area and so a vote for them or the DLP is a wasted vote.

We have had a Tory Council for the last decade and its financial incompetence, wasting millions and millions of pounds of YOUR money, is breathtaking. You wouldn’t trust them to run a stall at a car boot sale!

Walsall, and Blakenall ward, needs a strong Labour Council. Please use your vote wisely on May 6th.
Vote for
Bob Thomas

Bob Thomas in Mill Street welcoming the new development there which has excellent green credentials with solar panels, standing with Cllr Ian Robertson and David Winnick MP
Bob also welcomes the proposed new car park opposite for use by the Mosque and the Seventh Day Adventist Church to relieve the parking issues in that area

Bob Thomas being congratulated by Cllr Ann Young and David Winnick MP on being selected to be the Labour Party Candidate in the imminent Local elections in May
Bob welcomes the new build of the Hospice and the respite hospital here on the site of the old Goscote Hospital. Bob also welcomes the retention of part of the old building , which was the nurses' home to be used as offices.

Bob Thomas , the Labour Party Candidate for Blakenall , viewing the old railway cutting site in North Walsall which has been a serious site of fly tipping , drug taking and an eye sore. Bob welcomes the news that this site will be filled in and be a possilbe site for the Metro. Bob pledges that he will if elected do his utmost to hurry action on this matter