The risks to those on benefits in Blakenall

17th September

You may know that this Tory Government plans to introduce Universal Credit in October 2013.
While I think everyone would accept that the benefit system needs a continuous reform process, this step will seriously affect many of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged in Walsall and especially in Blakenall. I post the concerns of many organisations that deal on a day to day basis with those at risk.

The evidence shows there is widespread concern about managing Universal Credit online, the implications of it being paid monthly and being paid to one member of a household, and the gap when the current system is phased out and the new one starts.


Ministers are very keen to ensure that the new system should be "digital by default" - in other words, managed and run online.

The new universal credit system risks causing difficulties to the 8.5 million people who have never used the internet and a further 14.5 million who have virtually no ICT skills," says Citizens Advice.

Only one in ten of claimants think it would make their lives easier”

Women's Budget Group

The public sector workers union Unison makes a similar point, as does the National Housing Federation, the umbrella group for homeless organisations, Homeless Link and Community Links, a charity based in east London, amongst others.

Concerns are raised too about paying Universal Credit monthly.

The Women's Budget Group, which describes itself as an "independent organisation bringing together individuals from academia, non-governmental organisations and trades unions to promote gender equality," also makes some observations.

It tells the MPs: "The government says monthly payment of Universal Credit mimics life in work.

"But many on low incomes in work have wages and/or benefits and tax credits paid more frequently, which matches common budgeting patterns for those on low incomes.

"Only one in ten of claimants think it would make their lives easier. Women are likely to be hit harder, as in low income families they tend to make more frequent purchases that will be squeezed as money is stretched."

There are concerns too that the payment of Universal Credit to one person in a household could, in some instances, upset the family dynamic: potentially putting that individual in a position of considerable power and influence.

Many of those who have submitted evidence are worried about how some people will cope when the changeover from the current benefits system to the Universal Credit takes place.


Work and Pensions Secretary Ian Duncan Smith wants to overcome problems in the benefits system "What consideration has been given to providing grants to cover a shortfall when transitioning from fortnightly to monthly payments, rather than claimants having to rely on budgeting advances or 'pay-day loans' which need to be re-paid?" asks Gingerbread, the charity for single parents.

Manchester City Council raise a broader concern: the effects not just on people, but communities.

"We have concerns about the impacts on people but also on 'place' - either from large scale churn de-stabilising people and communities or reductions in income within areas with high concentrations of people currently on benefit."

Let's now turn to look at some of practical problems around making this change happen on time.

A wide range of organisations involved in meeting the government's deadline are clearly very worried about achieving it.

At the heart of the Universal Credit is what is known as the Real Time Information system. The aim is it will be much more responsive to people's changing circumstances.

It will require employers to report their employees' pay each time they are paid. In addition the self-employed will have to report their income every month instead of every year.

This will be a "significant and difficult burden, reliant on information from others", the Chartered Institute of Taxation tells the MPs.

The success of the Universal Credit depends on the new computer system being completed "under extremely tight timelines," the employers' organisation, the CBI says.

"The new system's tight delivery timetable, coupled with low awareness among companies, is a risk to business and to the implementation of the Universal Credit."

"There is a real risk that the central government Universal Credit IT systems will not be ready on time," adds the Local Government Association, which represents councils.

So how does the government respond? Radio 4's The World This Weekend invited a minister to appear on the programme, but the invitation was declined.

In its evidence to the committee of MPs, the Department for Work and Pensions claims that "digital skills are a factor in around 72% of jobs", and so encouraging people to manage their Universal Credit online is sensible. It also saves a significant amount of money.

Advice will also be available, the department says, for those recipients who need help with managing their family budget.

"Rigorous, integrated IT testing has also commenced," it adds, pointing out it has "some of the best contingency arrangements in place across government" if things go wrong.

Do you think that this Tory run Council cares a jot about the potential   effects on residents of Blakenall? And your new Blakenall Councillor Pete Smith voted with the Tories to get them into control of Walsall Council.  How can anyone who claimed to be a socialist do such a thing?

Please commit yourself to supporting Labour here in Walsall who cannot stop these changes but at least are compassionate on their effects and will ( if they are in charge) try to mitigate the disastrous effects on the most vulnerable in our society.
Please post support or otherwise!
Regards
Ian Robertson

what news now for the future of Blakenall?

News is that there are discussions about a probable decision that Bloxwich Leisure centre will go as part of the reorganisation of Walsall Leisure services.. no mention of what is to be provided in place... also no news on future of Dartmouth centre, support for the 'cottage' in Ryecroft place or some positive support for the Ryecroft centre and what is needed .. a partnership approach with the Hollemeadow site ( run by WHG) and the Walsall College and the Forest arts site... if the disgraceful inequalities suffered by those residents in Blakenall is to be solved in a sustainable way such issues as these must be addressed.. however this Tory run Council have their own areas to prioritise as usual... such as spending £200,000 plus on employing an agency provided temporary head of childrens' services after the resignation or ? removal of the head and deputy after the dreadful recent inspection report... again the support of more especially the children from Blakenall have been let down.. hardly surprising that the young people of Blakenall come to the conclusion that they cannot succeed, are expected to fail and their parents very often take the same view. It is also now revealed that the new head of childrens' services from Medway has a worrying history of possible failures.. far from the rosy picture reported by our current Tory great leader of the Council.. is this another cast off as we got from Liverpool with our Annie?
The open spaces such as the 'Lea' at the rear of Hardy road remain in a dreadful state... I note that a committee has been formed to try and get some action.. best of luck to them but I fear that unless ( sorry to bring in the politics but it is the reality) a Labour run administration is voted in with a clear mandate to make a difference, such areas will continue to languish for many years to come.
Residents will continue to live on average 9 years less than residents in the leafier areas of Walsall.. have the lowest level of young people seeking further education and low levels of achievement ( despite the amazing efforts of the local schools) , have the lowest level of road and pavement repairs, and the highest levels of unemployment ( although there are many who are listed as out of work but in fact work in the 'black' economy) , have the highest level of single parent families struggling and often failing   and  and so perpetuating to cycle of their children going on to form failed families in the future and having the highest levels of incidence of domestic violence...
There is a way forward as a partnership , led I believe by the foundations built by New Deal ( now called New Horizons)... I fear that residents will become even more cynical and lose hope altogether if the area is allowed to languish as the grip of the economic recession now really starts to bite.

Regards
Ian Robertson

what future for Blakenall

I do regret that labour failed to gain control of Walsall Council this time in May.. me losing was a major factor here.  Running the Council in these difficult economic times cannot reverse the cuts but at least we could have looked very carefully at individual cases and families where really severe hardship will happen.
We hear that such centres as the Dartmouth centre will be axed.. when a dynamic business plan for this centre and for the nearby Ryecroft centre with a bit of coordinated effort would have brought a successful sustainable result. Also to secure the future of the cottage in Ryecroft Place which serves so many elderly people and helps to make their daily lives so much better.
The regeneration of the Goscote and Poets area is now stalled and will now probably not happen for many years. The successor of the New Deal organisation, New Horizons needs to be a lead in this regeneration of the whole of North Walsall and Bloxwich... I do not think that a tory run council will care to support this being too interested in ensuring their wards are well served.
The issues of 'tat' wagons, drug dealing, fly tipping remain and the only way to tackle these issues is to ensure enough resources are placed into enforcement. What chance of this happening in Blakenall?
The issues left in North walsall also remain as the 'forgotten' corner of Walsall.... it is time for Blakenall to be leading not trailing behind...
Regards
Ian Robertson
ex labour Councillor Blakenall.

How can we save our NHS?

Those who manage our National Health Service and have been tasked to preform the largest reorgansiation since the NHS began are failing. In the Manor Hospital we hear that the hospital is £1.3M overspent this year mainly due to £1/2M alone in agency fees for temporary staff: reports by a whistle blower of total incompetence.. which earned him the sack after 18 months and now granted leave to appeal .. and this person of consultant status: reports that the death rates for patients with respiratory complaints is much higher than the national average; reports that we are failing to ensure patients get a proper fliud intake ( I suffered this one myself as an inpatient follwoing an operation, having the cleaner eventually bringing me the water) .. and so the list goes on... well organised and scrutiny by a team of well informed independents is urgently needed to look in depth at waht is happening... we are handing over most of the commisioning of the budget for our NHS to consortia of GPs who are being paid and employed by the very NHS that they are administering.... how can they act independently and if they are, they need high quality and robust scrutiny and a very strong health and well being board to look over them and a strong robust joint needs assessment to control where the are going... we will hope that those of us who can do this will be really active to save our NHS from I fear either a move to privatisation or a two or three tier standard service.
I am very proud to have served the NHS for over 40 years, but never have I so much feared for th efuture of what is in my opinion , the best method of delivering health care without fear of the cost to every patient.
Ian Robertson

Labour should be running Walsall Council

23rd May
News that it will be a tory/liberal run council is bad news for many Walsall residents who are fighting to keep their heads above water with rises in food prices, travel costs and just about every other cost and facing serious cuts in support services and allowances.. whether this be disability living allowances or other direct support for lower income families.
Whatever your politics, at least labour in control of Walsall would try and look carefully at those who are affected by the current economic woes and try to keep up their quality of life.. those on higher incomes will hardly notice and can organise their affairs to avoid any hardships...
Shame on the independents such as the two Botts and the person who took my seat Peter Smith who did not vote and allowed them in... their motto is 'let the market decide' in other words let those who are vulnerable get trampled under foot while the better off rush to the trough!!
All three have let the residents in their wards down and all the people of Walsall Borough.

We face serious health inequalities in Blakenall and have had to make do with second best as we were not on control on this council for the past 12 years.. here was an opportunity to Bring back some fairness in the allocation of resources and make a lasting sustainable change in the lives of residents in some of the disadvantaged wards in Walsall such as Blakenall where on average residents lose 9 years of life and suffer more illness in comparison to better off nieghbouring wards.
We need to clear our streets of tat wagons operating from residential properties... a by law to compel all such vehicles to have to display a licence plate as with taxis and have to be interviewed ( as do potential taxi drivers).. an action I did a lot of work to move forward.
we need to tackle unemployment and give more access to properly run apprenticeship schemes such as the ones I supported at Holleameadow centre and at the Ryecroft centre. Here is the key to raising the earnings potential and so the quality of life of residents and their families.
a fairer distribution of resources for whether it be road repairs, street and pavement cleaning or maintenance of our parks could have been instigated to the benefit of Blakenall residents.
pressure on walsall Housing group and developers to get on with the regeneration rebuilding in Blakenall will now possibly not happen.. the risk that areas around the derelict open spaces will go downhill and those open spaces which should be maintained will fall into further deterioration. we could have bargained for a lot better.
The changes now being implemented on our NHS will now be monitored by a tory/liberal pact.. who introduced these potentially disastrous changes with national policy.. Labour could in control of Walsall council set up a really robust scrutiny process and tried to prevent the dangerous privatisation of many of the parts of our NHS.
A robustly reorganised voluntary sector was very high on my list for action.. I fear this again will be a lost opportunity and those who will suffer will be those who depend on that service to be of high quality and free at the point of delivery.
We came close to taking walsall forward on a united caring pathway together in these difficult times and I do think the electors in walsall have overall made the wrong choice in casting their votes.
Regards
Ian

Lost by 13 votes

4th May
I lost the seat by a very narow margin of 13 votes after a recount.
Sad after 14 years working very hard to make Blakenall Ward better. I thank all those who voted for me and wish all residents the best for their future but regret that this will unfortunately not with me driving things forward. I am proud of what we have acheived together . More comments later when we find out who runs walsall Council

Regards and thanks
Ian Robertson

My Pledge to residents in Blakenall




  published by electronic means by Ian Robertson 87 Belvidere Road Walsall WS1 3AU

 

Labour Manifesto for May 3rd Elections

“YOUR VOICE IN TOUGH TIMES”



THE WALSALL LABOUR MANIFESTO FOR THE 2012 COUNCIL ELECTIONS





The Conservative government has let down people in the borough of Walsall - with the backing of the Liberal Democrats. And the local Tories are not standing up for local people.



The people of the distinct and proud communities that make up our borough have a history of hard work, independence and self-reliance which made it a watch word for craftsmanship, high quality and innovation. The term “Made in Walsall” was something looked for, and to be proud of. That accolade was earned by the endeavors of its people; by their industry, their vision, their determination not to just make do or accept that “it is good enough”, because they wanted better for themselves and their children.



But during the industrial decline of the 1980s our borough has seen the loss of tens of thousands of jobs, our wages fell well below the national and regional average - and remain so. Our public health has split into an east / west divide where those in the more deprived areas die, on average, eight years earlier than those in the leafy suburbs. Our education system lags behind the rest of the country in almost every significant aspect.



Between 1997 and 2010, the Labour government made good on its pledges to invest in health, in education, in jobs and economic growth. . With the support of the Labour government, we have a new hospital, a new college and there was a chance that our manufacturing industry might be able to start to grow again. But from 2000 the borough has been controlled by the Conservatives with, at times, support from the Lib Dems, and the opportunities of that economic growth were too often wasted.



Now with a Conservative-led national government, supported by the Liberal Democrats, we have seen a return to mass unemployment, cuts in health and education, and a manufacturing industry struggling to survive. Since being elected this government has cut a staggering £100 million from our council’s budget. On top of this, there are cuts in our NHS, in our police and emergency services. There have been wholesale reductions in services to the elderly, disabled and the most deprived.



For hardworking families home re-possession has become a constant fear as they struggle to pay the bills, while our town centre now hits the headlines - not for the quality for its goods, but for its record number of empty shops.



While other councils around the country - including Conservative run authorities - have spoken up and tried to defend their communities against savage cuts, our council has meekly accepted these attacks on the services we rely on. Local Tories tell us that Walsall has to be run like a business. Well if that is true then under their leadership the borough increasingly resembles a shop with empty shelves whose political management settles for second best - whilst it should be remembered has for the last two years tried to give itself a pay rise.



But this year, in 2012, we have the opportunity to change how our borough is run. We have a chance in May’s elections to get rid of the incompetent Tory management and their Lib Dem supporters.



A Labour run council cannot change the economic policy of a Government run by ex-Eton schoolboys who know the price of everything and the value of nothing. But at every opportunity we will defend our borough and its people. And for starters, a Labour council will cut the councillors’ allowance bill by £50,000.



Over the next two years a Labour run Walsall council will make sure the needs of its most vulnerable clients and communities and the most disadvantaged neighbourhoods are protected. It will fight to use regeneration schemes to bring high skilled, high paid jobs to the borough. It will seek to organise education so that children from Suretstart to Sixth Form share in the best practice and most effective support so all our youngsters can move forward and none are left behind. In social care we will demand and deliver a fair and sympathetic approach to needs assessments of the disabled and the elderly. We will turn the council’s £900,000 communication’s unit into a tool that doesn’t tell people how well the council’s political leaders think they are doing, but instead asks voters, ‘how can we do better?’



Who will now dare to tell us that "We are all in this together" ?



FINANCE AND GOVERNANCE

Fairness in service delivery, ensuring equality in resources, cutting waste and delivering better governance starting at the top.



The Conservative budget cuts go too far and too fast, are disproportionate to local government as a whole and to our borough in particular. Furthermore a wide range of studies show that Walsall and the Black Country are amongst the least resilient areas across the country, in terms of the impact on our local economy, increases in unemployment, house re-possessions, rising child poverty - and all the social challenges which will inevitably follow.



The primary role of a Walsall Labour council will be to defend our local communities in the face of the “bankers’ recession”. We recognise that our borough needs financial stability - it would help none of our disadvantaged communities to have a bankrupt council.



We will address widespread elements of unfairness and inequalities currently present in the allocation of resources in all areas of life in Walsall. We recognise that the current central Government is cutting support for Walsall. We must therefore use current funds as effectively as possible, look at every opportunity to develop new funding streams for Walsall, use high-level negotiating skills before signing any contracts, and merge fragmented services where possible into a single commissioning contract. We will place the vital contribution of the voluntary sector at the heart of our strategic plan for Walsall.



Labour will therefore undertake a “root and branch” review of council structures and external contracts, in order to create “value for money” and the flexibility and finance to invest in our local neighbourhoods.



Furthermore the following policy priorities and principles should underpin the implementation of budget decisions :

• to protect the needs of the most vulnerable clients and communities

• to protect services within the most disadvantaged neighbourhoods.



Our local Conservatives often tell us that our council should be run as a business. However during their decade in power it is well documented that in excess of £30 million has been lost through errors, misjudgements, project overspends and mismanagement - monies which in other circumstances would have been in our financial reserves and available for use in tough times.



Walsall Labour will give greater priority to the Council’s audit committee and function, with greater emphasis on independent advice and participation. We will improve the accountability of Cabinet decisions, with all relevant minutes reported to full council meetings.



Walsall Labour will revise the current Councillor allowance scheme, within an overall budget reduction of £50,000 over the two year council term.



We would retain a positive “critical friend” relationships and “open door” policy with local trade unions - and will support national not local pay bargaining. Whilst we are unable to make unrealistic promises in the economic circumstance of local government, we also share many common interests.



CHILDREN, YOUNG PEOPLE AND EDUCATION

Shaping futures for our youngsters, protecting our children, supporting families and building stepping stones for successful lives.



There is much to celebrate and be proud of in the achievements of our children and young people. But the sad fact remains that Walsall’s performance in terms of academic attainment remains well below the national average. Despite recent welcome improvements at key stages 2 (age 11) and 4 (GCSE / O-level), our borough is currently ranked nationally at 144 out of 151 councils at both early years / foundation stage and key stage 5 (A-level). Furthermore attainment is very patchy, with outcomes in the most disadvantaged areas proving year on year that there has been insufficient investment and resources.



Many of our schools across the borough are being forced into academy status. We worry that this is not based on any evidence of educational advantage, but on political dogma. Academy and “free” schools are accountable only to the Secretary of State, which leaves a vacuum in local leadership and responsibility.



Whilst Labour agrees that the SERCO contract is no longer viable in the face of these policy changes (and indeed opposed the extension of the contract in 2008) we have major concerns about the potential vacuum between the local authority and local schools. We strongly believe that there is a responsibility to support, monitor and scrutinise education and schools across the borough whatever their status - both within and without of the local authority family.



We would therefore develop an educational partnership to understand and oversee educational performance and attainment, health and well-being, progress and prospects for our children and young people at all stages of their development. We believe that there remains a crucial need for strategic leadership at a council level, to support local children, parents and families to achieve the best start in life.





Walsall Labour welcomes the continuing local commitment to Surestart programmes for young children and their families. We will ensure that good practice and partnership working are shared across the sector to improve support to challenging families and personal development and performance within nursery and early years settings.



We will ensure that young people are provided with a suitable range of sport and other positive activities. We will also work closely with and recognise the importance of the key role our voluntary sector plays in helping to achieve positive outcomes for young people. This must be balanced with reassurance that anti-social behaviour will be firmly tackled within the wider context of neighbourhood management and community safety.



SOCIAL CARE AND HEALTH

Protecting our elderly and vulnerable, fighting health poverty, defending OUR NHS



Provision of effective and efficient social care and health are at the heart of a caring society. Inequality, disadvantage and poverty are major determinants as to quality of life and health enjoyed by local people across Walsall.



It is recognised that there are increasing demographic pressures on budgets, both through the increasing numbers of elderly people and the very high numbers of people in Walsall with long-term illness and conditions. Labour supports the important principle of preventative measures to assist people to live as independently as possible, caring for people as close to home as possible, along with the crucial importance of integrated working between social care and NHS services.



However government policy has also forced major budget pressures being implemented in Social Care, which already in Walsall indicate savings since 2010 of over £40 million, which is equivalent to nearly 30% of the initial budget. Furthermore the dogmatic pursuit of the current so-called "reform" of the NHS has led to massive uncertainty as to the future.



Walsall Labour will ensure that a free community alarm / telecare service is available to all residents over 80 years of age resident in the Borough, and will investigate the possible extension of this provision to other vulnerable adults.



We will amend the current benefits-based charging policy so as to ensure that service users no longer have to pay for services which they do not receive.



We will ensure improvements in relation to :

• a fair but sympathetic approach to needs assessments,

• better communication with service users, including charging formats

• named person contacts to provide continuity and assurance.





We will campaign against privatisation of the NHS, and in the short-term retain a separate health scrutiny function within council structures. We will work to retain joined-up commissioning approaches with NHS partners, including a wide range of general services and including mental health and learning disability, and support the establishment of a strong health and well-being board, able to scrutinise and challenge commissioning decisions.







REGENERATION

Creating skilled jobs, fighting low pay and low expectations, building for the future, protecting our environment



The past ten years of Conservative and Lib-Dem administration in Walsall has yielded little for our most vulnerable communities. They have relied too heavily on major projects to the detriment of our district centres and our most deprived neighbourhoods. Walsall’s Meanwhile the Conservative-led administration has continually taken advantage of the Labour governments’ commitment to spend money on regeneration, claiming credit for millions of government spending on projects such as the ring road, Walsall Manor Hospital, Walsall College - and £50 million alone in the Bloxwich New Deal Area.



Since the Coalition Government came into power, Walsall’s Conservative-led council has fully supported a package of cuts that are now starting to have a negative impact on our most vulnerable residents. The demise of the Future Jobs Fund Training Scheme and the abolition of the Educational Maintenance Allowance have inflicted extreme hardship on young people, with youth unemployment at a level not seen since the early 1980s.



The Conservative-led council’s regeneration strategy has led to a Walsall town centre that is disjointed, unfocused, and full of abandoned retail premises. Walsall Conservative’s housing strategy is in disarray, failing to deliver on the much-needed affordable family homes that they promised, with district centres - the very towns that make up Walsall - starved of investment.



Walsall Labour will ensure that this picture is reversed, by using council assets to support growth in the economy, creating much needed employment. We will work closely with our colleagues across the Black Country to ensure that the Black Country Local Enterprise Partnership delivers the sustainable re-development of the Darlaston / Walsall enterprise zone.



We will ensure that Walsall Adult and Community College is neighbourhood-focused and works more closely in a sustainable partnership with our Voluntary and Community sector - so that the skills gap is closed and that everyone gets the opportunity to better themselves without prejudice to where they live.



New models of housing investment will be developed to ensure families and individuals have adequate housing and choices of tenure, and we will develop more co-operative housing models to ensure tenants are empowered to take control of their communities.



Walsall Labour will:

• support young people into work

• create housing co-operatives

• deliver regeneration of Darlaston / Walsall enterprise zone

• work with local businesses toward sustainable and skilled employment

• encourage housing developments that meet the needs of our residents

• ensure our college supports our commitment to neighbourhood regeneration.









ENVIRONMENT (TRANSPORT AND PLANNING)



Supporting and encouraging businesses and investment, delivering cleaner and greener communities, review parking charges and stop discouraging motorists and visitors, making planning work for communities by listening and acting on residents’ views.

Recycling has always been high on the agenda for Walsall, and government targets have continually encouraged the council to do what is right for the environment in local and global terms. But under the savage cuts in local government spending, the pressure will be on to change service delivery to suit limited budgets instead of what is right for the community.



Cleaner streets are what local people expect from a good local council. Unfortunately the Conservative-led council have failed to listen to Labour pleas to provide a fair and equal service across our borough. Often this leaves many of our communities abandoned to rubbish and fly tipping as a normal daily experience, whilst lack of meaningful enforcement has led to our streets becoming blighted. We believe is unacceptable.



Transport in Walsall has benefited from major investment during the Labour Government years, but local decision-making by the Conservative-led council oversaw massive overspends on the ring road, putting pressure on other local road repair projects and inadequately dealing with potholes.



The Conservative-led council has continually failed to play a full role regionally, allowing other areas to get major investment in rail and road projects, with no sign of any metro line coming into our borough.



We welcome the principles of the localism agenda by the Government and will support any legislation that puts planning decisions closer to the communities it effects ; however we also recognise the negative view that this may mitigate to oppose planning applications rather than supporting positive change. We believe that planning is a tool to allow neighbourhoods to regenerate and the local economy to grow, and thus will take a more positive stance to enable communities to work together to ensure that new developments and regeneration are neighbourhood-based and supported through our Neighbourhood Management model.



Walsall Labour will :

• ensure recycling is affordable and accessible to all our neighbourhoods

• make neighbourhoods cleaner and greener, where necessary through the use of more effective enforcement powers

• ensure Walsall gets its fair share of investment in our roads and public transport

• review Walsall town centre car parking

• make planning work for communities

• bring decision making back to local people and empower people to play an active role and take pride in their borough.









NEIGHBOURHOODS

Fighting crime , creating safe communities, acting on residents’ concerns, listening to peoples’ needs not telling them what they should want!

Following many years of campaigning by Walsall Labour for the introduction of a Neighbourhood Management model of working in Walsall, the Conservative administration finally caved in and introduced it. We welcomed the better partnership working that this change brought and the impact it had on our neighbourhoods. Unfortunately they neglected one of the most important parts of Neighbourhood Management - that is our residents.



So many things that are important to people happens on their door step and affect them daily. Our Police service is based on neighbourhoods, our schools are based in neighbourhoods, our doctors are in our neighbourhoods - and our neighbourhoods are made up of people. So why does the council finally get all the services working together, but then make it difficult for YOU - the people that matter - to influence how those services work on your behalf ?



Crime and anti-social behaviour happens in our streets and our neighbourhoods ; fly tipping and litter happens in our streets and our neighbourhoods. Our homes, our streets and our neighbourhoods are crucial to our quality of life. Walsall Labour believes that this is where services should be targeted and where people can have a real say in how our council works.



Walsall Labour believes that the regeneration of our communities should be delivered within our neighbourhoods, allowing residents to take control of their own destiny and supporting them to make their neighbourhood the best it can be.



Walsall Labour will :

• develop the Neighbourhood Management model to benefit the most vulnerable

• make residents equal partners in service delivery

• build better partnerships to tackle anti-social behaviour, crime and make our neighbourhoods safer to live in

• support the Voluntary and Community Sector in delivering better services for people

• put people first.


We keep our promises.. Please vote Labour and for myself Ian Robertson on May 3rd




published by electronic means by Ian Robertson 87 Belvidere Road Walsall WS1 3AU

The decision date for voting gets nearer

 Decision time and voting day of 3rd May gets closer.


While nationally the performance of Cameron’s Government gets worse… a farce and making us the laughing stock as Theresa May our Home Secretary gets her dates wrong, Osbourne in his budget hits the elderly with his granny tax, hits the income of those who are struggling to makes ends meet and gives around a £40000 pay rise to millionaires .. when 25 out of the 27 members of the cabinet are millionaires!

Our NHS is being turned upside down in a reorganisation that threatens to wreck what is a most precious service … listen to what Lord Winston, a pioneer in fertility treatment, said on TV the other night that these health service reforms threaten the whole fabric of our NHS.

In Walsall if we gain those critical 4 extra seats, and I get back in Blakenall, I pledge to lead the fight to scrutinise every change in the service and be a very effective voice to stop any privatisation of our NHS.

We are very aware that there are many with the removal of their Disability Living Allowance will be condemned to a miserable existence.. I have a number of statements where those affected are feeling suicidal at the prospect of trying to manage on a serious loss of income.. maybe alright for those of plentiful means but not for many… Welfare rights service are dealing with well over 100 cases more over the last week or so. We will look very carefully at these cases and ensure they have the best advice and support.

The issue of fairness to all residents will be restored.

This Tory Council has lost over £25 million pounds in failed employment tribunals and many failed contracts. Any Council Officer negotiating future contracts will only be someone who has the high quality skills to negotiate the best possible deal for the public purse// dealing with contracts that in the private sector are mostly interested in making a profit for their shareholders.

There will be a root and branch approach to every area of Council activity and certainly look at the level of wage costs to our very highly paid senior executives.. is anyone worth the equivalent of £230,000? We shall see!



Published by electronic means by Ian Robertson 87 Belvidere Road Walsall WS1 3AU

Reasons to vote Labour on May 3rd

- Labour has a real chance of gaining 4 more seats in this election to give us a small majority and so able to restore a fairer distribution of the available resources to Blakenall. Our long struggles to get proper road repairs done promptly and regularly will end. We have had some success as in Oak Crescent and around Leamore Park but has taken far to long while other areas of Walsall have had much more.


- Blakenall has been given second best for too long with those in charge deciding that we will make do with a worse standard. That will and must end. Tipping is cleared within 3 days over the rest of Walsall and more money spent on roads per year in Pelsall than in Blakenall, Bloxwich Eat and West combined.

- There are many powers of enforcement and prosecution around fly tipping, litter dropping, failure by the few irresponsible dog owners to clear up after their pet, breaking of planning rules such as running a scrap business from their home residence, non enforcement of tenancy agreements, absent landlords that allow their property to be let to dreadful tenants, owners of empty properties which must be brought back into use , owners of open spaces or parks whether it be the Council , Walsall Housing group or others who allow this land to be used as a tippers paradise and do not maintain these open spaces to allow residents and their children to use these important community assets.

- We would also then hold the chair of the planning committee and pledge that decisions taken there will fully reflect the views and wishes of local residents and not the wishes of big business.

- If elected, the immediate priority will be to resolve the way forward and modify the Goscote development plan to fully reflect the concerns and fears of residents in the immediate vicinity of this site.

- I am certain that if the Council remains run by the Tories after May Blakenall library will be closed and Bloxwich Leisure centre will be privatised.

- The Blakenall Labour team have worked hard together to make a real difference to our ward.. the prospect of becoming a responsible controlling group will , after 12 years of Tory control , give us the power to bring faster and fairer change to Blakenall.

- If re-elected, the proposal to introduce a licensing system for those who deal in scrap will be introduced , similar to the way taxis are licensed. Those who deal with ‘tat’ from their home address and so cause nuisance to their neighbours will not get a licence and so will be stopped.

- There are a number of areas where we must establish a local community group to have real say in how their area is run.. the flats and properties in Walker Road and Newhome way now the doors have been fixed; the area of Poets and Goscote with future plans to discuss and the current area to maintain properly ; friends groups to re-establish such as for Leamore Park, the open space around Cannon Street North, a number of areas in North Walsall to work closely with our excellent beat Sergeant . We hold weekly surgeries on Thursdays 12 noon at Ryecroft Community centre Ryecroft place and attend the police surgery monthly at St Thomas of Canterbury church hall , last Wednesday of each month 6.30pm.

- If re-elected ,as someone who has worked in our NHS for 40 years, I will play a lead role in the Health and Well being board set up to monitor the changes in our NHS and address especially the health inequalities that effect Blakenall.

- I will bring all partners together, the police, Walsall Housing group, the Council and our re-organised health service to take joined up and sustained action to make a real difference.

- There must be better joined up action to coordinate the excellent work of the voluntary sector and schemes to provide real apprenticeship places that will lead to real jobs

- I serve on two local schools Harden JMI and North Walsall Primary which are moving towards becoming academies and need good advice and support .

- I serve as a director on New Horizons and will support that organisation to become a focus for sustainable community development for the whole of North Walsall.

- I am secretary of Blakenall United Reformed Church Blakenall Lane and director of the linked organisation Comex supporting homeless people.
Hope you will consider voting for me on My 3rd in Blakenall!  Thanks
Ian Robertson
ublished by electronic means byIan Robertson 87 Belvidere Road walsall WS1 3AU

My pledge on our NHS

Labour: the last line of defence for your NHS
If elected and Labour may well take control of this Council, we pledge to preserve as much as possible our NHS.. we shall have the chair of the Health and Well being Board and will commit to the following.


The argument in Parliament about the Health Bill may have ended. But the fight for the NHS on the ground is only just beginning.

  Labour will be the last line of defence in your community for the NHS – an NHS now coming under sustained attack from Mr Cameron and his duplicitous Tory-led Government.

His re-organisation is already causing real harm: longer waits and chaos in A&E; operations and treatments restricted as the postcode lottery gets worse; nurses made redundant in their thousands.



1. Protecting an NHS free for all, resisting the encroachment of charges and unwarranted restrictions based on lifestyle choices.

In some areas, some patients are routinely being denied treatment based on their weight or whether they smoke. In York, a GP's surgery even sent patients a price list for minor operations currently free on the NHS. These things are wrong and we will speak out against them.

2. Preventing a postcode lottery.

Cameron’s Health Bill has laid the ground for a postcode lottery writ large. Already, patients in some areas are being denied routine treatments, such as for varicose veins, that are available on the NHS elsewhere. We will ask health professionals to work with others to maintain comparable access for all.

3. Maintaining Labour’s waiting standards for cancer, planned operations and in A&E.

Since the Coalition relaxed Labour's targets, there’s been a 25% increase in people waiting longer than 18 weeks for operations. They lowered our A&E target - and have missed it in 13 of the last 14 weeks. Strong Labour Mayors and Councils will oppose NHS hospitals treating private patients at the expense of NHS patients.

4. Promoting collaboration over competition; preventing the market destabilising valued NHS hospitals and services.

Cameron wants hospitals to go into outright competition. Some valued hospitals are already threatened by this competitive free-for-all.

Labour will call for a 'one NHS' approach in every community.

5. Putting patients before profits.

There are already signs that financial incentives may mean NHS patients get sub-optimal care. Cheaper and less effective drugs are already being prescribed. Labour will always be vigilant in protecting patient choice and preventing profiteering.

I was sickened at the way Cameron rammed his Health Bill through Parliament. But sitting back and waiting for things to go wrong would be the wrong response. The NHS is far too important.


So the 'NHS Pledge' is the next phase of our NHS campaign. It's about doing what we can to protect the NHS from the worst that Cameron throws at it.

By joining forces with health professionals at local level, we can resist the drive towards the privatisation of our country’s best-loved institution. And we can protect the huge advances the NHS made under Labour: the lowest-ever waiting times and the highest-ever patient satisfaction.


May's local elections give people angry about what’s happening to our NHS a chance to tell the NHS Con-man in No 10 what they think of his shoddy betrayal of NHS patients and staff.

In Opposition, he used the NHS to pose as a different kind of Tory. In office, he's been turned out to be more right-wing on the NHS than Margaret Thatcher.

He promised no top-down re-organisation but brought forward the biggest and most dangerous ever.

And Mr Clegg's Yellow Tories, in waving it through Parliament, will go down in history as co-conspirators in this great NHS betrayal.

So our message in this May’s Local Elections is simple and clear: a vote for Labour is a vote for the NHS. We will be, as we have always been, its last line of defence.
Do you think that spending £18 million to reorganise the NHS in Walsall is a waste of good health care money? Vote for Labour and Ian Robertson on May 3rd and as someone who has worked in the NHS for 40 years.. you will see how I shall fight tooth and nail to keep our NHS healthy here in Walsall.
regards
Ian

published by Ian Robertson 87 Belvidere Road Walsall WS1 3AU by electronic means.

- If Labour win just another 4 seats we will have the privilidge and responsibility of taking control of Walsall Council. Our policy is very clear.


- We would address the inequalities of distribution of resources over the Borough to make this much fairer. The much worse health record in areas such as ours must be reduced.

- The cuts to our services and support to the vulnerable are severe and we will look very carefully at how the reduced budgets can be used as effectively as possible . Aiming for properly joined up services ,sharing efficiciently management costs. A root and branch examination of current contracts will reveal better value for the spend of public money.

- We will establish a much more powerful and independent audit committee of the Council to check the spend of your money.

We will introduce a by law that all scrap wagons will have to display a licence plate as do taxis. This will ensure that those who wish to operate a scrap wagon will have to go before a licensing committee who will issue such a licence if they are agreed they will operate according to the law and for example not run their business from their home residential address.

We will look quickly and carefully at cases where due to the introduction of benefit based charging, some serious hardships have happened. these need to be looked at in greater detail to see where we could help.  we shall expand the welfare rights service who will ensure those very vulnerable people receive maximum support.
Cllr Ian Robertson
The fact that this Council receive more in parking fines than from parking ticket revenue reinforces the message from those who run businesses in walsall that high initial parking charges are hurting this Town and driving visitors away. We will look at how we can introduce a free first 1/2 hour or so to atract them back.
We will promote community enterprise and a strong and fully appreciated voluntary sector.

published by electronic means by Ian Robertson 87 Belvidere Road walsall WS1 3AU

Gosocte and Poets plans deferred for decision.

Comment regarding Wednesday Planning Committee 15th March


From Cllr Ian Robertson 01922 634642 and 07956 829549



Walsall Planning Committee decided on Wednesday night to put off making a final decision on the application for outline planning permission in Goscote and Poets areas of Blakenall.

There were calls for more complete surveys of ground conditions and the ecology of the sites. Residents have been waiting for over 5 years for the start of the promised regeneration of their communities and the area ,so there must be a real sense of urgency to come to a positive agreement on a robust plan to make a start, especially at a time when the economy everywhere is in such a poor state.

The deadline to agree this plan must happen within the timescale of three months . Anything more will risk missing the slim but real opportunity for both the Walsall Housing Group ( WHG) and Walsall Council coming together with the community and a developer, yet to be identified, to have the vision for a new Blakenall built here. This vision must have plans for excellent landscaping of the open spaces with proper play facilities and expansion and enhancement of local schools and roads.

In the immediate future we need Walsall Council and WHG to properly look after the present open spaces in partnership with the police and an effective neighbourhood watch network of local residents to control the fly tipping and anti social behaviour that causes serious nuisance to residents. There is also an urgent need to re-establish a regular bus service along Goscote Lane.

There is a commitment from all parties including local Councillors to make this happen. If we do win in May and gain control of this Council this issue will be addressed along with the fact that the current Tory Council over the past 12 years have favoured their own areas with resources... we shall redress that balance to give a much fairer distribution to areas such as Blakenall.

Cllr Ian Robertson ( Blakenall Ward)

published by electronic means by Ian Robertson 87 Belvidere Road walsall WS1 3AU

planning issues about Goscote and Poets

Dear Resident,



We are sure you are aware an outline planning application has been submitted for the re-building of houses on the former Poets and Goscote sites and we are very aware that many of you oppose some parts of that application. We fully share your concerns, but we would just like to clarify some issues.

- These proposals will not touch any part of Swannies Field and will affect The Lea ( for those not sure, the land opposite the former Dolphin Pub and to the rear of Hardy Road).



- If permission was granted ,it would be advertised to see if any developer would be prepared to enter into a very tight contract and would have to submit a far more detailed planning permission which would then come back to everyone for comment and modification.



- The Goscote site would have 98 houses. The rest of the Goscote land would be then landscaped and then swapped for the greenbelt land taken from the Lea and not left as a rubbish tip.



Our fear is, that if we do not at least explore this way forward, the very large areas of non-maintained land will continue to attract fly tipping, motor bikes, fires and many other anti social issues. This will cause a great nuisance to you all , drive down the value of current house prices and result in more empty homes.

- for these reasons we reluctantly support this first stage of the planning application as the only possible way forward at this present economic time. We do have every respect of those genuine residents who are opposing it, but not political opportunists who see this as yet another way of obtaining negative publicity .

If you have any questions or comments please do get in touch with us on the above numbers.



Kind regards

Ian Ann

Cllr Ian Robertson Cllr Ann Young

diary post 11th march

Delighted that Oak Crescent and Elm Road have been resurfaced... a response to their petition .. emergency repairs done before Christmas.. but now well done!!
Also most of the area round the Park has been at last resurfaced... despite a lot of lobbying over the past few years... so unfair that for example more money is spent per year on the roads of Pelsall than all of roads in Blakenall, Bloxwich East and West pu together!
.. This is certainly something we will address if we gain those 4 extra seats in May local elections!!
There are lots of issues that quite rightly cause you a problem.. speeding    on Blakenall Lane... lack of parking for local residents there also... a residents' parking scheme could be proposed.. but my attempts to raise this before has been greeted by the tory council that there is no money depsite the fact that residents would have to pay for each permit. We need to have such schemes and have enforcement officers to ensure these rules are obeyed. This also needs a firmer hand on enforcement as a whole.. most dog owners are caring and responsible and clear up dog mess after their pet... great and welcome such responsible owners. A few do not and it is totally unacceptable not to clear this up as the risk of disease such as blindness can happen and treading this stuff into the house after accidentally treading on such a mess again makes this a real nuisance. Our children playing in the park should not have to combat dog mess or for that matter horse droppings. Time to employ some effective enforcement officers to keep our streets and playgrounds clear.

The planning approval comes to a special planning meeting on Wednesday 14th March 5.30pm.. anyonbe interested can attend as is a public meeting.
My view is that I really do not like the use of open space on the Lea to be used for building a number of houses most of which will be beyond the reach in pricing for most residents of Blakenall. It needs emphasing that Swannies field ( below the canal ) will not be touched.. However this proposal is the only one in town and is the only one that has any chance of bringing in the investment to rebuild what would be around 800 houses and rebuild the community.  certainly if this is approved and goes to European tender, there is a chance that a major investor would take up the offer and develop. Risk is that if nothing happens or this is rejected, those of you who live in that area will face another 10 or 15 years or non development and  my fear would be that the area would become so run down, the chances of ever doing such a development would be almost nil. So on balance taking into the vision for the whole of Blakenall, I can see no other way but try to go with this proposal. If a developer comes forward, this is the time to make a very tight contract, that ensures the open spaces are properly maintained , new facilities installed ( such as 5 a side pitches on Swannies)
This tight contract is essential to generate the money to redesign the roads and increase the capacity of local schools. Harden JMI ( which I serve as a Governor along with North Walsall JMI) does have spare capacity.. Edgar Stammers does not... however this could be an opportunity to sort a few issues for Hrden JMI with better access and well designed parking areas near to the entrances ( build up lay bys)
We are now 10 days away from the NHS reorganisation bill becoming law... opposed by all the NHS staff and representative bodies... devolving 80% of the budget to GPs and costing millions to implement. We shall be seeing what is called the 'risk register' where they have had to look at risks to the NHS for bringing in these expensive changes.. Having worked in the NHS for 40 years, I can tell you there are many areas that are in chaos with staff in the wrong place and this will cost in care and service to patients... Hospitals will be allowed to run up to 50% private earnings.
News this week that parts of the work of our police force can be put out to private companies should cause us serious concerns... confidential information with access by non police force workers?
The cuts in the fire service in the midlands will result in 5 front line fire officers being lost every month... along with loss now revealed of front line police officers...
grateful for nay comments...
regards
Ian

Diary 26th February

Some successes this week!
The collapsed sewer in Blakenall Lane is now fully repaired and the horrendous situation of raw sewerage flowing down the road not stopped...I  Only became aware of this some 10 days ago from residents that this had been the case since Christmas! Managed with others to focus the minds of Severn Trent , Environmental Health and the Environmental agency to get moving on it.
Thursday was budget day debate at full council. The tories and the liberals ( who in Walsall are really closet right wing tories) voted against our amendment which put into context the situation we face in Walsall where the most vulnerable and the less well off , face the real pain of all these cuts... £22Million off social services in the last 3 years and around £84 Million overall. The bribe from Mr Pickles to freeze council tax and accept the £2.5 million to do so has a serious bite in the tail that when this yearly bribe finishes , Walsall will resume the Council Tax ladder at a lower level and so suffer permanent loss of this money unless those who run the Council them have to make a very large catchup rise in Council Tax levels.. I had the real pleasure over Christmas of attending a school pantomime with my grandchildren who live in Brentwood Essex and no Mr Pickles was not on stage but was in the audience.. so when the 'he is behind you' was the dialogue when the ogre came on.. my cry was ' he is sitting on the front row!'
Back to the budget... I did quite a bit of research with officers and felt that spending to save option of using money to bring in free community alarms for the over 80's would be a sound investment. This alarm system is the envy of many of our neighbouring authorities and I think we could cover our costs by offering this service to a wider client base.  It is not only an emergency 24/7 cover with the 'round the neck alarm' but also has the ability to talk to clients as a human contact, at Christmas they wished them all Merry Christmas on the day, cases have com up where they could alert the emergency services such as fire brigade earlier than otherwise and by reducing the risk of emergency hospital admissions will ave lives and of course save resources and so money.
The liberal put down an amendment to spend more money on a range of areas in benefit support and youth provision but without some proper researched facts and figures and expected impact, we could not vote for what are excellent themes but no case for why more money is needed in these areas in addition to the large amounts already being spent.
Delighted that the scrap metal dealers report was enthusiastically supported. I went to almost every meeting of the working group producing this as I know how seriously the effects of their activity in the streets of Blakenall and wider afield ruins the lives of the neighbours of these 'tat' dealers... plus of course the enormous costs to us all of the activity of those who also deal in stolen metal.
A further notice of motion from the labour group highlighted the need for a policy to more promptly tackle the issue of empty closed public houses.. shame they are closing when some are important to keep up a place for social activity in our communities.
Took a number of residents to meet planning officers about the plans to rebuild Goscote and Poets on Friday. It is important that everyone has the opportunity to say their piece up to the planning meeting to be held on Wednesday 14th march at 5.30pm. Book your seat now!
Had a good meeting at the Mill Street mosque where hopefully good progress was made to establish a community based charity to run the management of the mosque in partnership with the brothers

Blakenall Diary 22nd February

We win some, we lose some.. At last yellow lines installed outside Harden Health centre... hopefully to stop those who park right outside and cause a danger to pedestrians and other road users in the area. Next we need those litter bins to stop the build up of litter floating down from the near by take a way.. the rats that drop th litter are feeding the rats that feed on th litter. I would up the penalties for dropping litter, dog fouling and of course the bigger fly tipping culprit to include community work where the culprit had to spend many hours doing clear ups. Fining them is too good for them. If they persist in their anti social behaviour, there is an excellent set of stocks near the lake in the Arboretum... I would happily throw the first rotten tomato. We also need a litter bin next to the new store on Walker road.. the manager has offered to look after the emptying and maintenance.
The flats in Walker road/Newholme way are at last getting some doors to the flats... the ones in Brunard way have been done.. cost at about £4000 each door...Despite increased patrols by the police without these new security entry doors, life in these flats has been dreadful for the tenants.
On thursday we shall have the scrap metal traders strategy coming to Council. Have been joining in with  a lot of commitment to this campaign which has had national support now to regulate this trade... stop the illegal activity in stolen metal, stop those who run the trade from their home address to the serious nuisance to their neighbours, regulate the level of noise nuisance they can make as they use their horns to annoyance their arrival, often on a daily basis.
Taking this friday,  a group of residents to meet the planning officer in charge of the Goscote planning application.. mostly those from Hardy road who quite rightly have serious concerns about plans that build on their doorstep and on open space that has been used as open space for such a long time.
I continue to have meetings as being part of the succession to New Deal... there is the potential that this organisation could lead the way to regenerate the whole of North Walsall and Bloxwich and build up a powerful joined up community that is self sustaining.
Also planned re meetings between the Mosque in Mill street and walsall Voluntary Association ( WVA) to agree a new robust charitable Constitution which can allow the community to be a full partner for the future. Another important duty this week is to join in meetings of Governors... at North Walsall Primary school.. a school that is making great progress, but is on th list to be turned into an academy... a step to be taken with great care.

I will report back.....
Regards
Ian

Diary 19th February

This week sees the main Council meeting for the year... budget setting on 24th February. Now the economy is suffering at the moment so there has to be cuts... what is wrong is that cutbacks have to be fair... we are altering the income of often very vulnerable groups of residents and so altering often dramatically their patterns of living.. some may need  that extra money to be able to buy food in a more expensive form or need a more expensive diet . Those who have a very health income will not be so affected as the cost of food rises by around 4% and incomes rise by much less.. probably around 1.7%... cost of travel and heating are also rising above the rate of increase of many peoples' income... there has to be a much better understanding of how this impacts residents and families...as a Council we can help by for example, assisting families to get back to cooking healthier fresh food at much less cost buying the pre packed, pre cooked variety.
We must ensure that our elderly have a decent quality of life and have the opportunity to socialise, get a decent diet, can afford to keep warm and are given easy access to support. Walsall has an excellent care phone service run from Brownhills and I think we should provide  such a phone to the most vulnerable.

The other area which is vital to supporting our families is the disgrace of families broken by domestic violence... we need to ensure that the walsall domestic violence forum is properly funded to continue the support so vital to such afflicted families. We shall see what we can debate on Thursday.

We need to tackle youth unemployment

I copy in the latest call by the Labour Group for some more robust action to tackle unemployment amongst our young people.
Certainly if we win in May , we shall be taking urgent action to use the current buiyng power of the Council to help. We also nee dto address the issue that many young people have lost hope of a future, have lost thier ambition and self confidence and have sometimes very little support from their parents.
Regards
Councillor Ian Robertson

Although Walsall council’s proposed apprenticeship programme offers 275 places, youth unemployment in the borough is running at twice the national average.


Labour is now calling on the council to do more by use its buying power to encourage companies with contracts of £1 million or more to hire local youngsters.

The ‘Walsall Works’ scheme launched this week by the Conservative council claims it will create 550 apprenticeships over two years for 16-24 year-olds; but this will still leave over 3700 Walsall young people looking for work.

The Leader of Walsall Labour group, Councillor Tim Oliver, said that the council’s plans did not address the scale of youth unemployment in the borough.

“We welcome any help for young people, but this scheme will leave thousands of young people in Walsall with no hope and no prospects. Sadly it may be a case of too little and too late for the vast majority of our young unemployed.

“It amounts to only 275 places a year while unemployment in this age group is running at approximately 4000.

To put that in context, in the St Matthew’s ward alone there are 340 young people without work.”

Labour councillors are supporting a call by the national Labour Party to use tax payers’ buying power to make companies awarded public contracts of £1 million or more take on apprentices.

The party is exploring how it can implement the proposal if it takes control of the council after May’s local elections

Cllr Oliver added: “It’s only fair to ask companies benefiting from Walsall council tax payers to give something back by hiring local youngsters; we want these jobs to be additional to the council’s current plans, but as with many of our other plans we want to work cooperatively with others to maximise the benefits.”





Cllr Oliver explained: “In Walsall, Birmingham and the Black Country, local councils spend billions buying in services. Labour councils working together can boost the regional economy by combining our consumer power to create thousands of extra jobs on top of existing schemes.”

Diary for week ending 5th February

Diary for Blakenall and Walsall

 Thank you for visiting this site. I will try and update this regularly!


Goscote and Poets. The Planning application has been submitted (on Friday 27th January) for approval to develop the areas of Poets and Goscote with a build of 700 to 800 houses. Now it is all about not just building houses but providing homes for people to rebuild a community. I was pleased to have talked on the doorstep to about 100 of residents, distributed a reply paid questionnaire to over 500 houses, held a couple of meetings with residents both at Blakenall village centre ( BVC) and Ryecroft Centre , together with talking to most of those who attended the exhibition at the BVC. I was also pleased to attend a meeting called by residents in Hardy road at the BVC.

& The main concerns are… why propose to use the green belt land at the Lea (top field above Swannies on other side of the canal). There is proposed a land swap to instead not use very much of the cleared site at Goscote ( just 70 houses) , build 700 to 800 houses of which 15% minimum would be ‘affordable’ that is available probably via Walsall Housing Group for rent . The land from the council and from WHG will be given free of charge and if passed at planning committee in March, the package will be offered under European tender rules in April. If a developer is prepared to take the financial risk, it may be that building could start this time next year. The contract would not impose any so called 106 ‘tax’ which is normally imposed to pay for road and school improvements. These would come from a contribution from the profits later in the scheme, along with other improvements such as landscaping of Goscote open space and provision of football pitches, fishing platforms and landscaping of Swannies field.

;Certainly I would very much regret both the use of the Lea for building and not rebuilding so much on the former Goscote site and that the new houses will be potentially too expensive for many local residents to afford. However if there are no realistic alternatives, this plan must go forward as the alternative is for this area to remain in limbo, with all the attendant fly tipping, fires, motor bikes, free roaming horses… more decent residents will leave and may threaten the area as more empty homes that remain unfilled increase in numbers.

I will ensure that those residents who are concerned will meet with planning officers, be kept fully informed of the plans and any meetings to further discuss details and I promise to represent them fully and raise their concerns at the relevant planning meeting and will question officers on points raised.. you can view the whole planning application on the internet but you may need some knowledge of ground surveys and the like… but I will plough through it and focus on points that need to be highlighted. Alison Ives is the planning officer heading this application .



;The other issue that caused me concern was the issue of granting planning permission to change the use of 176 Bloxwich road from a shop ( A1) to a fish and chip shop ( A5) . Now the reason this needs planning is that fish and chip shops produce smells and associated nuisance with extra car movements. This was recognised by planning officers who recommended refusal. The police recommended refusal and the environmental officers also recommended refusal. Two large petitions from local residents and numerous letters also asked that planning permission for this fish and chip shop is refused. No credible plan was presented for the extra parking needed for such a take a way. Despite all this evidence, planning was granted after 3 separate meetings and two tied votes when the chair cast his deciding vote in favour. Now the residents of Essex street and Bloxwich road are condemned to suffer the nuisance of this take a way and others using the junction will find it much more difficult to exit and will add to the risk of more accidents.

with a number of cases where WHG seem to be suing some sub contractors who are not communicating very well to the residents and some delays in implementing repairs… I hope the excuse is not that they are in chaos due to the move into the £7.5million new headquarters at junction of Littleton Street and Teddesley Street

.

- The number of stray horses has reduced from 81 to 40 over the past few weeks and I am campaigning to now find a site for the owners to lease, well away from the public, where they can be looked after and fed and not cause a nuisance with a payment to the council.. Why should others have to pay £300 to £400 a week  to maintain a horse? I do however understand the wish of some who have been brought up with horses and lived on the road .. however they have to conform with some rules .

- I have also been active over a long time to bring those who deal in scrap from a business run at their home address to conform with the law... a scheme  to enforce all these tat wagon owners to have to display a licence plate ( which is like those for taxis) and for this they have to be interviewed, declare their business address and be deemed a 'fit and proper person' as for a taxi licence to trade on the streets to collect scrap.. and conform to noise  regulations! If they break these rules , their licence would be withdrawn and they will be committing an offence to be seen on the street collecting. This is currently with the legal department of the  council to draft a by law.

Grateful for any feedback or comments.. above are just a few items that I am working on to hopefully make Blakenall  a place where there is competition from good residents wishing to move here and not the reverse!

Cllr Ian Robertson

News From Blakenall and North Walsall

News in Blakenall


We welcome the completion of the Hospice and the Respite Care Centre in Goscote Lane but we need restoration of a full bus service to serve Goscote Lane.

There is a real possibility that at least we are back on track to rebuild and regenerate the area around Goscote and Poets Corner which will go forward with full consultation with residents.

At last Walsall Housing Group and the Council are cleaning up the area and putting in cameras. We will insist this continues.

We are leading on regulating the scrap metal business and are pursuing our idea to introduce in Walsall a scheme that will force all scrap metal wagons to display a licence as on taxis and so could withdraw the licence if they do not obey the law.

Action is continuing to persuade and compel horse owners to put their horses onto designated sites out of Blakenall and well away from the public and pay for that permission… or face stiff fines.

News in North Walsall


Sites such as the ones Mill Street are now built on . Gradually we moving forward to persuade the private owners of these sites in North Street and Brewer Street ( where the Mary Elliot school stood) to also develop these areas .

We shall continue to campaign to clear up the alleyways and footpath just off Proffit Street , close the tunnel under the road and start the approved fill in of the old railway cutting. We also need a friends group in Cannon Street North to join with us to look after that valuable and potentially attractive open space.

Buildings that have attracted anti-social behaviour have gone such as the flats in Cannon Street North . .

We are working on lots of issues with residents such as closure of some alleyways, clearing tipped rubbish and working with our excellent new beat Officer Sergeant Jim Nixon, to hit hard all those who break the law, especially those involved in drug dealing.

 
Surgeries every Thursday 12 noon to 1pm at Ryecroft Resource Centre Ryecroft Place.


Do come along for a chat or ring us for a home visit.
Cllr Ian Robertson


01922 634642

07956 829549

robertsonic@hotmail.co.uk

Cllr Ann Young


01922 403747

07828888894

younga@walsall.gov.uk

Cllr Bob Thomas


01922 611543

07508 038485

thomasbob@walsall.gov.uk


Your Local Labour Councillors

News from Blakenall

I got news by asking the question that this Council spends £867K on communications unit.up £300K in 3 years  .. now i know we have to present a good image of Walsall to  the world but this does sound a lot of money! Certainly if labour took over in May we would wish to look very carefully at this cost and prioritise any spend on promotion of walsall Borough to attract new businesses especially to save our Town centres that look dire at the moment with closed shops.. I would accuse the current tory administration of failing miserably in the regeneration department in comparison to what should have been achieved even in a very difficult economic climate.
I was also questioning that areas such as thames road in Bloxwich east had been given a lot of cash via a number of sources to do up not only the rented WHG properties but also the many private houses .. Up to £15K on these private houses with no contribution by the owners.. now I have areas such as Goscote close , Dolphin close and Goscote lane where WHG are doing up their properties but the privately owned hones are not getting any support.. unfair is a printable comment..
There is the launch of a proposal for 700 to 800 homes for the now empty areas in Poets and Goscote after the demolition some 5 years ago. Economics has got in the way of what by now would have been a new community built and up and running. Now it is much more difficult.. so the suggestion is that we swop the current green belt of the top field past the canal above swannies field for the open space now in Goscote and build on this field and only build around  70 houses on the former Gosctoe site. Consultants who are supposed to know what they are talking about say that this will attract the serious builders who will commit to finally rebuilding this community. The number of 'affordable' houses on offer will be cut to 15% and the new build will be mostly private houses for sale. I am currently asking all residents to repsond either in person to the open meeting Thursday 19th January 3.30 to 8pm at the Blakenall village centre ( Thames rd) so that i can represent you all about your real concerns for this set of proposals which will come out as a planning application in February and go to planning committee in April. If passed wail go for European tender and if ( and although attractive there is no guarantee of success) we could be looking at a build start by this time next year.
Many conditions need sot be placed here. A serious commitment by WHG to keep area clean and maintained. a commitment by the police to drive out the drug dealers, those running scrap dealing etc from their home address, those who are badly anti social in their behaviour , a supply of security cameras, big pruning of hedges and other places where these folk hide, landscaping commitments to both Goscote site and swannies field with a decent bridge across the canal, fishing points on canal side etc and of course restoration of a proper bus service down Goscote lane.
We shall learn with interest what other comments are received before the planning application goes in
regards
Cllr Ian Robertson

Blakenall Councillors back call for no pay rises for Councillors!

Labour launch petition against Walsall councillor cash rise
The Labour Party in Walsall is launching a petition to oppose the proposed increase in allowances to councillors. It will be presented at the full meeting of Walsall Council on Monday evening by Labour leader of the opposition, Tim Oliver.

Walsall Labour councillors will vote against any overall increase in the budget for councillors’ allowances when they are presented at the meeting.

Labour councillors on Walsall council will reject plans to swell overall annual payments to cabinet members by nearly £16,000 a year.

Tim Oliver commented “We have been overwhelmed by the anger that these proposals have generated. Walsall people are ashamed that at this difficult time the local Tory councillors appear more interested in their own welfare rather than that of the borough.

The recommendation being put forward by the ruling Tory administration comes as councillors learnt of more job losses and more cuts in the government’s funding to Walsall council.

The Leader of the Council’s Labour group, Cllr Tim Oliver said any increase in overall councillors’ allowances is totally ‘unacceptable.’

“At a time when the council are preparing to cut more jobs and our staff are coping with a pay freeze, this move appears at best out of touch and insensitive. There is no question of Walsall Labour supporting this move.”



"It is certainly our view that there are matters which need correcting within Walsall's councillor allowance scheme. But let us be clear - we believe any corrections should be done within existing budgets. If in control Walsall Labour would look toward a different structure, but any changes made would have to balance themselves out at no extra cost."



The recommendation to increase senior councillors’ pay comes in a report by an independent committee on elected members’ allowances. It proposes special responsibility payments to the council leader would increase by £2000 to £22,365 a year; from £8.300 to £15,000 for the deputy leader , while seven remaining members of the cabinet would see their individual allowances rise to £9300 per year; an increase in the cabinet’s wage bill of £15,700 per year.



Ends



For further information contact Tim Oliver 07969264635

what a time for the tory cabinet to propose a pay rise for councillors!

4th January


A set of revised pay rates is to go to Council next Monday. It cannot be right to raise the cost of us councillors at a time when we are making 99 members of our staff redundant and cutting severely into the budgets to support the most vulnerable in this Borough.



Taking a step back to try and judge what is fair in view of the time commitment involved, for example, those who sit on the cabinet ( if they do their job well and conscientiously!) should be spending quite a time each day in hands on managing public money of around £700 million a year.



Those who chair committees such as employment , audit, scrutiny committees and planning do have a bit more work than an ordinary councillor but not that much more in my view, to justify an extra £5200 to £8300 each more in pay. A cut to a total pay here to say around £3000 as an extra allowance, would save about £40000 which would result in an overall cut in the budget to the council tax bill for the cost of councillor pay, rather than what is currently proposed which would cost around £16000 extra.



. At a time of painful cuts for the community we councillors must not be immune . We used to do the job for an allowance for each committee we attended but I accept that this could seriously disadvantage younger candidates who could find their income so very badly affected if they then committed to taking on a lot of extra responsibilities over and above that of an ordinary councillor

.This must be balanced however , by the fact that is an honour to be elected and represent your local residents . Many of us do similar unpaid work as magistrates, sit on voluntary bodies such as the Citizens advice bureau and run very time consuming counselling work in marriage guidance with no claim for payment so working as a councillor still represents a similar considerable public service. So scrap the increases and cut the extra allowances !!



Regards