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
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
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
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
Monday, February 20, 2012
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 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.
Sunday, February 5, 2012
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.”
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.”
Saturday, February 4, 2012
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
.
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
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