The things you have raised with us that are important and I agree need addressing are:-
- 1) Action on scrap wagons. We need a law change to make dealing in scrap much more carefully regulated with dealing only possible through a bank account ( will stop those illegal ones ) and allocate a suitable industrial area which is secure and all wagons to be parked there with on site facilities for them to sort the metal..in return they be given access to public bodies wishing to dispose of valuable scrap.
Stray horses the number are now over 100. We need to lease some suitable land to those who wish to keep horses where the horses are safe, the public are not put at risk by horse wandering onto roads etc and away from houses.
Verges. This Council has not taken appropriate action on the abuse of those placing their vehicles on the verge.. either causing obstruction to the footpath for buggies, wheelchairs and other users and a serious hazard for the poorly sighted. We need some clear policy on this along with dropped curbs. I shall bring to the debate proposals via a notice of motion to June Council. ( needs the legal bods to check the right words!)
- 2) Opposition to NHS changes. we need to address the serious health inequalities where life expectancy in parts of the Borough including Blakenall, we live on average 9 years less than those who live in places such as Streetly.. unfair and a scandal.
- 3) Fears over cuts to police numbers. We hear the police in Walsall will cut police numbers.. fewer police on beat and more scope for the criminals.. we are already seeing a rise in burglary.
- 4) Absent landlords with bad tenants. Here there are many owners who live for example in London who just do nor care who is living in their properties. these really bad tenants are creating havoc in the community and need to either mend their ways or be evicted fast. The Council must map out ownership of these properties and read them the riot act.
5) WHG letting to bad tenants or their relations. WHG must let only to tenants who have a good record and impose immediate sanctions on those who break their tenancy agreements.
- 6) Street cleaning standards. these are poor in some areas and we need a more rigorous inspection regime post sweeping.
-7) we need zones around schools that make the roads safer with 20mph mandatory, no parking ( with in necessary barriers) and on a different topic no new take aways within an agreed zone .
- 8) Dog fouling problem. This must be addressed as a serious health hazard with signage, education and penalties with more prosecutions.
- 9) Lack of effective youth support. Only £6000 to cover all activities over Borough this summer and I am certain we get poor value for money for the spend that happens.
- 10) Pot holes and standard of road repairs. The damage to cars and injuries to pedestrians is a serious health and safety issue and is costing this council in claims.
- 11) Bad contracts .. tarmac( roads) Amey ( lightng ) and serco ( Education). They are not grilled denough on their performance and their contracts appear to have more loopholes than a sieve.
- 12) Poor standards in education and rush to academies. We are heading for 2 tier education in Walsall with those who need more support to achieve thrown onto scrap heap
- 13) Fly tipping. We need local street watches set up to report such items and those caught and those dropping litter made to do at least a stint in cleaning up Walsall ( does depend on court cooperation)
- 14) Maintenance of open spaces, parks , and parcels of land, their ownership. Standard of care. These open spaces must be a place where all go with families to enjoy.. some are deteriorating with roaming yobs around not from this area with vandalism.
- 15) Empty property .. lack of maintenance by absent owners.. who owns? These are a blot on the landscape and quicker action to trace owners, force them to secure the properties and tidy them up ( we do have many powers as a council)
- 16) leisure facilities, leisure centres , libraries. These need protecting expanded and made more attractive to potential users.
- 17) domestic violence centre support. we have excellent units in Walsall supporting families and trying to prevent long term damage to victims and the family , but this Council just keeps cutting the very modest grant to these precious volunteers.
- 18) war on drugs dealers, They are still there and laughing all the way to the bank ( or use money to buy property for cash) Residents must have a really easy way to report patterns of activity... catch them, lock them up and take all their assets away. Ring fence some of that money to try and repair the damage to the victims. Same with pimps.
- 19) out of control families. Those completely dysfunctional families have children who also grow up often to have similar problems. There are central Government grants to put in extra support.. needs to be done as a joint project with other partners.
- 20) restorative justice. Here selected petty criminals are made to face their victims.. Has a proven track record of greatly cutting re offence rates
- 21) community enterprise. More resources made available to support more local enterprises.
- 22) Speed reduction measures ( not humps) with good community consultation.
- 23) Need for streetwatch, neighbourhood watch community action.
- 24) Development of the voluntary sector and support
- 25) More open government and opportunities for public to question the council. Transparent decision making
- 26) War on waste, losses such as ERDF and inefficiencies
- 27) Partnerships with neighbouring Councils to save money
- 28) Obesity reduction in children reduction.. otherwise the parents will out live their children
- 29) Drug and alcohol support . Small investments here can save otherwise waste lives.
- 30) Town centres improvements.. empty shops, action to make them family friendly. etc. Our town centres are dying
- 32) Use of pay back, neets. Need for tree pruning and open space maintenance.
- 33) High profile on need to the urgency to at last start the regeneration of major parts of Walsall e.g Goscote corridor.
- 34) Green measures to make Walsall cleaner and contribute to green agenda
- 35) Expand street theatre and markets in all town centres.
- 36) Public exercise points as in Europe towns.
I will be grateful for any comments or feedback.. I do not feel that the above are unrealistic ideas and do welcome feedback!!
Thanks for reading
regards
Cllr Ian Robertson
Your local Labour Councillor
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