We would like to remind you about the local residents ‘meeting to be held on Wednesday 27th July 6.30pm at St Thomas church Hall .
we very much support the efforts of Sgt Jim Nixon and wish to expand the lobbying pressure from you to other partners such as the Council, Walsall Housing Group and the Primary Care Trust ( Health)
We shall be there to support Jim and answer any questions or take up any issues you may have. If you cannot make the meeting you are most welcome to call any of the numbers
01922 634642 097956 829549 Cllr Ian Robertson
Friday, July 22, 2011
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Do come and have your say!!
To the residents of Chantry and Hollemeadow Avenue,
Chapel, Foster & Dawson Streets, Guild & St Clements Avenues
Dear Resident,
You will remember we used to hold public meetings regarding Leamore Park. I am sure you know problems are arising again in the Park and crime and anti social behaviour has recently been reported to us. Therefore we have arranged a meeting for you the residents, on Wednesday 10th August at 6.30pm. at the Blakenall United Reformed Church ( in the hall) at the corner of Blakenall lane and Chantry Avenue
Guests present to answer your questions will be the Walsall Area Partnership manager, the new incoming Police Sergeant, the person running the Anti Social behaviour unit and an Officer from Walsall Housing Group.
This will be an excellent opportunity for you to put questions on any local issue or pose problems to senior officers either in public or in private.
For further information do not hesitate to contact us on the above numbers. Please do you best to attend, coming together will achieve a lot more than a lone voice!
Kind regards
Ann , Ian and Bob.
p.s we shall also be expanding the invites to the excellent residents' group meetings run by Sgt Nixon... next one is on wednesday 27th July 6.30pm at St Thomas church on Dartmouth Avenue.
You can also get in touch with us if you have access to the internet on :-
Blakenalllabour.blogspot.com iloveblakenall.blogspot.com
Or by email robertsonic@hotmail.co.uk thomasr@walsall.gov.uk
youngp@walsall.gov.uk robertsonic1@facebook.com
you can also ‘tweet us’.
Chapel, Foster & Dawson Streets, Guild & St Clements Avenues
Dear Resident,
You will remember we used to hold public meetings regarding Leamore Park. I am sure you know problems are arising again in the Park and crime and anti social behaviour has recently been reported to us. Therefore we have arranged a meeting for you the residents, on Wednesday 10th August at 6.30pm. at the Blakenall United Reformed Church ( in the hall) at the corner of Blakenall lane and Chantry Avenue
Guests present to answer your questions will be the Walsall Area Partnership manager, the new incoming Police Sergeant, the person running the Anti Social behaviour unit and an Officer from Walsall Housing Group.
This will be an excellent opportunity for you to put questions on any local issue or pose problems to senior officers either in public or in private.
For further information do not hesitate to contact us on the above numbers. Please do you best to attend, coming together will achieve a lot more than a lone voice!
Kind regards
Ann , Ian and Bob.
p.s we shall also be expanding the invites to the excellent residents' group meetings run by Sgt Nixon... next one is on wednesday 27th July 6.30pm at St Thomas church on Dartmouth Avenue.
You can also get in touch with us if you have access to the internet on :-
Blakenalllabour.blogspot.com iloveblakenall.blogspot.com
Or by email robertsonic@hotmail.co.uk thomasr@walsall.gov.uk
youngp@walsall.gov.uk robertsonic1@facebook.com
you can also ‘tweet us’.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Win some lose some!
News from Council meeting ...the scrap metal question 12th July 2011
News that this Council ( on Monday 11th July) has had to spend about £65K per year for the last two years to replace stolen drain covers … money literally down the drain as far as Walsall Council Tax payers is concerned is further evidence that we need to show those who deal illegally in scrap metal that we mean business in stopping their criminal activities in stealing metal in this Borough. Removing metal from railways, electrical substations and the like are also putting the safety of the public at risk and costing us all millions of pounds over the whole of the United Kingdom to replace this criminal theft and damage.
No problem with those who collect scrap , do not run their business from their residential home address , have a licence and in all ways run a legitimate business… the financial rewards can be considerable…each wagon in a half day round can collect about £300 worth of scrap metal… this should be taken to a registered scrap merchant who pays the dealer via a bank account… no cash. The dealer must comply with the normal rules of running a business… keeps accounts, pays their taxes and keeps their laden wagons off site not on their home drives and certainly does not break up the scrap at home. Those who obey the rules have my full support.
News on rejection of NOM on illegal horse grazing. 12 July 2011
I am very disappointed that Council rejected of my notice of motion regarding taking actions to resolve the issue of 80 horses grazing illegally on Council land on last Monday.
Comments were made that there is no need for such a motion as there are measures in place to resolve the issue… evidence shows that these issues of illegal grazing have been with us for years with only token action taken by this Council. Proposing a time limited round table discussion with all parties seems to me a sensible way of bringing the issue to a positive permanent solution. If some of the parties will not cooperate then the time arrives when the full weight of powers are implemented . That confrontation can be avoided if as in any negotiation all parties accept that a sensible solution must be found. This is in the best interests of the horses, this Council, the owners and above all the residents of Walsall.
Regards
Cllr Ian Robertson... still I keep trying!!
News that this Council ( on Monday 11th July) has had to spend about £65K per year for the last two years to replace stolen drain covers … money literally down the drain as far as Walsall Council Tax payers is concerned is further evidence that we need to show those who deal illegally in scrap metal that we mean business in stopping their criminal activities in stealing metal in this Borough. Removing metal from railways, electrical substations and the like are also putting the safety of the public at risk and costing us all millions of pounds over the whole of the United Kingdom to replace this criminal theft and damage.
No problem with those who collect scrap , do not run their business from their residential home address , have a licence and in all ways run a legitimate business… the financial rewards can be considerable…each wagon in a half day round can collect about £300 worth of scrap metal… this should be taken to a registered scrap merchant who pays the dealer via a bank account… no cash. The dealer must comply with the normal rules of running a business… keeps accounts, pays their taxes and keeps their laden wagons off site not on their home drives and certainly does not break up the scrap at home. Those who obey the rules have my full support.
News on rejection of NOM on illegal horse grazing. 12 July 2011
I am very disappointed that Council rejected of my notice of motion regarding taking actions to resolve the issue of 80 horses grazing illegally on Council land on last Monday.
Comments were made that there is no need for such a motion as there are measures in place to resolve the issue… evidence shows that these issues of illegal grazing have been with us for years with only token action taken by this Council. Proposing a time limited round table discussion with all parties seems to me a sensible way of bringing the issue to a positive permanent solution. If some of the parties will not cooperate then the time arrives when the full weight of powers are implemented . That confrontation can be avoided if as in any negotiation all parties accept that a sensible solution must be found. This is in the best interests of the horses, this Council, the owners and above all the residents of Walsall.
Regards
Cllr Ian Robertson... still I keep trying!!
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Are they seeing the light?
The welfare reform bill voted through Parliament the other week run by this coalition of tories and liberal democrats will penalise a number of our residents who are recovering from cancer treatment and will lose many of their support benefits . Is this the kind of society this lot want where we kick those who are fighting to get back to normality after their traumatic chemotherapy only to have vital support removed them?
Sandwell's Liberal Democratic Mayor was so disgusted she tore up her Party membership and joined the labour party... thank goodness for people with principles.
I suppose it goes with the flow when you have another Tory suggesting that those who are disabled should be offering themselves for a job at a discount, somehow suggesting they are damaged goods... how insulting!
There are some cracks appearing in this coalition made apparently in hell where you abandon a good chunk of your election promises and bring forward another manifesto that no-one voted for..
thank goodness hopefully a bit of compassion will appear before we send all the weakest to the wall..
A Liberal Democrat peer with responsibility for the party's welfare policy has said there must be exceptions to the proposed £26,000 benefits cap to provide "fairness" and "justice".
Lord German suggested child benefit could be excluded from the limit.
He said: "There must be an exception in order to provide fairness and justice for this relatively small group of people."
And so (should) say all of us.
Cllr Ian Robertson
Blakenall Ward Walsall
Sandwell's Liberal Democratic Mayor was so disgusted she tore up her Party membership and joined the labour party... thank goodness for people with principles.
I suppose it goes with the flow when you have another Tory suggesting that those who are disabled should be offering themselves for a job at a discount, somehow suggesting they are damaged goods... how insulting!
There are some cracks appearing in this coalition made apparently in hell where you abandon a good chunk of your election promises and bring forward another manifesto that no-one voted for..
thank goodness hopefully a bit of compassion will appear before we send all the weakest to the wall..
A Liberal Democrat peer with responsibility for the party's welfare policy has said there must be exceptions to the proposed £26,000 benefits cap to provide "fairness" and "justice".
Lord German suggested child benefit could be excluded from the limit.
He said: "There must be an exception in order to provide fairness and justice for this relatively small group of people."
And so (should) say all of us.
Cllr Ian Robertson
Blakenall Ward Walsall
Saturday, June 11, 2011
I have a list of society offenders who would not be missed!
The words of a Gilbert and Sullivan song which when written they had no doubt as many local issues as we have today if not more. 1) those anti social people who tip rubbish onto open spaces. these anti social people should be caught and given orders to spend their time clearing up the neighbourhood.
2) those who prune trees or offer to remove your rubbish cheaply and tip this in your street near by.
3) those who operate scrap vehicles from their home address, break up the scrap, burn off the cable to reveal the copper at their home address.
4) even worse those who steal metal from roofs, electrical sub stations, railways and underground telephone ducts to sell for cash.
5) those non caring dog owners who allow their pet to foul the pavements and do not clear up after them
6) those who are such dreadful parents that they allow their young children to run riot in the street while they lounge in front of their plasma TV apparently obvious of the mayhem their kids are generating outside
7) a special fast track for all those involved in drug dealing
8) those who burglar our homes.
9) those nasty husbands ( mostly) who ill treat their partners
10) those who have no notion of the nuisance they generate to the community by operating off road bikes or drive at high speed in residential areas or even worse consume alcohol and get to the wheel of a lethal weapon.
11) those who keep horses near private houses, with no thought at the smell, potential danger and nuisance to those who wish to play on that space.
I do not think that list involves many people.. the rest of all the decent people can get on with coping with the real battles of life and hopefully enjoying a decent amount of their spare time!
I wonder if you have some more to add to the list?
regards
Ian
Cllr Ian Robertson
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Policies? Are these the ones to make Blakenall and Walsall better?
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
- 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
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Welcome Back to Cllr Ann Young.
yours
Cllr Ian Robertson Cllr Bob Thomas Cllr Ann Young
your labour team.
please comment if you have another issue to raise.
Can be reached on robertsonic@hotmail.co.uk
01922 634642 or 07956 829 549
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