I have been informed that the City Council have now reached a point where they have the capacity to carry out a “mopping up” exercise, relating to all those Green Bins that are not required. . Please find below the confirmed dates that City of Wolverhampton will be collecting from individual postcodes based on the requests that they have received:

Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th December 2019

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I am told the City Council cannot guarantee which day over the weekend they will collect the spare bins, but can yo ensure that residents have presented their spare bins no later than 7am on the Saturday for the bin to be collected over that weekend.

As your Local Councillor I get used to being asked to deliver on certain things. Yesterday I was asked to judge Wednesfield Photography Clubs first ever competition. I happily agreed, as it was a first for me- Judging such a competition.

It was a little bit of a worry, because I am no photographer! I don’t know anything about the finer arts, that photographers possess.

But I turned up and was so very surprised at how many people were there, and the fact that 65 entries were on the screen for judging!

Wow! I was very nervous as I tooh to the front of the class.

Any way i took the task up with sweaty palms. I spoke a few words, looked hard at the images. Then slowly , very slowly I started to sift through the entries. I heard the whispers, as I asked for one to be put aside, then another. Then the shuffling as I passed over this one, then taht one! After what seemed like an age I had 35 images to go over again. Boy it was tough.

But in the end we pulled out some stunning images, and the winner is this one!

I thought that this ‘Tree Frog’ had everything you would want as a photo. It was interesting, it had great eyes, and it was just simply beautiful……and so from my unpractised eye, I chose it as the best in class.

Congratulations to Sue Rowbotham who won Ist Place – Just Fabulous….to the rest of the entries. I am overwhelmed by the quality and standard of all the entries. Hope you all put them together and make a little exhibition for the people of Wednesfield to come and see..I am sure the Library could be persuaded to take part.

It’s always incredible when our Labour movement exceeds expectations again – and you’ve done just that.

On Wednesday night Labour hosted the biggest political video call the UK has ever seen.

John McDonald stated “That’s what I love about our movement. We had more than three thousand people sharing their thoughts from all over the UK, from homes to cafes to town halls and beyond. Together we build our strategy from the ground up. We rely on each other – not any one individual – to win.

While the Tories whisper their plans behind closed doors, we’re doing exactly the opposite.”

I will be Voting Labour, and I hope my friends and neighbours also vote Labour.

This is a big election, and we need to win hearts and minds….

As we look forward into the New Year – It’s been announced that Wednesfield will be receiving two Explorer Cruises next year (2020) starting them both from the Bentley Arm at Wednesfield.

These cruises are becoming fixtures in the Midlands boating schedule.

As I explained last night at the Wednesfield North Community Awards ceremony, “visiting Narrow – Boats on average spend £100 a night when they overnight in our Village.

That adds value to our Wednesfield Local Economy. Its visits like these that we should be doing our best to encourage. We have some great trouble free moorings at Bentley Bridge, with Supermarkets, clothing stores restaurants and a canal side Public House in the form of The Nickelodeon that has a Canalside garden, with seats and tables. Plus, there is a huge Cinema, and the Hollywood Bowl gaming and Bowling complex all in sight of the canal!”

I am exceptionally pleased that the Explorer Cruise organisers have also asked “We wondered if you would address the cruisers on the first night at 6pm. The first cruise would start Tuesday 5th May and the second on Monday 18th May 2020. “

Of course I am delighted to do so, I am keen that we as a community encourage more boaters onto the Wyrley and Essington, and the best way we can do that is give those that pass through, the benefit of a cheery wave, a welcoming conversation, and a message to come again.

Your Wednesfield North City Councillors Rita and Mary with myself, are using Ward funds to place three commemorative benches into three separate locations within our Ward.

We have identified a location on the walkways between Coppice Farm and Ashmore Park. We are considering placing a Remembrance Bench in situation here at this location.

A bench has also been requested by local residents of the area numerous times over the last two years. This action will satisfy that request.

A second location has been identified on the pathway linking Sudbury Close and Linthouse Lane. There is consideration taking place as to the exact position to place this Remembrance Bench. What it will do is give a very useful amenity to what is an attractive and well used walkway.

The third location is in the Ashmore Park itself, where users can enjoy the rays of the sun, and sit and watch the football matches that are played there.

These three locations have been identified by us to City Officials. If you have any comments with regards to any of these three locations please make them.

https://www.expressandstar.com/news/local-hubs/wolverhampton/2019/11/06/half-of-national-express-buses-in-wolverhampton-are-now-environmentally-friendly/

Its good to see that the local paper picks up on some of the articles that I produce for readers here in Wednesfield North and publish on my social media pages. Click on the link and see what article it is….

Reasons to Vote Labour -On December 12 2019 The National Health Service is being mismanaged by the Conservatives.

• Last year, 78,981 operations were cancelled. These operations were either classed as urgent or were elective operations cancelled at the last minute – either on the day the patient was due to arrive in hospital or after they had already arrived.
• The number of operations cancelled because of staffing issues and equipment failures have each increased by a third in two years. Last year, 10,900 were cancelled because of staffing issues and 4800 were cancelled because of equipment failures.
• There are currently over 100,000 staff vacancies in the NHS, with shortages of 10,000 doctors and 43,000 nurses. Cuts to NHS Capital Budgets have left the health service with a £6.5 billion repair bill

That is one of the key reasons why I will be voting Labour!

Climate Change is an issue on everyone’s lips.

Here in Wolverhampton the City of Wolverhampton has long been an advocate of limiting environmental damage.

In July 2019, Wolverhampton went a step further and declared a climate emergency stating that “a climate emergency has been declared by Wolverhampton Council as it announces plans to make the city greener by 2028.”

It is now very much a City Council priority, many of the other local Councils across the country have also been declaring climate emergencies now.

City of Wolverhampton became the first local authority in the Black Country to commit to reducing carbon emissions as it pledged to reduce CO2 levels to zero by year 2028.

So as a City of Wolverhampton Councillor, I was very pleased to learn that National Express West Midlands, the regions biggest bus company, have also now announced that their bus fleet have reached two environmental landmarks this week.

Firstly, 50% of their fleet is now Euro 6, which means lower emissions than an average diesel family car. The upgrade programme continues, with most of the remaining fleet due for upgrade over the next twelve months.

Secondly, all their electricity (powering depots, offices and soon buses) now comes from fully-renewable and carbon neutral sources, such as wind and solar power.
Now that is good news not only for the bus company, but for the conurbation and for Wolverhampton as a City.
Wolverhampton is the home of a local NX West Midlands Bus depot, where it provides employment and is very much valued in the business scene in the City. Well done National Express.

Wolverhampton is the home of a local NX West Midlands Bus depot in Park Lane.

Photograph – Back in September 2016 at Wolverhampton Racecourse – NX new type of Platinum bus branding, was first launched here in our City the photograph relates to that proud launch.