This coming week is a week of importance both for our Community and indeed the City and the Nation.
Rededication of Bench 8th of November We will be re-dedicating a bench to Ashmore Parks own Adrian Anslow, which has been refurbished, by Bromford Housing Association, inside Anslow Gardens, which carries Adrian’s name. The Reverend Tom Fish of St Albans Church will lead this service.
Adrian was a resident of Ashmore Park, was schooled locally and was sadly lost to his loving family and friends, during his service to our Country and the Royal Navy just 20 years of age. Adrian went missing at sea during the Falklands conflict with Argentina. Adrian was in the Fleet Air Arm unit in the 45 R Squadron.
We are hoping that Adrian’s family and friends will attend the memorial. More news around this memorial will be published in the next few days.
Armistice Day Saturday 11th of November at 11am a public service will be held outside The Hub at Ashmore Park Griffiths Drive, Ashmore Park, Wednesfield.
The Rev John Deakin will lead this public service at the front entrance of the Hub. We hope again to have a good turnout. Following the service – Tea and Coffee will be available inside The Hub in the Sunshine Café, There is a car park is at the rear of the building.
Remembrance Sunday 12th November – This is an annual event and will take place at St Thomas’s Church Wednesfield.
The procession with band will March from Woodend Royal British Legion down Victoria Road on Sunday at 9.am, then British Legion will attend a Church Service at the Parish Church of St Thomas’s , followed by a public service in the Remembrance Garden in Church Road, starting at 11am.
I look forward as my colleagues do to meeting you all at any one or all three of these events.

Dear Councillors,

In addition to the recent email update just sent out to you (attached for reference), I’d just like to provide a quick overview on the latest forecast. Yellow Rain warning has been issued this morning that now affects Wolverhampton, this is in place from now until 06:00 tomorrow, Saturday 21st October.

There is also a flood warning in place for Waterhead Brook at Bushbury, as well as 3 flood alerts in the wider area for: River Sow and River Penk, River Stour and Smestow Brook in the Black Country and South Staffordshire, and Upper Tame.

City Councillors have been warned

HEADLINE: Some heavy persistent rain today with the risk of flooding. Rain turning showery on Saturday, largely dry on Sunday.

A thoroughly wet and miserable day for much of the West Midlands today with some heavy and persistent rain feeding in from the east to south-east with many parts already seeing 20-25mm, higher in some spots, of rain this morning with some reports of localised flooding. There will be some further heavy bursts of rain through the afternoon and into the evening, especially across the north and east across Staffordshire, Shropshire and down into Warwickshire.

Further south the rain will turn more showery in nature. Many parts of the West Midlands could see 25-50mm of rainfall in the next 24 hours or so with some northern and eastern parts seeing 60mm and possibly a few higher locations as much as 80-120mm of rainfall and this will lead to some disruption and possible flooding with river levels rising. It will feel cold in the moderate to fresh easterly winds.

There will be some drier interludes further to the south. Outbreaks of rain then persisting overnight with the risk of some further local and general flooding. The rain will start to ease during Saturday morning and turning more showery with much reduced rainfall rates and some drier and brighter conditions eventually emerging during the afternoon. Sunday will then be a much drier and brighter day and warmer with temperatures reaching the mid-teens Celsius.

The situation has a possibility to change, so please visit: https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/warnings-and-advice/uk-warnings for the most up-to-date information on weather warnings and please visit https://flood-warning-information.service.gov.uk/warnings to view the latest on any Environment Agency flood alerts or warnings (there is also an option on this page to sign up directly for the free flood warning notification service).

We are monitoring and coordinating activity with key service areas.

I want to say ‘Thank You‘ also to all the Bloomers, no matter what level of time you gave this year, that helped create this year’s Heart of England in Bloom bid a success. You are all marvellous!

The help has been immense. Support from Wednesfield business and retail here in the Village, and Bentley Bridge, and also in Ashmore Park is very much appreciated.

There are local Shops and retailers for instance here on Ashmore Park who do much to support and encourage the activity of the ‘Wednesfield in Bloom’ volunteers, the whole year round.
The sporting clubs on Ashmore Park who play their role also. That enthusiasm is also replicated in the Village itself. Our ‘Wednesfield in Bloom’ activity is phenomenal.

It’s a huge geographic area that (WIB) cover every year. It also grows in size and complexity each year. It has to if we are to be successful, not just in the Heart of England competition,
but in what we are all trying to achieve every year. We all want to improve the environment we live in, create vibrant colours, make people proud of the areas that we live and work in.

It takes huge efforts every year to create the conditions to make our bid successful. It is a huge strain on the Leadership team, of Jan and Julie, and on the number of volunteers that we currently have working on WIB in our community. Wednesfield in Bloom are always trying to recruit more help and assistance. If you can help and like the sound of what we do
contact any of the bloomers and ask them when the next meeting is!

Wednesfield is a very generous community. I am constantly amazed at how our community contribute time and financial resources into the WIB requirement, we have for the flowers, the shaping of the themes, the physical work on irregular corners etc.

As a Wednesfield in Bloom volunteer myself, I just love turning up and doing that little bit of work, and having members of the Public thrust a few £’s as a donation to Wednesfield in Bloom for the buying of flowers.
The individuals and couples that bring plants from their own gardens to contribute to the beds that we set out. The organisations like The Bentley Bridge Retail Park that has invested many thousands of £’s in continued donations in support of the ‘Wednesfield in Bloom’ volunteers endeavours, not just this year but in past years since Wednesfield in Bloom started!

We have had lots of help from the individual time given by the Bloomers themselves, huge help from Wednesfield schools, who have taken ‘Wednesfield in Bloom’ into their schools, made it part of their curriculum. Created beautiful wheel barrows of creatively designed flowers for Public display. The Public Houses that display flowers on their premises, and encourage the environment by their own colourful arrangements, and supplying ‘Bee Food’ for pollinators.

The individual householders that make sure their gardens are a picture in the beginning of July, when the Heart of England Inspectors are out and about viewing and making their notes.
Finally I want to thank Wolverhampton Homes for their hard work, their willingness to work with the community on Ashmore Park, the hanging baskets that they supplied, on the shopping Precinct, and Continental Landscape for filling three new containers with flowers around the shops.

Then there are the Shops in Wednesfield High Street and our own Ashmore Park shops – All of whom make a huge contribution to the vibrant flower displays
that are planted, looked after, and tended almost the whole year round.

Wednesfield North and Wednesfield South Councillors who have supported WIB by physical activity, watering and giving their own time to WIB to help with others to deliver a fabulous Gold Award for our community.

Wednesfield is a really great community. This sixth Gold Award in the Urban sector category is really an immense achievement- well done everyone!

Cadent Gas is working on Kitchen Lane junction with Philips Avenue. An eagle eyed local resident and user of Kitchen Lane, spotted a whole range of issues that he felt was suspect, and was dangerous to users .
I asked City of Wolverhampton Highways Inspectors to make a visit and look at the safety requirements. They did that, and today I received their report.

“Apologies for the delay in response to your email regarding the Cadent works on Kitchen Lane and junction of Phillips Avenue and Leveson Road.
Yesterday I attended site and found several signings, lighting, and guarding issues such as lack of footway closed signs, insufficient walkways provided being the only footway was closed in parts. Welfare unit placed on the visibility splay on St Philips Avenue. Give and take at junctions which this TM is unsuitable, and lights should have been used.

I spoke with the Cadent supervisor for these works yesterday afternoon who assured me that these issues had been rectified on site, other than the welfare unit as they needed more time to arrange for collection and to re-site this on the verge on Kitchen Lane.

I shall be taking another look at site today to ensure it is safe and suitable for pedestrians and road users.”

I want to thank Alan, for his comments, and thank him for his resolute attention. Also a Big Thank You to the City Councils Highway Inspector for his action.

Celebrating Great People in Wednesfield North Ward!
Announcing Wednesfield North Community Excellence Award are going to run again! This will be the third time we have arranged this fabulous award to take place.

When we look back at what we do here in this part of the City of Wolverhampton.

The overriding memory we have is of the great people we meet every day here in Wednesfield.
Following a meeting Mary, Rita and I had way back in 2018, we got to talking as your City Councillors, about how we could improve life for people living in our Ward of Wednesfield North. Plus, put a spotlight on all the good work by individuals and organisations that takes place in our small but important part of the City of Wolverhampton.
All three of us Councillors live in this Ward of Wednesfield North. We chatted about all the great people we knew, and the great work many unsung heroes undertake, whilst going about their daily business.
It was then that we came up with our plan, for the Wednesfield North Community Excellence Awards. Awards that we felt would highlight what we knew about what takes place here. What we knew about the selfless ways of others. Giving a value to those who give their time for others. Or improve the life of the Ward, or the people living here.

We decided there and then that we should do something that spotlighted all that is great here in our Wednesfield Ward. Mary, Rita and I decided that we would champion people who lived in Wednesfield North, where much good took place every day of the year. The unsung heroes, the people that kept families together under adversity. Those fantastic people who gave their own time to undertake community and environmental projects. Or those that undertook to lift Cultural activities like the Arts, Dance and entertainment, those that dedicate their time to improving the environment, Not forgetting sport and
We decided that we would create The Wednesfield North Community Excellence Awards and honour those in our community, that makes Wednesfield North the community it is.

In November 2019 Councillors Mary Bateman, Councillor Rita Potter, with Councillor Phil Bateman, organised and opened our first Wednesfield North Community Excellence Awards event. It was a great success and we awarded Certificates to those nominated.
That first event was so good. We vowed we would repeat it in 2020. But cruelly the Covid-19 Pandemic led to the event being cancelled.
In 2021 the second event took place.
Today we are announcing that in November 2023 we will be again holding the third Wednesfield North Community Excellence Awards. We intend to ensure that this becomes a bi-annual event for Wednesfield North.

At this third Community Excellence Award – We will be looking again for the community here in Wednesfield North to nominate people and organisations who they think, deserve public acknowledgement for their role in making our diverse community cohesive and welcoming.
The Awards will be aimed at a wide range of sectors including Business and Individuals, Sporting Clubs and the Arts, plus Volunteering. We are keen to acknowledge people who are Improving the lives of others, by their actions.

The entries can be aimed at all of whom are active or living in the Ward of Wednesfield North. (Wednesfield North Ward which covers the geographical area of Woodend, Springhill Estate (Linthouse) , Ashmore Park, Coppice Farm, Wyvern Park estate.) Or makes an overall difference to life in the greater Wednesfield area.

The community headings we are looking for nominations for in our Wednesfield North Community Excellence Awards are in the sectors of –
Culture – Art & Dance
Sporting achievement
Environment
Community Volunteering
Business in the Community
Improving Lives

This year we will also be again looking to recognise the Best Community Project, and we will again be looking for the Volunteer of the Year.
With regards to the decisions on Awards, these will be made by the Wednesfield North Councillors, and their decisions will be final.

Keep a close eye on the Local Media, and social media, as the 2023 Wednesfield North Community Excellence Awards get underway. Entry Forms plus compliance dates will be circulated on Social Media – Key Dates will be announced soon.

Wednesfield North City of Wolverhampton Councillors’ are –
Councillor Mary Bateman
Councillor Rita Potter
Councillor Phil Bateman


Contact for Wednesfield North Community Excellence Awards are through

Councillor Phil Bateman –
philip.bateman@btopenworld.com

The Wolverhampton Labour Group has been steadfast in their pursuit of re-opening the Civic Halls, and of course they did earlier this year.

This project has never failed to make the news after it was closed for emergency work, and for the removal of asbestos. The Civic Halls opened in May of this year with a new title The Halls, and with a new team signed(AEG) to run the Halls for 25 years.

The good news is that since May 2023 through to July 13th 2023. The Halls have been a rip roaring successes for Wolverhampton’s Night Time economy and for the City as a whole.
Statistics in the Audit & Risk Committee today inform us that 25 Shows have run from the Halls during this period. That means some 48,000 visitors have been in the heart of our City. Spending their cash and enjoying the very best of entertainment. Even better is the fact that 20% of the ticket sales have been sold to WV postcodes, Meaning that local People are turning up in their numbers to be entertained.

60% of sales have been from a wider Midland Region meaning we are attracting people from across our neighbouring authorities and wider. With 20% of visitors coming from across the UK, and international visitors have also been tempted to come to our fair City!

That means to me that AEG, the new management team running the Halls, and our great City, have a real hit on their hands with this stunningly refurbished City Centre venue. Labour always knew that the venue would be spectacular. We can now look back and know that these re-openings have, and will help transform, our night time economy with the other gem that we have The Grand Theatre,

Welcome back to Wolverhampton folks!

I am very much looking forward to seeing the Birmingham Canal Navigations Explorer Cruise, settling in for the night at their Bentley Bridge Moorings on May 13th 2023.

Councillor Phil Bateman said “This is one of the delights of the year for me, when Wednesfield meets real water borne tourists, mooring their 18 Boats here in our ancient Village, and enjoying the delights of the Local Pubs, experiencing our historic Village, and browsing plus provisioning in the Local Stores, and rummaging through the retail sites and leisure activities at Bentley Bridge,

Wednesfield and Bentley Bridge offer tourist great leisure activities just a boat length away from their moorings. Where they can have family fun and laughter at venues like the Hollywood Bowl Ten Pin Bowling, the Cineworld cinema complex, not forgetting the huge offer of the restaurants.

So if you meet our Jolly sailors and their crews and family , or just watch these majestic Narrowboats making their way to Wednesfield on the Wyrley and Essington Canal, give them a cheerful welcome, a wave, and a big smile!”

Here is an update on some of the case work that we were dealing with into the election period.
Regarding – CEU T8248 CWC-1549785 Pot Hole Snape Road Ashmore Park
2 urgent repairs have been made to category 1 defects at the above location. Further works have been raised as category 2 defects and will be programmed for completion in due course.
. Regarding – CEU T8894 CWC-1610529 Pothole Hill Place
The site has been inspected and works to rectify the defects will be completed during week commencing 08/05/2023.
Drug Dealing in Cleveland Close- T8877
I can confirm that I have been in touch with the Local Safety Partnership and West Mids Police . Can I urge residents to inform me of any suspicious circumstances you come across here in our Ward.
Graffiti and tagging
Graffiti and tagging is exploding across Wednesfield, I have asked for a meeting with departments, and I am keen to speak with the Police again. It has already been raised at our Local Police Liaison Meeting (PACT) but it needs more information and a plan of action preparing. We will keep you informed of progress…

The Government has suggested that local authorities should check the weight limits on bridges to ensure they do not collapse with heavier electric cars travelling across them.
The suggestion follows concerns that multi-storey car parks may collapse if too many electric vehicles are parked on them.
Tory MP Greg Knight asked in the Commons whether Transport Secretary Mark Harper or other Cabinet colleagues might assess the “adequacy of the strength of multi-storey car parks and bridges at safely bearing the additional weight of electric vehicles”. Transport minister Jesse Norman said that it was up to councils to decide whether “weight limits” should be applied to their bridges. Electric vehicles can weigh as much as 33% more than traditional petrol cars.
Councillor Phil Bateman said ” I have asked the City Council today to advise on these concerns.”