Category Archives: Local Issues Page

Looking Back to 28th May 2005 and Hobbycraft is opened at Bentley Bridge

Local History is important- and here is (Article5) a reminder of the duties Mary and I delivered in 2005.

Councillor Phil Bateman said “We had the pleasure of opening a new Hobbycraft store in Wednesfield.

It was Hobbycraft’s 22nd superstore – and we opened it at Bentley Bridge Retail Park in Wolverhampton!

For the first time ever in Wolverhampton, there was an opportunity to explore over 32,000 arts and crafts products for more than 250 creative activities, all under one roof!

Saturday 28th May. On that day, at 11am, Hobbycraft were also giving away over 1000 of art and craft hampers and vouchers in their Free Prize Draw.

The Hobbycraft communications team arranged The Right Worshipful The Mayor of Wolverhampton, Councillor Phil Bateman MBE and Hobbycraft’s Chief Executive, Warren Haskins, made the draw.

So twenty years on the Hobbycraft store is still trading and making a difference to our Local economy. Very much an item that helps create local Wednesfield History.

Address:
Unit C5
Bentley Bridge Shopping Park
Off Bentley Bridge Way
Wednesfield
Wolverhampton
WV11 1BP

Author: Phil Bateman

Article Date: 28th May 2005

A Tale of St Patricks Day – From Cllr Phil Bateman Archives 2006

TAs we approach St Patricks Day 2025 It reminded me of the day I wrote an invitation to the Irish President Mary McAleese inviting her to what was still our newly proclaimed City of Wolverhampton in 2006. In those days we were the Mayor & Mayoress of the City of Wolverhampton.

Here’s the tale – The Day We Invited Ireland’s President to the City of Wolverhampton! This was back in 2006. The President of Ireland was Mary McAleese .

Below is the extract from my records of that occasion. Enjoy the response….
“Both Mary and myself are really looking forward to the day and the undoubted good humour that will go with it. I thought that at one time it would be good thing if we could get the British Waterways Board to dye the canal at the Broad Street Basin green. But I was persuaded against asking in the end!

My thoughts were after-all the boy’s in Chicago are going to dye their river Green and that will be spectacular!!

Sadly one of the failures that I have received that year, was the invitation I made to Irish President Mary McAleese to join us with us here with our Irish community. Unfortunately she graciously declined the invitation….but we did of course have the cheek in the first place to ask!
But even though she is not going to be with us. Here is the message that she has published to her fellow Irish Citizens.

ST. PATRICK’S DAY MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT McALEESE -“I wish to send warm greetings on this St Patrick’s Day to Irish people at home and abroad, and to Ireland’s friends around the globe.

Today is a day of celebration in Ireland and for our global Irish family throughout the world. Over many decades the people of Ireland, resolute in their belief in freedom, democracy and human rights and the pursuit of truth, justice and peace, have worked to create the successful Ireland of today. We can all bear witness to the arduous trials of our predecessors. Yet, through it and perhaps because of it, we have built a new confidence and sense of direction � our collective aim to create a better Ireland and a better life for our children and our children’s children.

Many years of hard work have gone into our economic development which has blossomed in recent years. We have created a society in which the traditional welcome for the stranger is extended to people from many countries whose endeavours have contributed hugely to our economy and to enriching our cultural diversity. We are building new communities, transforming inhabitants into neighbours and neighbours into friends. Our national emblem, the shamrock, itself teaches us to honour unity in diversity even as it celebrates diversity in unity.

Our country today is vibrant, cosmopolitan and filled with energy and, with our own distinctive national character and our international relations are playing an important part in our maturing as a nation and deepening our understanding of our place in the world. The world is ever-changing and we accept that we need to change with it. Greater understanding of our fellow members of the European Union, and of the wider world, is a central part of meeting the challenges and seizing the opportunities which lie before us. I am confident that the strength of Ireland’s culture and values will stand to us in the future.
To my fellow Irish citizens, and to our friends celebrating this day with us, may I say, in the words of St Patrick himself: -A blessing on their peaks,
On their bare flagstones,
A blessing on their glens,
A blessing on their ridges.
Like the sand of the sea under ships,
Be the number in their hearths;
On slopes, on plains,
On mountains, on hills, a blessing.
I wish all of you a very happy and peaceful St Patrick’s Day.”
So we failed with that request, but President McAleese’s fellow countrymen still enjoyed the day in Wolverhampton and we had a great morning with Wolverhampton’s Irish Community

Christmas is Fast Approaching -#ShopLocal

Christmas is fast approaching. Let not forget the local shops and businesses when out buying your Christmas presents .
They are with us all the year around, and they are finding it a little difficult in the economy at the moment.
Remember #ShopLocal and lets ensure they are still with us trading into next years as well.!

Scrutiny Board Calls for Flood Information


Scrutiny Flooding Prevention – Task and Finish Group: Community Session

The Scrutiny Board is to hold a community session to hear first hand about the problems residents face when flooding occurs across the City of Wolverhampton.

The purpose of the meeting is to Invite those residents to a community session to hear firsthand from them about their experiences with flooding in Wolverhampton, so that these ‘lived experiences’ can form part of the final report being prepared for Scrutiny Board.

The session will take place on Thursday 24 October, beginning at 11am and concluding by 1pm -Venue in Committee Room 4, 3rd Floor, Civic Centre.

Places at the meeting are on a first come, first service basis in line with H&S requirements. One residents per occupancy will have 7 minutes to ask questions relating to their property.
If you would like further information contact your own Ward Councillors. Or contact via email at this address – Scrutiny@wolverhampton.gov.uk


Congratulations! Gold Again Wednesfield in Bloom 2024

What glorious news yesterday, as the Wednesfield in Bloom volunteers won two more Awards for their hard work here in our Village of Wednesfield & Ashmore Park.

They won (One Gold again- the sixth Gold award on the trot!) and another discretionary award) yesterday from the Heart of England in Bloom organisation for their contribution in making Wednesfield Blooming great again!

All of this gardening work is undertaken by volunteers, and all of them to a person, gives up much of their time to enable our Wednesfield to look colourful and Vibrant!

The Wednesfield North Councillors Mary Bateman Rita Potter and Phil Bateman once again pays tribute to them, for the extraordinary work they undertake for our community!

We Done it! Another Record Attendance at Wednesfield Canal Festival 2024.

I am delighted to be informed that on the Wednesfield Canal Festivals 10th Anniversary, held this August 2024, at the  Bentley Bridge Leisure Park, on our wonderful 230 year old Wyrley & Essington Canal was yet another success this Summer.

Wednesfield Canal Festival 2024 enjoyed a Saturday attendance of 5,018 and a Sunday Attendance of 5,740 giving an overall total 10,758 people attending. Which measured against the statistics for 2023 was an increase just short of 1%. Mark Welsby from  Bentley Bridge reminded me that it was “Not a huge increase, but also not a decline in visitors, considering the rain first thing on the Saturday”.

Councillor Phil Bateman said today – “What a great success the event has become. It’s the largest volunteer led event I suspect in the City of Wolverhampton. I offer my personal gratitude to Hands on Wednesfield who have shaped the Wednesfield Canal Festival event now for a number of years.

Hands on Wednesfield, have been instrumental in its great success, and created a dynamic partnership this year with Bentley Bridge Leisure Park, a working partnership together with independent energy supplier Tomato Energy, and the Greene King Public House – The Nickelodeon.

You know – We also added another important ingredient. You couldn’t have a Canal Festival without a canal! The close working partnership with the Canal & River Trust, over these last ten years has been a feature, and we have shone a light on over 230 years of canal history and heritage, as well as creating a Local Nature Reserve on the Wyrley & Essington canal serving Wolverhampton and Wednesfield and running through to our city boundaries. Wednesfield Residents love our canal amenity!

My congratulations to everyone that worked so hard for a full year to ensure the continued success of this great fun venture for Wednesfield.Her’s to your success next year Hands on Wednesfield, and the team that works so hard to make this such a classy venture.”


The Orange Tree – A Great Little Pub!

The Black Country is know for its heritage and culture, and its great Public Houses. Last night at the Orange Tree, in Ettingshall Village, we discovered yet another great PH .

We soon fell in love with the Asian Menu, and the sheer quality of the food. A few beers and the odd cocktail added more enjoyment to the event.

Our band of friends had a great night and the Orange Tree will have yet another visit from us, in the not to distant future. Well done the Orange Tree for being a great place to meet and eat, and the staff were so helpful and friendly!

Peacock Ave for Highway Improvement-Latest!

On this site and others on my other social media sites I have been trying hard to inform of our activities to deliver the necessary repairs to a number of highway defects in Wednesfield North, along with my fellow Councillors Mary and Rita. Highway defects are an on-going issue on all the highways that the City Council looks after within our City boundaries. Its often a contentious issue and its been well documented that the UK as a whole requires much more resource to keep our highways to the standards that the UK needs.

As a City Council we are set to invest nearly £10 million in works to improve, maintain and repair Wolverhampton’s highways over the coming year. Included in this budgeted cash boost is a dedicated fund of £500,000 which has been set aside to tackle potholes affecting the city’s roads. This additional funding will support the city’s existing pothole budget.

Among other proposed improvements for 2024/25 are major maintenance and resurfacing schemes across the city.

I have reported previously in Wednesfield North about Peacock Ave. This winter Peacock Ave has taken a bit of a battering. There has been some defects that have been treated. But, there is In addition to these completed jobs, Some defects that require further treatment with large scale repairs which are needed at several junctions, including the one on Peacock Ave where it meets the Lichfield Road.

To undertake these works safely, and to comply with legality, it is necessary to apply for a series of road closures on both Lichfield Rd and Peacock Avenue. The City Council are currently exploring options to arrange this. Your City Councillors are pushing to complete these works as soon as possible.

There will of course need to be some diversion routes and City engineers and the legal department officials are currently working on these. Any diversion routes will need to be coordinated with other works ongoing in the wider area. So there is a great deal of work still to be undertaken behind the scenes to enable all of this to be pulled together.

I am assured by the Highway engineers that once we have identified a suitable slot, they will undertake the work required. The appropriate notifications, will then be publicised, this will be work has a likelihood of being commenced in about 6 weeks time. As the scheme gets worked through, I will keep you update via my social media sites.

Have your say! Linthouse Lane.Green Belt.

South Staffordshire Local Plan Consultation Response. Regulation 19, 2024
The SSDC has set out its new plans for consultation on their green belt land that they had in the previous consultation plan, and which had been earmarked for housing and described as “in the land North of Linthouse Lane.”
This Local Plan does not include the extensions to the Wolverhampton Areas on Green Belt Land at Linthouse Lane. This land is now excluded from the consultation on their new SSDC Local Plan now going forward.
I intend to respond to the consultation on the new SSDC Local Plan.
I will be supporting the decision on behalf of the three City of Wolverhampton Councillors representing Wednesfield North, following their withdrawal to those original proposals.
I will be emphasising the support of the retention of agriculture, on the land identified and support the amenity value of the public walkways that Criss cross the Green Belt at this location. Comment on the Natural habitat and the richness of the site North of Linthouse Lane in Wild flowers and Wildlife.
I would be very pleased to hear from the residents of Wednesfield North on their views on this type of response. Is it written in a way that you can support?
Please let me have your views as I am keen to enter my response into the Public record, as soon as is possible.

Councillor Phil Bateman on behalf of Councillor Rita Potter and Councillor Mary Bateman.