Well I told you that I was an optimist!
It’s Good News that the South Staffs District Council has halted their consultation on the Land North of Linthouse Lane !
It’s not a total triumph.
Its a long way from that.
But, I welcome the halt that is taking place. It’s just what your three Councillors requested, and you can see what we wrote in the earlier submission we made to the consultation .
I think I will have a pint tonight.
On the 21st December it was announced that former West Midlands Metropolitan County Councillor and former Mayor of the City of Wolverhampton had peacefully Passed.
Trudy was a member of the Labour Party, and I had known her since the 1970’s, she had previously lived in Wednesfield North for a short period. Trudy was a teacher by profession. She was elected onto the former West Midlands Metropolitan County Council in 1981. Where she played a big role in the West Midlands Fire Service. After the abolition of the West Midlands County Council – Trudy was elected onto what became the Wolverhampton City Council she served in total 27 years in Local Government
Trudy Bowen ceased to be a Member of the City of Wolverhampton Council in May 2008 after 27 years’distinguished service. During this time she served on many Council bodies but is recorded in the City Council minutes as ” a particular stalwart of the Education and Highways and Transportation Committees; Trudy was Chair of the former between 1987 and 1991 and the latter between 1995 and 1997.
Notably, Trudy was Mayor of Wolverhampton in 2007/08, having served as Deputy
Mayor in 2006/7. All the Political Groups on the City Council proposed that the title of Honorary Alderman be bestowed on Trudy . Trudy became an Honorary Alderman in July 2009. The City Council recognised her considerable endeavours and her selfless support for the Bilston people and citizens she so ably represented over all those years as an elected member.
In May of 2023 the City of Wolverhampton Council will be organising for the Wolverhampton City Council Elections on new Ward Boundaries. All 60 Council seats will be up.
Our City Council wrote to the Government asking that following the election in 2023. Requesting that the Secretary o State use his powers under the Local Government Act 2000 to move Wolverhampton City Council’s fallow year from 2025 to 2024 following the boundary review commissioned by the council.
The Secretary of State for Levelling Up Housing and Communities, has now responded stating it would not be appropriate for the Secretary of State to exercise his powers to make this change.
All out elections are where all councillors are elected to office once every four years. Election by thirds is the current system in place in Wolverhampton, where one third of the councillors are elected to office in three years out of four years. In the fourth year, there are no elections, which is known as a fallow year.
Therefore, we will have an all-out election in 2023, election by thirds in 2024, fallow in 2025 and then election by thirds in 2026. The current electoral timetable is as follows:
• 2022 – City Council Elections (thirds)
• 2023 – City Council Elections (all out elections)
• 2024 – City Council Elections, Police and Crime Commissioner Elections, West Midlands Combined Authority Mayoral Elections and UK Parliamentary Election
• 2025 – None (fallow year)
• 2026 – City Council Elections
• 2027 – City Council Elections
• 2028 – City council Elections, Police and Crime Commissioner Elections and Combined Authority Mayoral Elections
It will be a very busy eight years for activists, with 2024 Looking like it will be a spectacular election year with three other elections due to take place plus a General Election also!
Strategic Issues
As Wolverhampton City Councillor’s representing Wednesfield North we want to set out our views on the development proposals for Land North of Linthouse Lane. We recognise that the Conservative Government continues to deliver confusion in their proposals for increasing England wide housing. The latest developments from Government indicates that the arrangements to reach 300,000 new homes a year in England by the mid 2020’s has changed. The Prime Minister said on 7th December “Housing Targets remain, but are a starting point, with new flexibility to reflect local circumstances.”
This statement and other Government statements cause confusion and concern. It’s still not too late for the SSDC to call for a halt and develop a better understanding of what the Government is meaning to do. There is a need to get ‘a clarity’ of what is now expected of all the Local Authorities in the West Midlands. We feel that asking for a pause to development proposals is not too much to ask. We along with many in Wednesfield want to understand the real statistics of what is required in housing terms, as the housing targets we now have are clouded in mistrust. A delay by South Staffordshire District Council could be seen to be a useful decision, at this moment in time and we ask during this consultation that this takes place. There appears to be confusion by Local Authorities in the West Midlands, as some Councils continue to respond to targets set by a Prime Minister, who is now no longer a Prime Minister, and whose target figures are being brought into questions by so many.
We in Wednesfield remain concerned and upset that it appears that proposals for 1,900 homes will continue to appear threateningly on our city boundaries. We are upset that a settlement of this size, alongside our communities’ key local highways in Linthouse Lane and Kitchen Lane, will have a big detrimental effect on our own community.
It’s a huge concern that the pressure on our local highway network will have impacts also elsewhere in Ashmore Park. We already have severe estate congestion brought about by a 1950’s housing Estate being built, which already doesn’t have enough kerb space for residents own cars and automobiles, transport or other traffic. Just imagine pouring the vehicles of 1,900 new homes onto our estate’s roads 24 hours a day 7 days a week!
Constructing 1,900 homes on Land North of Linthouse Lane will create great hardship for years to come on our diverse and well established Ashmore Park estate, Linthouse Lane and other key estates along highways like Woodend Road and Blackhalve Lane. All of which will throw great stress on our Ward of Wednesfield North and especially Ashmore Park and the wider Wednesfield community. The stress that will be pressed on this estate and the Linthouse Lane estate will be enormous. If these SSDC proposals are allowed go through unchallenged and unchanged.
Throw the scheme out – My plea is that this scheme is thrown out in its current form and SSDC are asked or required to think again. Think about the impact of their development on our established and long time developed communities, on this side of the County boundaries.
Based on the forecast level of new dwellings, Wednesfield North Councillors remain concerned that the highway impact will have grave issues for the City Road and Highway network in Wednesfield North, Wednesfield South and Fallings Park, for at least a decade to come. The SSDC construction traffic and the generation of highway movements will bring misery to local roads and networks for year after year until the construction phase is delivered. That means perhaps as long as ten years. We feel that our local population will then be submerged under congestion and highway delays, increasing pressure on our local economy in Wednesfield and across the city and the Black Country. It will also affect the ‘Climate Crisis’ that Wolverhampton as a City is now facing and which it has since declared. More work needs to be addressed around Climate Change.
Transport and Highways –
Other stand out issues are the proposals for ancient Public Footpaths, these ancient footpaths have acted as links between Wednesfield and Essington and other South Staffordshire settlements for decades some even centuries, they need to be protected . The Public transport proposal seems weak and the highway infrastructure the placing of sites relating to housing in Kitchen Lane, Local Transport and Highway impacts. Wednesfield Councillors are most concerned about proposals for public transport. We think there is muddled thinking taking place around the serving of this proposal by public transport. The goals seem less than ambitious. Whilst there is a clear agreement between the West Midlands Combined Authority about the support and the delivery of the Brinsford Parkway project. There are no similar thoughts about how the land North of Linthouse Lane and how it will be supplied by public transport into the next decade and further? Looking for a couple of bus routes just does not seem to be taking the Climate Change crisis we are in seriously at all. Not enough work has gone into planning this site. It’s all been about Staffordshire and not enough thought about how this huge development will sit alongside and integrated with the older urban areas, of the City of Wolverhampton. The Boundary Commission should be looking to take all that development land North of Linthouse Lane and perhaps Essington and place them directly into Wolverhampton?
There needs to be a lot more consultation with Wednesfield residents who will be seeking a whole lot of reassurance that there will be much more to the consultation on any transport assessments / planning applications associated with development sites near the Wolverhampton boundary and the linking and importance of Wolverhampton Green Space. Increased highways traffic will increase noise pollution and increase noxious gases. We believe that increased pollution levels will be a travesty to Wednesfield residents. As they at the same time face losing access to the Green Belt they have used for decade after decade, for their own health and mental health, for the benefits it brings to wellbeing. They also will lose the unique environment
Wednesfield contends that if we are to have these huge numbers of dwellings and support facilities levered into the Green Belt, Local Government and Government should insist that mitigation is delivered. This could be via these following proposals.
Reduce the impact of the development on Wednesfield. That the proposed new Country Park for Essington as part of the SSDC Local Development Plan proposals, should be placed on the Wednesfield side of the former Mineral Railway –the former rail line, splits the development site. The proposed Country Park would do much to provide the ‘green lungs that the current arable farm land and Green Belt, has provided for decades for 30,000 Wednesfield residents and the further number of residents across the North East of Wolverhampton .
I am having conversations here in Wednesfield with the community now that the SSDC plans are public. I am also speaking with City Planners about other points of issues. What is becoming even clearer Residents and the community have major concerns about the role of Policing and Fire and Rescue. Health facilities, the poor planning proposals around for instance Secondary Education..
Primary and Secondary School Places – As Councillors representing Wednesfield North we are horrified that pressure will be built on CoW schools in Wednesfield, and education places, because if these homes are built, without major mitigation before the Education infrastructure required is built. It will throw huge pressure on the current Wednesfield and Wolverhampton North East schools. Already places are at a premium, and new schools just for Wolverhampton’s own requirements are at constant and increasing pressure.
Health Services – As Local Councillors we can only see more issues developing around the already very stretched GP Practice and Dental and hospital services here in the CoW, if these 1,900 homes are built before the health infrastructure is created. It is inevitable that the new residents will spill over in their search for medical aid into our community. We believe that this is another solid reason for SSDC to halt their proposals to give time for Local Authorities to consult their members, and check what they and Government really wants to do, around target figures. Distortions created not only in the development of surgeries, and access to doctors will also be replicated in Dental and Pharmacy services. None of the efforts to solve these concerns will be delivered by rushed planning decisions. Certainly the already established Wednesfield community will not accept weakened and poorly prepared planning proposals without the investment in these services being made first before the housing is completed.
Public Health requirements –
City of Wolverhampton has been working to a Public Health plan that is designed to ensure people in the City live longer, healthier and have more active lives. That we should be part of a vibrant green city, we can be proud of. This huge housing developmenton ‘Land North of Linthouse Lane’ being crushed closely on to the City Boundaries, will do little to create that sort of enhancement. This SSDC development on ‘Land North of Linthouse Lane’ will cut off the green belt for our established and diverse communities in Wednesfield therefore reducing Green Space. If the planned SSDC Country Parks were established closer to the City Boundaries. Their Public health benefits would help to alleviate the loss of current Green Belt ensuring some facility for our diverse communities and residents in Wednesfield .
Fire & Police – We are concerned that there appears to be little or no thought being given to how the Fire and Police Authority will be planning their support of their services. No plans for a Police Station or how the Staffordshire Fire Authority will protect and service the new dwellings. Will it be West Midlands Police and Fire Services that will be protecting and Servicing these 1,900 properties from highway infrastructure from the West Midlands side? If not how will the services protect and serve?
Green Space & Green Belt – Wednesfield Councillors believe that the proposed new Country Park for Essington and Playing fields as part of their SSDC Local Development Plan proposals, should be on the ‘Wednesfield side’ of the former Mineral Railway – that is the former rail line, which currently splits the development site. The proposed Country Park would do much to provide the ‘green lungs that the current arable farm land and Green Belt, has provided for decades for 30,000 Wednesfield diverse residents, and the further number of cultural residents across the City of Wolverhampton.
Best Regards
Cllr Phil Bateman MBE
on and behalf of Councillor Rita Potter
Councillor Mary Bateman
Wednesfield North City Councillors.
There are currently 20 names of people who are our Ashmore Park Stars, but not in any particular order
• Professor David Rayson – Artist – London Royal College of Art. David was appointed Professor and Head of Painting at the Royal College of Art in 2006. He is a practising artist, tutor and curator and his work has been exhibited widely in the UK and internationally. His work is included in major collections held by the Tate, Whitechapel Art Gallery, the British Council, Deutsche Bank, Rubell Family Collection, The Open University and The Contemporary Art Society.
• Tony Milovsorov –Athlete run for Tipton Harriers lived and went to school on Ashmore Park, he took part in World Cross Country Championships.
• Phil Palmer – Is a legend on the estate with his Musicland Shop. He has given countless children and their families an introduction into the world of music. Bringing pleasure to many and in some cases sparking music talent that is being displayed much wider than in just our locality. Phil has played for royalty and appeared at top notch venues around the UK and abroad displaying his own music talent. He may not live on Ashmore Park, but he is certainly PART of Ashmore Park. A former Military man, who went onto win a Guinness World Record for the longest note blown. Follow the link to see the BBC Midlands Today film taken at the time…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOSiPgiXe6M
• Sean O’Driscoll– Footballer, and one of the best known Football Manager’s in the UK
• Karl Henry who played football for the Stoke, Wolves and QPR. He lived in Ashmore Park and went to St Alban’s School.
• Gary Williams Aston Villa footballer & brother of
• Steve Williams who played for Walsall FC
• Barrie Gower– Went to Coppice High School, Barrie has been involved with many productions for both TV and Film including the Harry Potter series and most recently HBO’s Game of Thrones. He also contributed to Academy award winning makeups for The Wolfman and The Iron Lady.
• Roger Ellis World Cycle Speedway Champion – Roger rode for Wednesfield Aces and his home is on Ashmore Park!
• Willard Wigan MBE a sculptor- Known for his miniature sculptures, fabulous eye! His work has been recognised by the Guinness Book of Records. His sculptors are typically placed in the eye of a needle! He was commissioned to create the Coronation Crown on the head of a pin! In celebration of the Diamond Jubilee of HRH Queen Elizabeth the Second.
• Adrian Anslow – AEM Aged Twenty– fell during an attack on the Atlantic Conveyor in the Falklands War. Much admired and courageous military man. His family received an Elizabeth Cross medal in his honour. AEM Adrian Anslow Age: 20 Royal Navy 25/05/82
• Beatrice Cattermole legendary Head Teacher of Ashmore Park Primary School – Influenced hundreds of Ashmore Parkers and was held in great esteem
• Terry Green teacher- Fund raiser and Local Choir Master – Once again a teacher held in high esteem. for his work at Coppice High School
• Nigel Garton – West End Actor, stage and character actor
• Ian Mason– died serving his Country
• Annie Wildey – International Artist now living in New York
• Raj Kumar – Much loved shop keeper who served Ashmore Park for more than 32 years before passing away suddenly in the shop in 2017. More than 2,000 residents and customers turned out for an impromptu service on the shopping parade! All of which underlined the star quality this man had, through his help for others.–He was a stand-out trader here for 32 years, he was immensely popular, and I think he did more for relationships than perhaps anyone we know. So many Ashmore Parkers have asked for his inclusion to the Walk of Stars, I am happy to agree with their sentiment. Raj was a legend locally, on a Par with Ronnie Barkers own cult shop keeper Arkwright
• Al Barrow of Rock Band Magnum, He was Born Nov 1968 in Ashmore Park, Wednesfield to Margaret & David Barrow. He plays with Magnum a national and international iconic Rock Band.
• Martin Cooper -December 12th 2018 – Here is the latest member to be enrolled in the Ashmore Park Walk of Stars! Martin J Cooper England Rugby Union International, who gained 11 Caps for England.
• Billy Ellitts – Awarded in November 2019 – It was a great pleasure to award Billy Ellitts – A World Dance Champion with his Ashmore Park Walk of Stars Certificate. Also in attendance at the event was Cllr Rita Potter and Cllr Mary Bateman. It was Awarded at the Wednesfield North Community Excellence Award ceremony on 14th November 2019. It was a great night..
Big Day tomorrow! Its the Anniversary of one of Britain’s most important historic battles. The day the Vikings were defeated by the Mercians (Saxons at the Battle of Wodensfield – the battle gave its name to our Village of Wednesfield. Plus, it halted the spread of Vikings. Otherwise we could all be speaking Danish now…
Back in 2014 I moved a motion in full City Council and
It read – “This City Council recognises the importance of the Battle of Wodensfield, which took place in August 910 ,within the current City Boundaries. We wish to ensure the historic significance of this battle by declaring that the City Council flag is flown over the two day Anniversary (5/6) August annually. We further request the City Council to investigate and report back to Cabinet, ways in which this historic event can be marked to regenerate and develop our local economy.”
I just checked with senior Officers at City Council and they confirm “The Council are committed to supporting the commemoration of the Battle of Wodensfield. We will be flying the flag on both the 5 and 6 Aug, and sharing the history on our social channels”.
Wish everyone a ‘Happy Battle of Wednesfield Day’ on Friday & Saturday!
Photograph-Cllr Phil Bateman with the City of Wolverhampton Flag back in 2014.
Introducing your Wednesfield North Councillors from Left to Right Councillor Mary Bateman, Councillor Rita Potter, and Councillor Phil Bateman.
We want you to know that as Wednesfield North Councillors, we are working hard continually to help support and identify resources to provide valuable funding for all sorts of groups, and individuals, that are active in Wednesfield North.
As we go about Improving Wednesfield North and Wolverhampton – We want to be seen to help create the strong resilient and healthy communities that our own Wolverhampton City Council Plan 2019-2024 calls on us as a community to do. We have set out from day one, to assist residents and groups, as a way forward to improve our part of the City of Wolverhampton. We want to play our role in creating a green vibrant, Wednesfield North and a City that we can all be proud of.
Over the last three years, in progressing this policy, we have been active in helping to provide for a huge range of individuals volunteers, and community groups with actions and performances that have brought fun and happiness to our community.
Music, Fun, History and Cultural Events. Wednesfield North Councillors have contributed towards the Music and Culture in Wednesfield, by supporting in a modest way from our funding pot, the following events. The Wodenstock Festival of music and events held over a day in the Wednesfield Amphitheatre, this was amongst the first of our funding actions. The Lancaster War Memorial on the Lichfield Road, where we again made a financial contribution helping – Wednesfield History Society to deliver a memorial that remembered a Lancaster Bomber that crashed with loss of life here in Wednesfield during the Second World War. Wednesfield History Society, is a rigorous and energetic community action group, that supports the history of our Village. Educating how the name of Wednesfield came about, and how the Village has changed over the centuries. Without losing all its local character.
Our actions of support using our Ward Funds helps to retain, and explain the rich history our Village and our Ward of Wednesfield North has. Our funding support also helped the unique Saragari War Memorial be placed in Wednesfield. This is an important Military statue which helps to explain acts of bravery, by forces loyal to the British Army during the battles that were waged at the time in India under Empire. Our modest financial support, has helped to deliver an imposing art work that has international, national and local importance. It is for actions like these in a multi-cultural cohesive city that makes Wednesfield the welcoming place it is. We have been instrumental in the #Stuff4Steph Fundays held on Ashmore Park for Wednesfield people. Creating rides, stalls, exhibitions, music and supporting #ShopLocal events. Attended by over a thousand locals it has become an annual event.
Our Ward Funds also help the Wednesfield Canal Festival take place, again it’s a voluntary Festival, and it majors on our Industrial heritage, the 230-year-old canal, The Wyrley and Essington Canal. This Wednesfield Canal Festival has grown into the largest of its kind on canals in our City. More than 4,000 people turned up for the two-day event when it was last in action. There will be another Canal Festival on the 13 and 14th of August 2022 at Bentley Bridge. In which your Councillors are again heavily involved with.
We also made a contribution to add Christmas Lights on the Ashmore Park Shopping Parade., The #ShopLocal campaigns to deliver, and help retain these important local businesses and stores. Our actions in 2019 as Ward Councillors created the Wednesfield North Community Excellence Awards. It was a huge success so we repeated the action again in 2021. Where we identified and rewarded more than 50 individual persons and voluntary, community groups and organisations, who delivered good causes to individuals, programmes, community, and environmental activities. It was in 2021, the second of such events were held in The Ashmore Inn, helping to build a pride in the community which was extraordinary on the night. With the Mayor, and Mayoress attending along with the Leader of the City Council. It was an evening to be proud of. All the individuals and Groups honoured received a certificate charting their good deeds and the activity they performed in our community.
Infrastructure Development – Your Councillors have provided street furniture through the financing through our Ward Funds of environmental infrastructure developments like the Remembrance Day Bench -placed on The Ashmore Park. The Remembrance Day Bench- placed on the Green Open Space at Coppice Farm, and the Remembrance Day Bench in the front garden of The Hub on Ashmore Park.
We have also funded a Waste Rubbish Bin at Measham Way to help dog walkers, the Waste Rubbish Bin located near the Nicket on Kitchen Lane. Both popular walking routes for dog owners and the general public. We have also supported the Wednesfield in Bloom project supporting the volunteers in their planting and the purchase of the flowers. Wednesfield in Bloom has been a very important community event. It has brightened Wednesfield and Wednesfield North. As well as it contributed to the winning of the Heart of England Gold Medal in recent years, plus a community award for its work in bringing the Wednesfield Community together.
Your Councillors have also contributed to the ‘Litter Pick’ which was organised by the Ashmore Park Community Association and the St Albans Church on Ashmore Park. As part of an objective to improve the environment.
Education – Also we have supported our young people and their families so they can make the best possible start in life. During the period of time, we were faced with the Covid-19 Lockdown situation. We assisted our children and young people helping them to receive the tools they required to assist them in following their learning at home. We provided additional modest funds to all our schools in Wednesfield North which allowed the purchase of digital technology devices, allowing education to continue at home. We also have supported the local School Uniform Project which helps families cope with the high cost of school uniforms in Wednesfield. We achieved this via a project run by a voluntary group run by Sara Rutter.
Hands on Wednesfield Volunteers – As local Councillors we see all the success that our voluntary and community groups have, as they themselves deliver projects and proposals which enhances community values here in Wednesfield North. We have covered a range of support costs for Hands on Wednesfield including a contribution to Public Liability Insurance that (HOW) use to support for individual voluntary and community group events taking place in Wednesfield. We also were pleased to support the first digital Art Map recording and Locating Art that has been placed in and around our Village and surrounding areas.
Sport – We also have supported Wednesfield Aces Cycle Speedway with a modest financial contribution as they continue to offer young people sporting opportunity. They have been in existence for more than 60 years, and we have recognised their contribution to the locality by providing access for young people who want to get into this sport. Their international recognition in producing Champions at all levels (including veterans) and continued National recognition of Wednesfield in their sport. We also supported Wednesfield Aces 60th Diamond Jubilee celebrations
Building Community and family resilience – Is a key priority for our city, and in Wednesfield North that is very much a statement that underpins what we are trying to achieve. We have vibrant and multi- cultural community which we are trying hard to support and encourage. We have recently made a contribution to Methodist Homes Waterside Residents Amenity Fund. Which will enable them to develop their gardens as a place for residents and visitors a like to use, when visiting the Home. At the start of this new Municipal Year 2022 -2023 we have also entered into a unique partnership with Ashmore Park Community Association and Social Sanctuary with an agreement to have funded from our Wednesfield North Ward Funds a project that will see – Free summer holiday sessions for 11 – 16-year-olds delivered at The Hub with the Ashmore Park Community Association.
This is exciting to be partnering with the APCA and The Social Sanctuary Project to fund a series of free holiday activities for these young people this summer. We very much see this as your Ward Councillors, as a way to strengthen relationships with our residents. Developing this link with young people and their parents, will we hope be seen as an improvement for activity for young people here in Wednesfield North.
Summation – Finally, we are hoping to continue throughout the 2022-2023 Municipal Year to be innovative and continue to support our communities with a view to developing an even more cohesive set of solutions. As we face up to what looks like being a real difficult year for our local economy. Wednesfield has a thriving voluntary and community sector, and there are key individuals and groups. We want to support these leaders, that do much to provide many of our neighbourhoods with energy and drive.
As Wednesfield North Councillors we are dedicated to ensuring that we will seek to source and identify resources that will help in making sure that no part of our community is left without help. I hope that you will see from this information provided, that we have used the £30,000 we have had from Ward Funds over the last three years and distributed it in a balanced way across our Ward to date.
Councillors Mary Bateman Councillors Rita Potter Councillor Phil Bateman
Last night Councillor Rita Potter and I attended an invitation made to us by South Staffordshire Council, to attend The Chamber at the Council House to discuss a concept Plan for ‘North of Linthouse Lane’ in South Staffordshire development.
We attended the meeting and we informed them that we were against the proposals to have the land developed. Wednesfield North Councillors have reiterated that view on every occasion that we have had the opportunity to do so.
However, the planning process continues and it is in everybody’s interest that we find out as much as we can about the thought process and the machinery that is taking place.
It is a difficult place to be. South Staffordshire are leading this program, and they have instructed Hyas a Consultations’ Group to create a ‘concept Plan’ for the Option they have for this land.
As City Councillors we are in a difficult position, we have no control over this planning arrangement, and we sit there knowing that the huge majority of Wednesfield North residents are against the loss of this Green Belt. Yet the process keeps marching on.
Yesterday we were shown ‘concept plans that set out the vision the Officers are to place before South Staffordshire Councillors, and later in this year, they MAY form part of the plans that the South Staffordshire Councillors will go out for public consultation on. That public consultation will likely be timetabled for later this year.
Last night the development as envisaged became clearer,
• In short, the concept plan envisages, a development of 1,956 dwellings
• Primary access opportunities (Roads) linking with Linthouse Lane and Blackhalve lane
• Secondary primary access (Roads) linking with – Kitchen Lane
• A two-form entry Primary School
• A Community Hub
• Central Green Space
• Housing – Higher Density Zones, Lower Density Zones Medium Density Zones
• Green Links with Bio Diversity enhancements
• Pedestrians and Cycle routes
• Locations for Football pitches
• Proposed Country Park
Now I have to reiterate this is NOT what is going to happen, it a vision thing, that is being developed by a planning consultancy company, with the developers’ representatives, and Officers of South Staffordshire District Council. All with the aim to help South Staffordshire IF they decide to go ahead with the decision, to use this land, in their next stage of their Local Plan.
From a Wednesfield North perspective your Councillors have felt very uncomfortable in the two meetings that have taken place. One by a Teams virtual meeting, and last night at the meeting in Codsall.
We strongly underlined that we were against the option of a development yet again, but being there enabled us to see and to envisage the thoughts, as they were outlined to the meeting.
I will provide more feed back later and keep you informed of developments.
One of the Swans that were to be found on the Wyrley and Essington Canal in Wednesfield, was located dead this morning near to the Devils Elbow Bridge. The Canal and River Trust were quick off the mark when told. They have been and collected the body.
Thank you CRT for such a fantastic response. With two other Swans killed on the Wyrley and Essington Canal in the Walsall area this Summer. Many of the local community feared the worst for our Swan.
CRT tell me the Swan was not showing signs of injury that perhaps points to a natural causes death. They have bagged the body and taken it away.
They tell me there was no sign of pollution and there was lots of other Wildlife and fish evident at the site.
I will try and keep you all informed if any other issues materialise.
Thank you to our community for passing on the initial information about the Swan’s death this morning. CRT didnt hang about, and I want to thank them and their operatives for such a swift response.
Wolverhampton, Dudley, Sandwell and Walsall councils and West Midlands Police have announced plans to apply for a new High Court injunction to ban “street racing” in the Black Country.
If granted, the injunction would forbid people from participating in, attending, promoting, organising or publicising a street racing event. Anyone ignoring the injunction could be arrested, face penalties such as up to two years’ imprisonment or an unlimited fine, or have their assets seized. For the purposes of the application, street racing is defined as the act of drivers of cars, motorbikes or quadbikes meeting to race or show off in their vehicles.
The councils are expected to issue proceedings in a few weeks’ time, with a court date likely to be later this summer or early autumn. The application is being led by the City of Wolverhampton Council, as was the previous successful application for an injunction which was in force from 2015-2021.
People are invited to submit comments and observations regarding street racing and the application for a new injunction by emailing litigation@wolverhampton.gov.uk; if you have anything to share from your ward, please do so as soon as possible; comments received may be presented as evidence to the High Court. Incidents of street racing should be reported via asbu@wolverhamptonhomes.org.uk or to West Midlands Police on 101. In an emergency, always dial 999.