Author Archives: Phil Bateman

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About Phil Bateman

Phil Bateman is Married to Mary and lives in Wednesfield North. He was a long serving local politician having served previously on the now defunct West Midlands County Council... read more

Sue Lacey Lands Excellence Award

Deputy Leader of the City Council Cllr Steve Evans joined with Cllr Mary Bateman, Rita Potter and myself, as we presented Sue with Wednesfield North Community Excellence Award. Here is Sue’s citation . Sue Lacey – Head teacher at Ashmore Park & Phoenix Federated Nurseries. “Sue is a local lass, and grew up here. She has spent 38 years teaching and running the Ashmore Park Nursery It’s a school that has been awarded the ‘Outstanding accolade by Ofsted 5 times on the trot. Sue has made this award because perhaps a thousand local children have been educated at the school over the 38 years she has been teaching there.
Sue will be retiring in 2024. If ever a person has deserved an Excellence Award…..it is Sue!

Short Heath & Willenhall Joins Wolverhampton North East to create a New Parliamentary Constituency.

Wednesfield North and Wednesfield south with Heath Town, Fallings Park, Bushbury North and Bushbury South with Lowhill, along with Short Heath and Willenhall North now make up the new Parliamentary Constituency of Wolverhampton North East.

Its a brand new Constituency and it is sure to lead some confusions for people, as for the first time in decades we have a Parliamentary constituency that crosses Local Authority boundaries.

As you would expect Wednesfield North Labour Councillors have gotten behind our Parliamentary Labour Party candidate Sureena Brackenridge, even joining her campaign team, and crossing the Borough boundaries to campaign today in Short Heath and Willenhall North.

Here are the details of Labours Parliamentary candidate if you want to contact her.

Get in touch with Sureena by phone 07438663 282 ; or by email on sbraxWV@gmail.com

Wednesfield Remembrance week will be busy!

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.

The Top 12 Crimes in Wednesfield Over The Last Three Years!

Wednesfield is Not seen as a High Crime Area by the Police. In fact, it is described as the opposite which is a good thing overall.
But that doesn’t mean that there is no crime. I have been looking at the Home Office statistics as reported by the Police UK. Which looks at crime statistics over both Wednesfield North and Wednesfield South.

Police & Crime Statistics – I have been analysing the bigger picture looking at the last three years of the Crime statistics in Wednesfield. August 2023 being the cut-off month. This is what the information tells us.
Police UK lists these crimes as being in the top twelve of crimes committed in Wednesfield over this three-year period. –
Crime Numbers and percentage
1. Violence & Sexual crimes is the most reported crime in Wednesfield North and South -3620-42.2%
2. Vehicle Crime -846 -9.9%
3. Shop Lifting – 726-8.5%
4. Public Order-680-7.9%
5. Criminal Damage -624- 7.3%
6. Other Theft- 529-6.2%
7. ASB – 523 -6.1%
8. Burglary – 416-4.8%
9. Other Crime -167-1.9%
10. Robbery-129-1.9%
11. Possession of Weapons-128- 1.2%
12. Drugs-90-1%

It appears to me that the really big issue which doesn’t seem to grab attention is the top crime. Violence and Sexual offences.
Many of these crimes takes place in the home, that is what the police inform me. But seeing the size of the crime here, it demands an explanation about what is being done to tackle the impact and scope of the crime.
I will be following this level of crime up with the West Midlands Police.

The second largest crime is Vehicle Crime. I know that the Police here in Wednesfield have been reporting on the various initiative around vehicle crime that they have been undertaking. But I am keen to see a more detailed response. I will be following that through as we approach the year 2023 end.

Plus, I will be raising the matter with the Wolverhampton Safety Partnership.

Wednesfields Latest Crime stat as per Police UK

I have been looking at the last published stat for Wednesfield from Police UK, (The national website for policing in England, Wales and Northern Ireland). They are the statistics that are following Wednesfield Crime for August 2023. The Crime stats lag a couple of months from the current date

I looked at the last stats for the month -between July and August 2023- and analysed where the movements were.

Top of the statistics are Violence and Sexual Crimes. These are in the main crimes that take place in the home, but not exclusively. Its a worrying trend to see these figures for Wednesfield constantly fixed top of the crimes that happen in these Wards. Looking over the last three years which you can compare. This crime violence and sexual crimes heads the list regularly each month for three years. I will be asking the Safer Community Partnership, about the actions they will be taking to reduce and detect these worrying statistics.

Second in the crimes reported is the increase Anti Social Behaviour Crimes. this is a problem that is causing much concern amongst the Public. in Wednesfield. During the Summer months this crime became a regular issue with those living in Wednesfield North. Criminal Damage and Arson is also worryingly high with 13.2% of all crime reported in Wednesfield being in this category. here are the stats.

Crime Numbers & Percentage

1- Violence & Sexual Crimes- Number of crimes recorded 87 – 35.5%

2-ASB -34—13.9%

3-Criminal Damage & Arson- 32-13.1%

4-Shoplifting-23-9.4%

5- Vehicle Crime -21-8.6%

6-Other Crime- 17-0.8%

7- Public Order -11-4.5%

8-Burglary- -8-3.3%

9- Robbery -6- 2.4%

10-Weapon-2- 0.8%

11- Other Crime-2- 0.8%

12- Drugs -1- 0.4%

Environment & Housing – Driving Your Concerns in Wednesfield North.

These are the sectors that seem to be the areas of most concern for residents and business, living and working here in Wednesfield North.

Here is what the census informs us about the make up of our Ward in Wednesfield North.

The latest Census 2021- informs that there are 11.196 adults living in the Ward of Wednesfield North. The area is 2,267km in size.
Males number 5444 =48%
Females 5,753 =51%

My current case load (Residents contacts) may surprise people, but the largest range of events that I have been contacted about, here in Wednesfield North can be fitted into the following individual sectors.


• Environment – trees, highways, litter, street lighting, water, flooding. Parks, grass cutting verges, waste disposal, sewage.
• Housing
• External Organisations – Police, transport.
• Public Health
• Adults
• Regeneration
• Children
• Finance
• Communications

These statistics very much help to understand the areas of concern that residents have. It helps your councillors to determine what is taking place across the 11,000 people that live here in Wednesfield North. Clearly in todays living, it would be a shock if housing issues where not in the forefront of the concerns residents have. There is no shock here, hardly a week goes by without your Councillors fielding an enquiry on housing from the public!






Christmas Lights Wednesfield – Switch on Date.

Here is a great photo of the Christmas Lights Switch on back in November 2018. With the great Dickie Dodd as the presenter of the evening event and entertainments.

Here is the proposals for the road closures and times for this years event 23 of Novemnber 2023.

High Street, Wednesfield South:
High Street closed in both directions between its junction with Church Street and Neachells Lane.

Vehicular diversion route: Alfred Squire Road, Neachells Lane and vice versa.

Church Street closed in a westerly direction between is junction with High Street and its junction with Graiseley Lane.
It is expected the closure will commence at 13:00 until 22:00 on 23/11/23 .

Latest News Storm Babbet – 20th October 2023

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.

Wednesfield Volunteers See Another Success!10,000 Visitors to the 2023 Canal Festival!

Wednesfield Volunteers – Have Yet Another Success!
It’s only been a few days since Wednesfield in Bloom Volunteers informed us that they have been successful in winning for a sixth year on the trot, a Gold Award for the Urban category, for Wednesfield in Bloom in the Heart of England in Blooms Awards!
Now the Volunteers of ‘Hands on Wednesfield’ who are behind the Wednesfield Canal Festival has been informed that the canal festival has once again beaten its previous highest attendance which was in 2022.
This is a fantastic result. It has been confirmed to me that our Wednesfield Canal Festival has had yet another record year for the Canal Festival! Here are the statistics
Saturday attendance: 5,456
Sunday attendance: 5,236
Total visitors: 10,692
We also know that the August footfall at the Bentley Bridge Leisure Park was up 16.18% –
Week 32 (Canal festival week) +22.66% vs the previous year a 11,713 increase in foot traffic on the commercial site.
I believe that everyone involved in this result will be simply pleased and excited as to what our work has resulted in. Its brilliant to be informed of what is nothing short of an amazing set of results.
Back in 2022 – City Council Members had been discussing funding arrangements for regeneration projects in Wolverhampton. I informed the Economy and Growth Scrutiny Panel of the City of Wolverhampton Council – 28 September, ‘that there had been no mention of community and volunteering on the slide detailing the regeneration plan for the city over the next twelve months. I mentioned both Wednesfield in Bloom and the Wednesfield Canal Festival as examples of how volunteers can, and do help both the reputation of our city, and in growing the local economic opportunities. I was signifying that in the tourism sector for instance visitors played a big role, and for City of Wolverhampton in enhancing the vitality of local communities, they like the “in Bloom” team who do so much to bring vibrant colours and initiatives to this district.
Now we have the statistics for 2023 that back up my claims of that September meeting.
Volunteering in Wednesfield in particular is strong and active. We can always do more than we do of course. Volunteers are a tremendous asset to any settlement, village, town or city. If residents want to help Local Communities, they should look to join and offer their services to local clubs who are often looking for help.
Here in Wednesfield I am proud of all the volunteers that run sporting clubs, expand and develop culture through Dance, and especially the volunteers who run Art and Crafts clubs.
As Wednesfield in Bloom and the Wednesfield Canal Festival with Hands on Wednesfield. Developing other opportunities will I am sure see an expanding role for Volunteers, and of course the enhancement they make to our historic city.

Wednesfield In Bloom- You Have Done It Again Six Gold Awards Urban Category On The Trot!

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 et
c.

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!