Labour election pledges are being delivered to homes across Wednesfield North and the City. Today we highlight the Healthier Lives for Local People part of the manifesto Labour is fighting on in this City.

City of Wolverhampton Labour Party commits itself to delivering Healthier Lives for Local People. We have already delivered NHS Health Checks for residents aged 40 -74 with a £500,000 investment.

We had 28,000 of our residents moving more & eating better with the “Better Health Rewards” pilot we delivered last year. Recipients were provided free fitness trackers & incentives. It proved to be a real success. We also doubled the WV Active membership and invested £1m to provide ‘State of the Art’ gyms at our Leisure centres.
Labour has also provided Free Access to WV Active Centres for young people with a £2m investment as part of our successful Yo! Wolves programme.

Now looking forward to 2024/2025 we are working in partnership with the NHS, and it is Labour’s intention to bring in New innovative digital health checks at your local doctors. We also have a plan to support residents to lose weight, quit smoking, and exercise more.

Through our Public Health team and partnership with the NHS we are planning to give all residents access to potentially lifesaving breast, cervical, and bowel cancer screening. Plus our plans moving forward is to deliver and invest £2.3m into a programme to get people off drugs & alcohol, and supporting them into education training and jobs. Drugs and alcoholism are huge issues for the region and the UK. We hope that this program will go along way to help families caught in the despair of these activities.

Its a fulsome ‘Healthier Lives’ programme for the next year, but we are confident that if we are elected back into control, we can actively work, and deliver our plan for ‘Healthier lives for local people’ which is an exciting programme, and very much part of the overall plan to create a “Thriving City”.

The South Staffs District Council has now confirmed that they have removed the large green belt construction sites on the edge of Wednesfield and along the boundary line of the City of Wolverhampton. South Staffs District Council have published their updated version of their Local Plan, which will itself go out for consultation.

Clearly all those Wednesfield residents that have campaigned alongside Mary, Rita and I, will be delighted at this official news. Your Wednesfield North Labour Councillors were the first to raise the fears and quick to make our protest known, as we broke the information through our Social Media sites back in 2018. We have been vocal about this matter in the City of Wolverhampton Council, and we protested at the SSDC proposals at protest meetings, in Essington alongside Essington residents who had the same outlook.

The residents in Wednesfield North and the residents in Woodend Road, Linthouse Lane and Kitchen Lane are the real winners.

Councillors Mary Bateman, Rita Potter and Phil Bateman, would like to say its a good result now. We will all see that wonderful ‘Big Sky’ in all its glory for many more years to come. We will be able to watch Farmers at work with their Agriculture. Glimpse the wonderful wildlife that we all get a thrill in watching. Thank you everyone who has worked hard to get the result which has come in…. Thanks’ to everyone who campaigned to save OUR Green Belt. It was a successful campaign and we have proven the doomsayers wrong.

There has been much concern about the speed motorists travel along Linthouse Lane in Wednesfield. This has been a longstanding problem, since the Automatic Speed Cameras were turned off, several years ago.

Local residents have been voicing their concerns as accident after accident continues to occur. Your Wednesfield North Councillors have been in contact with the Local Authority constantly. Requesting a Road Safety scheme that will make Linthouse Lane safer, and supporting residents calls for action. We have been succesful in arguing our case.

Here is the latest response that has been made by the Highway Authority, following further contact by Councillors, and the finance approved through the City Councils Budget process.

“Linthouse Lane was identified as a route of concern during the most recent annual road safety review and subsequently has been approved for the allocation of funding through the Road Safety Capital Programme for 2024/25.

We are not able to provide detail related to the design at this time as the project is at feasibility stage where multiple options will be assessed for effectiveness to reduce injury collisions including economic assessments to prove cost efficiency.

Prior to the completion of detailed design, Consultation will be undertaken with Councillors and members of the public to explain the project, Request feedback to gauge public opinion and where suitable, develop the design further based on information received.”

With regards to the placing of static speed cameras. This is a further comment that details the response to the requests we have made.

“I note that there has been a request for Average Speed Enforcement (ASE) to be implemented on Linthouse Lane. It is the responsibility of West Midlands Police (WMP) to enforce vehicle speed limits on the network however, we have worked in partnership with WMP to establish a criteria for the implementation of ASE. I can inform you that Linthouse Lane does not meet with the criteria for the implementation of ASE however mobile speed enforcement is undertaken at Linthouse Lane opposite Springhill Road.”

Councillors will be contacting the Highway Authority again as we are keen to progress this scheme as soon as possible.

Labours 2021 Election Manifesto for the City of Wolverhampton stated that ‘Kids’ would have “No more Cuts in our children’s services, and that we would invest more than £2m to ensure that activities and services will again return to all our communities.” We delivered on that commitment.
The City Labour Group is now going to deliver a new £61m new City Learning Quarter to help 45,000 learners and 7,500 apprentices over the next decade. These are good local initiatives for the City of Wolverhampton, and will do much for education. All of which is part of Our City-Our Plan and will ultimately take our City into another level. Its investments like these that make a fantastic investment, and a difference.
Education is important and it feeds through into jobs as well. Let me explain- Here in Wednesfield North our Ward profile informs that some 300 Wednesfield North residents work in the Education sector. Making it the top sector for jobs in my Ward and there is nothing but to expect that this investment will go on and improve our City wide economy.

As today wanes into Tuesday the 12th March. I look back on the day with some good memories being sparked into life, following the ceremony. Mary and I chatted about our attendance this morning.

It was a good ceremony with the Commonwealth flag being raised by Wolverhampton’s Mayor, and the Deputy Lord Lieutenant of the West Midlands County.

We were talking about some 18 years ago when Don McKinnon the then Secretary General of the Commonwealth, then accepted an invitation I had made to him in that year- to attend Wolverhampton.

We enjoyed speaking with friends, and the Mayor & Mayoress, and with Martin the Deputy Lord Lieutenant, about that super day for our City!

the proposed temporary closure of Amos Lane, Wednesfield North/Heath Town, Wolverhampton.

• Amos Lane closed in both directions between its junctions with Cedar Way/Bellamy Lane and its junction with Woden Avenue.
Vehicular Diversion Route: Wood End Road, Lower Prestwood Road and vice versa.

The closure and diversion route can be viewed on One.Network via this link – https://one.network/?tm=137492182

It is anticipated that the above closure will be in place from 25/03/24 to 05/04/24 to facilitate gas mains replacement works by Cadent Gas.

If you have any concerns or comments, please contact me by 01/03/23, in order to process the advertisement of the Temporary Traffic Regulation Order (TTRO) accordingly.

On International Women’s Day, here in Wednesfield North Labour Party, We celebrate the impact that women have on politics, and the battle they have undertaken to deliver equality and opportunity.

Back in 1921 Emily Sproson became the first elected Woman Councillor in Wolverhampton.

Fast forward into 2024 and we see that in a City Council of 60 Councillor’s, more than 50% of those Councillors are now women. The Labour Party has done much to encourage women into Local Politics in those 103 years.

But there is a still much more to do to deliver true equality and opportunity.

Here in Wednesfield North Labour Party, two of the three members of our Ward currently representing you on Council are women.

Here Councillor Mary Bateman and Councillor Rita Potter exchange a thought about the day ahead.

Wednesfield North City Councillors said today “We have helped deliver fun and enjoyment for hundreds of our residents, even thousands over the last few years. We do our best to ensure that modest resources provided by the City Council help our community across a wide range of policy areas, and is very much part of delivering a better Wednesfield, in line with the City Councils own plan ‘Our City – Our Plan’.

More than £30,000 have been distributed by Wednesfield North Councillors to good causes, volunteer groups, and charities since 2021 here in Wednesfield and across Wednesfield North. All these funds have helped support the City of Wolverhampton’s own ‘Our City – Our Plan’ policies. This policy document is a key component of the Councils policy framework. In short, we are doing locally what the plan determines. Which is to align with the priorities and the needs of local people. Its about increasing economic prosperity, improving outcomes for local people, and tackling inequalities, whilst addressing other challenges like Net Zero. As we work hard to bring communities together.

Our Ward resources have been used and allocated to organisations as wide spread as Local Food Banks, through to education support for local schools in our Ward.
We have supported all sorts of community groups like the Wednesfield History Society, who organise to protect and record our unique past. We donated support for the Wednesfield Lancaster Bomber Crash Memorial on the Lichfield Road commemorating the brave flyers who lost their lives at that location in 1945. We also donated and supported the internationally recognised ‘Battle of Saragarhi Memorial’, which some military historians describe as one of history’s great last stands.

We encourage the Arts and recently assisted with funding for Ashmore Park Choir. As well as funding digital maps for the Wednesfield Art Trail.
We have found resources working in partnership with Ashmore Park Community Association, for a local Youth Club based at The Hub. We have assisted in resources for three Defibrillators set across and serving the public in our Ward of Wednesfield North.
Your Councillors have also assisted Caring Hearts and St Albans Church with funding for making their roof waterproof.

Wednesfield North Councillors are all about helping residents deliver fun and enjoyment in Wednesfied North, for children and families. We use our close working relationships, to full advantage. We have helped organisations and volunteers find resources to help fund the Ashmore Park Uniform Exchange, Wednesfield North Community Excellence Awards, and the ever popular free ‘Stuff4Steph’ Fundays held on the Moat, on the Ashmore Park Shopping Parade.
We have funded the capital for three Remembrance Benches one in the Ashmore Park, one on the Coppice Farm Walkways serving Public Open Space, and one at the front of the Hub at Ashmore Park. All three much used items have all been funded by Ward resources. We have also help fund a Christmas Toy Appeals, and furnished Christmas Lights on Ashmore Park Shopping Parade.

We continue to support the Wednesfield Canal Festival, as they put on bigger community events based on the Wyrley and Essington Canal. Last year (2023) that event alone drew 10,000 visitors into Wednesfield, and there were two days of live music, a ‘Floating Market, with Narrow Boat Traders, a fun fair, local craft stalls, all meaning enjoyment, and good experiences for our local residents and local families.

The Environment isn’t forgotten. We have helped resource two bins one on Open Space on the Linthouse Lane estate, one on Kitchen Lane, at The Nicket which links with Essington. So that dog walkers can place their doggie doo’s safely for collection.

We are really proud of our local people, who give their time freely to improve the local environment. Wednesfield in Bloom volunteers are known locally as ‘The Bloomers’! Wednesfield in Bloom have been excellent in turning grey into green. They have been so successful in changing Wednesfield into a colour vibrant Village, bathed in natural colours bringing much satisfaction to residents and supporting the local economy. We have made resources available to their organisation in their endeavours.

Our actions provided assistance with resources for the volunteers of Hands on Wednesfield, to purchase Public Liability Insurance for that organisation, helps other groups and volunteers in Wednesfield put on public events.

Our latest support is for the Richie Tanner ‘Make a difference campaign’. This campaign group has been formed to assist local adults living with cerebral palsy, and those with similar disabilities. Giving them the ability to make friends, chat and meet together to discuss issues of importance to their group.

Our aims as Wednesfield North City Councillors, is much like Richie Tanner own aims which is all about – ‘Making a difference, and delivering a better Wednesfield.’
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Back in November I received information from residents in Sandy Crescent regarding a largely redundant Garage Site, when during the night some unsavoury practices had been allegedly taking place.

I contacted the Authorities because it was suggested that a bollard be erected to keep the vehicles and Fly-Tippers away, and those using the car park in the night for other unwanted activities.

The enquiry was ref T11784.

The Fly-Tipping had been removed but the bollard had not been erected. I have been in constant touch with the authorities. The argument is being made that this is a Public Right of Way and The City Council has a responsibility and it was not just a Wolverhampton Homes decision.

I now have another reference Number T11978

Since the original intervention I made there has been a debate taking place within the Authority, because there is an additional issue of access for the National Grid, and their access arrangements for the Electricity -Sub Station, that is also located on the site..

So the conversations are still taking place between The National Grid, Wolverhampton Homes, and City of Wolverhampton Council. I will continue to keep you updated on any progress that is made.