“Anti-Social Behaviour and more, is the Bain of West Midlands Cities and Towns” said Councillor Phil Bateman of Wednesfield North.
He went onto say “Its not just an issue here in Wolverhampton, but when it occurs on public transport, it is serious and dangerous, and the Authorities and local Police with other public transport agencies working in partnership, become the best way forward to deal with the matter.
At the end of last year we had started to receive reports from bus users that ASB and assault was taking place on the 59 bus route, that links Wednesfield with Wolverhampton.
Today at a Safer Wolverhampton Partnership meeting. I released information from TfWM about the way that the complaints had been handled.”

TfWM had written to me saying “Thank you for continuing to shine a light on the issues being experienced by passengers of the 59 bus route on a weekly basis. I know you have personally worked diligently for many years to help build a safe and reliable transport network, so I can appreciate how worrying these reports must be.”

TfWM continued that ” that many incidents have been reported to you with each of these being shared with our Safer Travel Team, National Express West Midlands and neighbourhood police teams.
TfWM has dedicated further resources to patrolling the 59 route leading to the identification of a youth most commonly involved in these abhorrent attacks. Taking a wider view of the 59 service, our Transport Safety Officers and Safer Travel Police Team have seen a reduction of incidents since their regular patrols began. In November, 9 reports had been identified to relate to the 59 service and its route however, we have seen this fall to just 3 in December 2023. Their patrols mirror the times that have been reported and will continue to evolve alongside any further reports we receive. To date, four other youths have been identified using CCTV and the Neighbourhood Police team have visited them and their parents at their homes to discuss their antisocial behaviour. 1 was issued with a first stage warning with the remaining 3 being issued ASB advisory letters. This was achieved thanks to the coordinated efforts of the Safer Travel Team, the bus operator National Express West Midlands and the Neighbourhood Police Team.
I hope that this update assures you and passengers that TfWM is actively working with partners to tackle this kind of behaviour which will not be tolerated. We will continue to monitor the levels of antisocial behaviour and should you receive any further reports, please do not hesitate to contact us again.”

Councillor Bateman added – “All three of your City Councillors Mary , Rita and myself, work hard with all these agencies to ensure that we do all we can to help our Ward develop safe effective. and efficient public transport services. We know its hard for bus passengers when their bus services don’t turn up, or when they are delayed by bad behaviour and worse.
This particular issue has been difficult, but there are some positive actions that come of it. Transport for West Midlands report that there has been a reduced number of incidents since the actions started. My hope that these police actions with partners will help to deliver safer bus services for users and residents.”

The meeting took place today in The Hub at Ashmore Park, Griffiths Drive Ashmore|Park.

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.

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%

Recently on the 8th August there was quite a dramatic crash on Linthouse Lane. As a car collided with a bus shelter, and a Lamp Post.

I want to inform residents that I continue to raise their concerns, that we all have with regards to the speeding that takes place regularly in Linthouse Lane. I will be raising the issue again with West Midlands Police, who are charged with the role of enforcing speed limits and Anti -Social driving.

Back in the Spring of this year, and in answer to questions I raised around an accident on the Linthouse Lane in March of this year. I received the following response….

“Dear Councillor Bateman, Linthouse Lane was included in our annual road safety analysis in January 2023. It was ranked 84th in the list for Personal Injury Collisions per km of road. As you can imagine, this means we are unable to justify including Linthouse Lane in our programme of interventions in 2023/24 financial year; however we will continue to keep the situation under review in future years. I would remind you that responsibility for enforcement of speed limits and anti-social driving such as that described falls to West Midlands Police who can be contacted on their non-emergency number 101 to discuss appropriate enforcement opportunities such as Community Speed Watch activities”

Councillor Phil Bateman went onto say “My view is that the March response received from the Highway Safety team at the City Council, was very disappointing. I know we have a resource shortage, and that there are 83 other worse performing roads for Personal Injury Collisions but if you had these awful events taking place, and putting your family safety at risk. You would want the Authorities to be doing as much as possible to keep you safe.

So, with no safety plan being introduced from the City Council program on interventions locally, in this year’s budgets. I will be raising the issue of cracking down on speedsters driving in Linthouse Lane, with West Midlands Police As it was pointed out earlier in this correspondence. It is West Midlands Police who. are charged with the role of enforcing speed limits and Anti -Social driving.

I will also raise the matter with the Police at the PACT meeting in Wednesfield on the 5th September. “

What this Conservative Government just does not get, is that Policing is important to our Community.

We all want to see more Police. Over the last twelve months, I have done as much as I can to try and raise the profile of the importance of more Police in the battle against crime.

Here in Wednesfield North one of 20 individual Wards here in the City of Wolverhampton, the crime relating to Anti Social Behaviour has been pretty well catalogued in the Police UK Crime statistics.
From January 2022 through to December 2022 we have had recorded 114 ASB crimes in here in the Ward.
ASB is a crime that really annoy people. Like the photograph taken in Ashmore Park where the featured play equipment for children was vandalised and spoilt by Anti Social Behaviour.

If you look at the same ASB stats for (Wednesfield North) but take them over 3 years. The figure grows to 649 ASB incidents. As we move towards a General Election, I am really hopeful that Wednesfield North will vote Labour, because we cannot afford another 5 years of this Governments lack of investment in the Police. If you feel like I do that “Criminals Get Off -Residents Get Let Down” then please join with me at the local elections, and the next General Election and vote Labour!

Just a short reminder- There is a PACT meeting taking place on this date at the above venue. Please place the date and time in your diary. If you have issues about policing here in Wednesfield.

Then this is the place to come and raise them- The Police will be in attendance, if your matter is an issue you want to speak to the Police privately, they usually do so there and then,or make a date and time with you, if it isnt appropriate at this time.

City of Wolverhampton Officers who have a role in the Safer Wolverhampton Partnership are also likely to be in attendance.

Just looking at the Police UK Statistics which are official Government stats for Wednesfield North & South Wards for the month of September –

I looked at crimes reported at the bottom of the statistics for this month. There is already an article on my sites relating to these September figures.

The numbers here though may surprise you!
Drugs -0
Robbery – 3
Other Crime – 4
Possession of weapons – 4
Cycle Theft – 4
Burglary 5
September was captured as a month when there was fewer crimes reported – 254 Crimes. Against August stats which showed -306 crimes.
My message to everyone in Wednesfield is a message I have consistently given for years.
Please report crime you have, or you see. It is so important that we get accurate statistics.
What is quite sobering, and this is more about the whole Justice system, is the fact though we have 254 crimes reported here in Wednesfield .
Only 1 of these cases is currently awaiting a Court Action.
2 – Cases are with Action by Others.
61 – cases are still under investigation.
87- Have no suspects identified
93- Unable to Prosecute.
Whilst on this subject its also worth stating that these statistics also currently deliver a message that this Wednesfield area, is very much still a low-crime area. There is of course a political message here..It is that this Government needs to pump more resources into policing here in Wednesfield and the West Midlands Force in particular.

Investigation after three Wolverhampton men injured in fight
We’re investigating after three men were seriously injured in Ashmore, Wolverhampton last night (Friday 24 June).

At around 10.55pm we started to receive multiple 999 calls reporting a fight between a group of people with weapons, on Southall Road.

Photo of an ambulance
We immediately sent lots of officers and medics, supported by firearms teams.

Three men, aged 26, 37 and 39, were taken to hospitals across the West Midlands with multiple serious injuries. They continue to be treated for their life-changing injuries, today.

The three injured men, who are all from Wolverhampton, had just left a nearby pub when they were attacked by two men armed with knives. At this time, we believe that all of the men know each other.

We have spoken to people who saw the crime happen, have started downloading CCTV and have looked at footage recorded on mobile phones. We have also had forensic teams in the area searching for evidence.

We are actively searching for two men – dressed in black – who are suspected are being involved. Searches have taken place at multiple addresses in the city.

If you can help our detectives, send them a message via Live Chat on the right of your screen quoting reference number 4513-240622.

Call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 if you have information but do not want to give your name. You may be entitled to a reward and the charity will never trace your call.

We have a problem in this City of Wolverhampton and also here in Wednesfield North. There is a bunch of crooks on the rampage, stealing drain and gulley covers. At a cost £63,000 in replacement costs city wide. Rampaging drain robbers are the cause of 260 reported incidents of drain and gulley covers stolen.

These criminal gangs need stopping because they are putting people and property at risk as they raid this safety ironwork for their own greed.

In my mind this is also a Police matter, and I do not agree in a City Council policy that does not report these stolen items as a crime. I have spoken with Wednesfield Neighbourhood Police, and they inform me that they are visiting Scrap Yards and metal reclamation sites. I am pleased about that.

I got interested in this issue when it seemed that residents here in Wednesfield North were reporting these crimes to me with depressing regularity. There have been 21 individual reports of incidents here in Wednesfield North during 2020-2021-2022 , and 27 items of ironwork have been lifted. That is a £6,300 replacement cost to the Counciltax payer in my Ward alone.

Sadly, tonight as I type this information for my blog, a resident reported to me yet another drain stolen in Kitchen Lane! Here in Wednesfield North that means in the last 28 days in my Ward alone- Drain crime that I know of is 6 drains lost in 28 days!

I asked if there is another substance that can be used as a drain that would be less valuable and less costly to be replaced.

City Council informed me “whilst there is a desire to find alternative materials, the market is dominated by cast iron products.”

So the Great Drain Robbery will continue until the Police are able to act and arrest the drain robbers. I am keeping my fingers crossed.