Liberal Democrat Leader Nick Clegg revealed research showing a significant increase in the number of council tenants who are in rent arrears. Ahead of the Government’s inflation-busting 6% rise in council housing rent in England due in April, Nick Clegg has been meeting families who are already struggling to pay their social housing rent. Research obtained through [...]

Just when you think it’s safe to say you’ve got a problem sorted, something comes out of the woodwork to spoil it, or in this case something came out of the ground! A couple of days ago we reported that the problem of bins not being emptied in the Highmore Close area off Coppice Farm [...]

Much interest has been shown in and around Short Heath about a recent planning application received by Walsall Council’s Development Control for a medical centre. It has to be said that at this stage it is purely speculative. For it to become a reality two things need to happen. The application has to be granted [...]

The working party looking into options for the future of Sneyd Community School meets again today. We will report any progress made as and when we get it. It does look increasingly likely that the option of the school becoming an academy will be the one which will be recommended to the next meeting of [...]

Hillbury Drive got included in the refuse bin story the other day. This turned out not to be the case so I’ve corrected it so it refers to the Highmore area only. Had lots of phone calls on that day complaining about bins not being emptied, must have misheard some of them. However, this slip [...]

Monday’s Walsall Partnership meeting had its fair share of “routine” business on its agenda. However there was some good debate on the following. The Nottingham Declaration. Walsall Partnership signed up to this back in December 2007. The Declaration recognises the central role of local authorities in leading society’s response to the challenge of climate change. By [...]

Residents living in and around the Highmoor Close area off Coppice Farm Way in New Invention had their refuse bins emptied Saturday for the first time in 3 weeks. The reason for their plight was barriers around on-going roadworks blocking access to the refuse vehicle. Residents asked for help off the Lib Dem Focus Team in [...]

The closure of Pubs in the Willenhall area continues to cause concern. As well as the loss of a great British tradition at the heart of our diverse communities there is the look of desolation as many stand empty, boarded up and increasingly a magnet for fly tipping and vandalism. Lib Dem councillor Ian Shires, [...]

Meetings happening this week:- Monday 26th January Walsall Partnership, Board Meeting which has on its agenda the Local Area Agreement, Next Generation Broadband, Multi Area Agreements as well as a discussion on the Partnerships response to the “Credit Crunch”. Tuesday 27th January Walsall Housing Group, Board Meeting, its agenda includes a report on the Collaboration [...]

The Willenhall North Lib Dem Focus Team, accompanied by council officers and officers from Walsall Housing Group, recently went on a “walk about” on the Forest Gate Estate in New Invention reports Lib Dem councillor Ian Shires. The object of the “walk about” was to get the officers to see first hand some of the issues [...]