The spelling mistake in the Myrtle Close street nameplate has been rectified. It no longer reads Mrytle Close.

Why did it happen in the first place? How much  has this farce cost the council tax payer? And what are Highways chiefs doing to make sure this doesn’t happen again?

These are the questions being asked by the Short Heath Liberal Democrat Focus Team.

A  note to the council if it’s reading this. When are you going to correct the gaff on the Ravenscroft Road street sign? 

Walsall Council is set to start a £70,000 scheme to carry out repairs and improvements to a cemetery in Willenhall.Wood Street Cemetery was originally a Wesleyan Methodist cemetery and dates back to at least the 1840’s. Although the cemetery is closed for new burials it remains open to the public to visit and is therefore an important piece of Willenhall’s rich and diverse heritage.

Work is set to commence on Monday 2nd March to repair damage to memorials, pathways and boundary walls and is expected to last for approximately six weeks.

There are a number of mature trees on site that are causing root damage to paths and memorials, overshadowing other vegetation and some branches are at risk of collapse.

Sections of pathways may be temporarily closed to allow safe working on trees and memorials.

Commenting on the proposals Liberal Democrat councillor Ian Shires, chair of the Willenhall Partnership said, “£70,000 falls well short of the original amount that the council said it had put aside for this project, but at least it’s a start.

“It is hoped that the “Friends of Wood Street Cemetery” group working through the “Partnership” will be able to attract grant funding from other sources to help bring Wood Street Cemetery back to its former glory.”

Wood Street Cemetery, along with the Lock Museum and other notable buildings from Willenhall’s past are to be included in the “Willenhall Heritage Trail” which is being explored through the town’s Regeneration Project Reference Group.   

Vince Cable

Lib Dem Shadow Chancellor Vince Cable responds to the government statement on an “asset protection scheme” for banks

The Government’s latest proposals for tackling the bank crisis are “absolutely dire”, Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor Vince Cable has told Parliament.

Speaking in response to the Chancellor’s statement on the asset protection scheme for banks, Dr Cable accused the Government of completely losing the plot: “The proposal for asset protection is a disgrace and a betrayal of the taxpayer’s interests. It is a classic case of privatising profits and socialising loss.”

Dr Cable criticised the government for allowing its fear of the word nationalisation to dictate its policy. Referring to comments made by former chairman of the US Federal Reserve Alan Greenspan, he said,  ”The problem is that we have not only zombie banks, but a zombie government: the walking dead, controlled by people who have a strong vested interest in protecting their bonus arrangements and covering up large-scale tax avoidance scams.”

Full text of Vince Cable’s response

Dr. Vincent Cable (Twickenham) (LD): In October, we broadly supported the Government because we thought that that was the right patriotic response in an emergency and because their proposals for bank recapitalisation were sensible. However, I am afraid that they have now almost completely lost the plot. The proposal for asset protection is a disgrace and a betrayal of the taxpayer’s interests. It is a classic case of privatising profits and socialising loss.

We know from American experience that valuing bad assets is hideously difficult. We also know that the banks know more about their bad assets than the Government, so there is now an open invitation to the banks to dump their worst assets on the Treasury, for a fixed fee, knowing that the taxpayer will pick up 90 per cent. of the losses. That is a fraud at the taxpayer’s expense.

There is a much better approach - the way in which the Government started dealing with the problem. It is to acquire shares in the banks - ordinary shares with full voting rights. That guarantees that any upside in recovery - if there is one - and any eventual sale fully accrues to the taxpayer. It also gives the Government full effective control over banks’ lending strategy and remuneration, instead of the current feeble agreements, which the banks have treated with contempt.

We know what the Government are afraid of: being accused of nationalisation. Let me quote what the Government’s old friend - the Prime Minister’s hero - Mr. Alan Greenspan said about that only last week. That American Republican free-market ideologue stated:

“It may be necessary to temporarily nationalise some banks in order to facilitate a swift and orderly restructuring to allow the Government to transfer toxic assets to a bad bank without the problem of how to price them” - the problem we have today. “You”, he said to the Government, “should not get caught up on a word” - that is, nationalisation. He continued: “It doesn’t matter what you call it, but we can’t keep on funding these zombie banks without gaining public control.”

The problem is that we have not only zombie banks, but a zombie Government: the walking dead, controlled by people who have a strong vested interest in protecting their bonus arrangements and covering up large-scale tax avoidance scams.

The Government claim credit for being tough and stamping on the generous bonus arrangements of RBS and NatWest. I totally agree with the Conservative shadow spokesman - [Hon. Members: “Shadow Chancellor!”] I agree with his comments about Sir Fred Goodwin.

He was absolutely right. He could also have asked - and I will ask - how much in addition the Government have given to Sir Fred Goodwin and people in his position in tax relief.

However, there is a wider point about bonuses: they are public expenditure. These bonuses are a massive spending increase on public wages for which there is no justification whatever. What response will the Chancellor give this morning to Barclays, which has said that it will not deal with the Government unless all its bonus arrangements are fully protected? That is blackmail and he should make it absolutely clear that he will stand up to it.

I have one final question about what the Prime Minister said in the paper on Sunday about the proposal, which a growing number of people on all sides accept, that in the long term the low-risk high street lending activities of the banks have to be separated from the high-risk casino-type activities with which they have been associated. The Prime Minister seems to have capitulated to pressure to abandon that proposal altogether. I can understand why the banks want to hang on to the operations that generate their bonuses, but why on earth should the Government be giving a long-term guarantee for gambling activities on a global scale? It is incomprehensible and completely without justification.

I feel rather sad about this response, because I normally try to be constructive, but the Government’s proposal is absolutely dire.

There seems to be a chink in the wall of silence surrounding Highways Agency plans for 4-lane running on the M6 as it passes through Short Heath and New Invention between J10 and J10A reports Liberal Democrat councillor Ian Shires (Willenhall North Ward).

After many days of trying to prise information out of the government quango their contractors on the project, Carillion, have agreed to hold talks with councillors in advance of a leaflet drop planned for the middle of next week.

Commenting on the breakthrough councillor Shires said he welcomed the chance to put residents grievances to those managing the project, in particular residents were furious about the felling of many mature trees in preparation for the provision of a lay-by.

“I am disgusted with the Highways Agency who, even now, were sending in the contractor to do their dirty work for them.” said councillor Shires.

It is hoped that the talks, early next week, will lead to a public meeting which will enable local residents to find out exactly how the M6 four-lane running plans may or may not affect them.  

The saga of the M6 trees rumbles on! After yet another full day of trying to get to talk to someone at the Highways Agency about just how residents in Short Heath and New Invention will be affected by the plan to use the hard shoulder during rush hour the defences of the Agency remain doggedly intact reports Liberal Democrat councillor Ian Shires (Willenhall North).

So far all that has been divulged so far is that the Highways Agency intend to hold “an event” at which they will tell residents just what is planned.

“Problem with that is the “event” they refer to will be held in Essington and will deal with issues for its residents which are entirely different to the concerns of Willenhall residents!”  said councillor Shires.

Ian has called for the Highways Agency to face the residents of Willenhall and to do it now as leaving it till April will be to late. The Agency are already “chainsaw happy” and their cavalier attitude has already resulted in swathes of mature trees being felled in the area! 

How would you spell Myrtle? That’s what we thought but Walsall Council has other ideas!

Their Highways people recently replaced an aging nameplate in Myrtle Close, Short Heath ward with a brand new one. Only problem was they spelt the street name incorrectly! Their version? Mrytle Close!!

Commenting on the issue Liberal Democrat councillor Doreen Shires said, “You would have thought someone would have noticed this gaff before the street nameplate was installed wouldn’t you? 

“This just typifies the lack of attention to detail that has been allowed to flourish under the Tories who control Walsall.  It would be funny if it wasn’t public money that was paying for their mistakes.”

It wouldn’t be so bad if this was a one off, but it isn’t. The council also replaced a street nameplate in Ravenscroft Road also in Short Heath ward, and got that one wrong too. It read Ravens Croft Road!

No wonder people get cynical when Tory cabinet members try to justify above inflation council tax rises whilst they allow such shoddy mistakes to get through the net! 

More trees and shrubs appear to be threatened as the Highways Agency continues to deflect demands by local residents for information on the planned 4-lane running on the M6 as it passes through the Short Heath and New Invention districts of Willenhall.

The latest threat manifested itself yesterday (Tuesday 24th February) as a lone workman armed with a chainsaw began cutting a 1metre wide track at the back of the fencing protecting residents in the New Invention area.

This follows hard on the heels of a swathe of mature trees being hacked down on the motorway embankment behind “The Woodlands” estate in Short Heath a couple of weeks ago.

Speaking on the matter yesterday having just heard of the latest threat Liberal Democrat councillor Ian Shires said “I am absolutely furious about what the Highways Agency is doing. I have, along with colleagues in Willenhall North and Short Heath Wards, been trying to get access to what the Agency plans to do to achieve 4-lane running on the M6 as it passes through our area.  In-spite of repeated attempts to get information we have been met with a stone wall of silence.

“My colleagues and I have now asked the council to intervene at the highest level. The trees on the motorway embankment have taken years to reach their current state of maturity and have helped local residents to live with the effects of what is the busiest stretch of motorway in Europe. Any attempt to decimate these trees any further will be resisted vigorously.” said councillor Shires.  

David Howarth

Commenting on Jack Straw’s refusal to publish Cabinet minutes relating to the invasion of Iraq in 2003, Liberal Democrat Shadow Justice Secretary, David Howarth said:

“The decision to go to war in Iraq was momentous, controversial and disastrous, especially for this country’s reputation as an upholder of international law.

“There never has been a full and comprehensive public inquiry into the decision to go to war in Iraq. Jack Straw must now give his support for such an inquiry. We need to learn the lessons, and we need to learn them as quickly as possible. That is why these Cabinet minutes should be released much earlier than would normally be the case.

“We already know the names of the dissenters from their memoirs. All we need to know is whether there was any discussion and any challenge of any sort. That is a matter of great public importance and goes to the heart of accountability.

“Jack Straw must explain why he has chosen to block the release, rather than appealing to the High Court in the ordinary way. Why is Jack Straw silencing opposition to his position by decree instead of trying to persuade an objective court of its strength? This shows that, in reality, even he suspects his position to be weak.

“This decision has more to do with preventing embarrassment than protecting the system of government.”

Passengers are missing out on hidden deals which could save them up to half of the cost of a train journey, research by the Liberal Democrats has found.

Passengers can often make big savings by purchasing two separate tickets, rather than the direct tickets offered by train companies on-line and at stations. For example, travellers between Newcastle and Preston could save £30 if they paid for separate return tickets to and from Carlisle instead of the direct Off-Peak return ticket offered.

Commenting, Liberal Democrat Shadow Transport Secretary, Norman Baker said:

“Rail companies frequently emphasise that bargain rail tickets are available, but when passengers turn up to a station to travel the cost of their journey is often a nasty surprise.

“Why should cheaper rail travel be restricted to those in the know? Rail companies should ensure that passengers are always offered the cheapest journey available.

“Improvements to websites and telephone facilities could make rail travel more affordable. It’s time to end the train ticket lottery.”

Walsall’s council tax payers will wake up today to the knowledge that they face a 3.8% increase in what they pay for local services whilst at the same time seeing £13million slashed from the council’s budget. Walsall’s Council Tax still remains one of the highest in the West Midlands!

Commenting on the Tory budget, Liberal Democrat councillor Ian Shires (Willenhall North) said, “Walsall’s Tories ignored suggestions from Liberal Democrat councillors which would have protected the most vulnerable in our society. Those who have no control over what they get as income or their expenditure such as the elderly, those not yet in employment, and those hit by the credit crisis. Our amendment would not have increased the council tax by any more than the 3.8% put forward by the Tories, yet their minds were totally closed to any ideas but their own.”

Walsall Council under the Tories has been allowed to become top heavy. There are far too many chiefs and not enough foot soldiers in front line services. This imbalance starts right at the heart of the organisation, the ten member Tory Cabinet!

 The council is organised into five service areas, it has five Scrutiny Panels so why should  the Tories need a ten member cabinet?

The Liberal Democrat amendment would have led to a root and branch review of how the council is run. Savings made would have gone into keeping the council tax down to an acceptable level whilst at the same time improving front line services.