There appears to be panic in the Tory ranks as Walsall’s all Tory Cabinet rush through a report to a special Cabinet meeting ahead of a special Full Council meeting on Monday 19^th October.

The move follows allegations by Willenhall Liberal Democrats that plans for the future regeneration of Willenhall along with the other district centres of Darlaston, Bloxwich, Brownhills and Aldridge had been ignored in the Site Allocation Document (SAD) currently doing the rounds of consultations at the town’s Area Panels.

Following the Willenhall and Short Heath Area Panel meeting on the 22^nd September Liberal Democrat Councillor IanShires (Willenhall North) said that Willenhall should go ahead and develop its own Area Action Plan with the cooperation of residents and local business.

“It would appear from this panic move by Walsall’s Tory Cabinet that they have agreed with us. That they had actually ignored future regeneration plans for Willenhall and the other District Centres when they signed off the SAD for borough-wide consultation.

“This latest move to make amends is too little too late” said Ian. “It’s obvious from the wording of the report that any plans the Tories might now have for a Willenhall Action Plan are an after thought.

“At the Area Panel meeting in September members were told that there were no Area Action Plans for the District Centres within the SAD Consultation because of a lack of resources. Yet this new report just three weeks later says that the initial work can be carried out in house, though it does admit that there was no provision for any further work within current budgets”.

Ian went on to point out that this last minute report to the Special Cabinet meeting next week makes no reference to consulting with Willenhall residents, businesses or councillors through the Area Panel. “This is typical of the Tory top down cavalier approach to regeneration and consultation” concluded Ian.