Walsall’s new Labour/Liberal Democrat led Council set out it’s stall last night at the first scheduled meeting of the Coalition’s new Cabinet at the Council House. Once the formalities were out of the way it was straight down to the business of laying out the style and priorities for the next four years.

Speaking to the item Liberal Democrat Cllr Ian Shires said:

“So as to remove any misunderstandings we wanted as a new administration to hit the ground running so to speak as far the Corporate Plan was concerned.

“This is a really important document, it’s one that we should all be proud of as it sets out the DNA of this administration and marks the coming together of two centre left groups united in a common cause that of ensuring that the people of this borough understand and engage with us in the task we all face within a continuing austerity environment imposed on us by the Government in Westminster.

“This Corporate Plan sets out clearly the way our two parties expect this council to act to the benefit of all in this borough.

“It should not be seen as just another set of well-meaning aspirations which once adopted by Council sit on a shelf gathering dust.

“Neither should it be seen by us or officers as a tick box exercise that we all go through when going about our business.

“Its principles need to be embedded in all we do and all we say in whatever arena we are operating in so that when others are dealing with us they know exactly where Walsall MBC is coming from and what it wants to achieve.

“Chair you always make a point of saying that you are an outcomes person. This Corporate Plan gives all of us the tools to do just that.”