Beverley Nielsen, the Liberal Democrat Metro Mayor Candidate for the West Midlands Combined Authority, was in Walsall Thursday on a fact finding mission.

Walsall’s Liberal Democrat Group Leader Cllr Ian Shires, who accompanied Ms Nielsen on the visit said “I Have to say I was very impressed with Beverley’s grasp of the issues which need to be addressed.Whoever gets to be the Metro Mayor for the West Midlands, that person has to speak for the whole of the West Midlands and must not just push Birmingham interests. There is potential right across our region and I am confident that Beverley is fully aware of this.”

One of Beverley’s priorities is to ensure that there are enough good quality homes for people across the West Midlands. One of the big issues is that Governments for years have failed to match supply of housing with the demand. The result is that many young people find themselves priced out of the housing market.

Here in Walsall we have looked for innovative ways of ensuring that we tackle the thorny issue of supply and demand. Beverley went to see first hand an example of how this issue is being addressed by visiting the innovative LoCaL Homes low carbon housing solutions manufacturing unit in Stephenson Ave on the Beechdale Estate to the north of Walsall town centre. As well as seeing new homes panels being manufactured she visited the nearby development where the new homes were being erected.

“It’s this kind of innovation that we should be shouting from the roof tops” said Beverley. “It’s a totally different approach to building sustainable homes which satisfy the housing needs of the West Midlands. Best of all they have a dedicated workforce which is home grown.”

Beverley’s other great passion is ensuring that our young people get the best chances in life and it was no surprise that she wanted to see first hand Walsall College which has been ranked as one of the best FE Colleges in the country coming joint third in a league table published by FE Week.

Beverley met with the colleges Principal and Chief Executive Jatinder Sharma. “I was so impressed with the feeling of enthusiasm that you got as soon as you entered the building. Young people are our future and we need to ensure that they get the best possible training to ensure they have the skills necessary to help make the West Midlands the powerhouse of the country” commented Beverley.

The visit came to its conclusion with a discussion with senior officers of Walsall Council around the regeneration and development plans for Walsall and its district centres and how they fit into the work of the emerging West Midlands Combined Authority.

“Councils come in for so much negative publicity due to the continuing austerity measures being relentlessly  pursued by the Tories at Westminster said Beverley. “I have to say that from what I’ve seen today there is so much that people don’t see about how councils’ like Walsall’s play a major role in bringing together business and the various agencies to make things happen. My role as Metro Mayor should I get elected in May is to promote and build on all this energy that exists across our region.”