Effects of winter storms brings home the need for urgent action say Willenhall Liberal Democrat Councillors Ian Shires and Dan Barker. The time for talking has long gone.

Quite rightly there has been a lot of talk about climate change recently. Not surprising really given the extreme weather conditions we have been experiencing. So far this winter we have been subjected to the following storms:

In our part of the world we are not used to roads being blocked by flood water, but last Sunday we were confronted by a number of such events which really brought home the need to step up our game on combating Climate Change before it’s too late.

Last week there were deep floods affecting the Lichfield Rd, just over the boundary with Wolverhampton past Broad Lane South, Linthouse Lane was blocked by flooding, Bursnips Rd was flooded as were sections of Broad Lane, Essington. Heading off out of the area up the M6 towards Stafford fields either side of the motorway had been turned into mini lakes. It’s not normal, and if we want to stop it from becoming the norm we need to act and act now.

Liberal Democrat Cllrs Ian Shires and Dan Barker have been leading the way on Walsall Council putting forward a number of motions to Council to jolt the Conservative Administration out of its lethargy.

So far to date they have put forward a Notice of motion – Fossil fuels to the July 2019 Full Council meeting, Notice of motion – Climate change to the September 2019 Full Council meeting, Notice of motion – Reducing grass cutting and introducing areas of seeded wildflowers to the November Full Council meeting, Notice of moition – Clean air outside schools to the January Full Council meeting.

Even so, the Conservative Administration has been reluctant to make the effort needed for Willenhall residents to be protected from the effects of abnormal weather conditions and have yet come forward with any comprehensive policy statements on the matter.