This morning’s downpour caused flooding on the bend where Sneyd Lane becomes Crab Lane.  I reported it in and can confirm that a gully sucker has cleared the blocked drain which led to the flooding. It’s not surprising that we are back to square one with this issue. Cut backs in resources to Clean and […]

Published on Local Government Chronicle 17 JANUARY 2020 BY JON BUNN The 4.3% real terms increase in funding outlined in the local government finance settlement for next year is likely to require further significant cuts to council tax support schemes, according to the Institute of Fiscal Studies. The uplift in funding, confirmed last month, includes an assumption […]

Black Country folk are notoriously sceptical when it comes to change. No more so than when it comes to major road improvement schemes given the disruption they have had to endure over the past 2 to 3 years due to delays around the carriageway resurfacing work on the M5 Oldbury Viaduct between Junction’s 1 and […]

Following the reports that the Conservative government is considering cutting air passenger duty on domestic flights as part of a plan to save regional airline Flybe from collapse, Liberal Democrat Transport spokesperson Munira Wilson said: Flybe looks set to follow Thomas Cook, despite only being “rescued” last year. The way to ensure our businesses stay […]

Responding to news that Beales Department Store may have to call in administrators, Sarah Olney MP, Liberal Democrat Business Spokesperson, said: This weekend we’ve seen Mothercare close its last branches, Debenhams shutting more outlets and now Beales announcing that they are at risk of collapse. Every closure will see people around the country face the […]

Responding to data revealing that incidents of up-skirting have been reported to the police at a rate of almost one a day since it became a specific sexual offence, Liberal Democrat MP Wera Hobhouse, who originally proposed the Bill, said: This horrifying statistic serves to show how necessary a change in the law was. Victims […]

Published on the Local Government Chronicle 14 JANUARY 2020 BY JON BUNN Prime minister Boris Johnson has said the government’s majority means it will present a plan for adult social care this year and implement it within this parliament, having previously pledged to seek cross-party consensus on the issue. In a BBC interview this morning, his first […]

Published on Local Government Chronicle 10 JANUARY 2020 BY SARAH CALKIN Claims of new money for homelessness have been grossly overstated by the PM, writes LGC deputy editor Sarah Calkin.  What were you doing on 23 December? Perhaps you had already finished for Christmas and were doing some last minute present buying or trundling up the motorway […]

Walsall Liberal Democrats are calling on Walsall Council to work with local communities across borough to improve our street scene creating living streets which are safe, attractive places designed for people. It’s no secret, the Conservative Leader of Walsall Council is no lover of any action to prepare us for the inevitable effects of climate […]

The assassination of a key Iranian leader, General Suleinami, ordered by President Trump, has raised tensions across the Middle East. It’s too early to know if the inevitable if unacceptable Iranian response will lead to further US retaliation but huge diplomatic efforts must be made now to de-escalate. Britain must continue to work with European […]