Wyre Forest Conservatives

Cllr John Campion, Leader of WFDC has submitted the following two motions for consideration at the next meeting of Wyre Forest District Council sheduled to be held on Wednesday 24th February.

Council requests that the Chief Executive ensures that all District Council officers are reminded of existing protocols and policies over the involvement of local ward Councillors in issues pertaining to their ward.”

“Council confirms its support for a Royal Mail sorting office to be retained in Stourport-on-Severn for the benefit of local residents and businesses that rely on the this important service.

Following the successful negotiation of a section 106 agreement with Cox Homes to provide a piece of public art in the Horsefair as part of their planning obligations it would seem the plans have run into hot water. The proposal is to spend £12k on a “Horse Statue” following the demolition of some redundant public toilets in the area known as the “Horsefair Triangle” in the Broadwaters Ward in Kidderminster.

The problem is that the District Council failed to consult with the Ward Councillors over these plans, which does leave a few questions:

The District faces a wide range of challenges including serious issues which affect the lives of local residents and its pretty amazing the official opposition on WFDC appear to want to concentrate their “considerable” talents on Horse Statues and where their Councillors park.

Wyre Forest District Councils Cabinet has agreed a recommendation from the Corporate Services Scrutiny Committee and endorsed the proposal to merge regulatory services across Worcestershire which will delivery significant financial savings whilst protecting service levels.

The proposal to merge regulatory services across Worcestershire has emerged from a significant project investigating County wide joint working known as Worcestershire Enhanced Two Tier (WETT). The same proposal is being considered by all 7 Councils in Worcestershire during January and February with a view to the shared service commencing in the summer.

The proposal will see a more joined up service delivery including Licensing, Environmental Health and Trading Standards. Wyre Forest District Council will still maintain control over policy and the level of service delivered, but is projected to save £250,000 over the next three years through the proposal.

Cllr John Campion, Leader of Wyre Forest District Council says “Wyre Forest and the local Government family in Worcestershire face extreme reduction in Government grant as the Government struggle to address the many Billions they have been forced to borrow. It is very clear that the Government would see the communities of Wyre Forest pay the price for other peoples excess through increased taxation and reduction in service. Wyre Forest District Council and the six other local Authorities in Worcestershire are working together to ensure the impact on local communities is minimised and that quality services can continue to be delivered.”

He added, “Worcestershire County Council and the local Government family in Worcestershire have shown true leadership in coming forward with innovative ways to continue delivering high quality services whilst continuing to reduce costs. Regulatory Services is one of the first proposals we will have to consider through the WETT project and we continue to work to increase the value for money we offer our local communities.”

Letter to the Kidderminster Shuttle concerning the recent bad weather and Council Services

Gary Darlington’s letter in the Kidderminster Shuttle’s edition of 14^th January complains about how long it took to clear snow and ice from roads and paths in Kidderminster. Public sector staff across Wyre Forest and Worcestershire have worked very hard over the recent period of bad weather to ensure services could continue to be delivered, including trying to clear roads and walkways.

Whilst District Council staff were redeployed from their usual work to assist with gritting duties, Worcestershire County Council is ultimately responsible for highways and paths across the County including the clearing of snow and ice, but the District Council is happy to assist.

Whilst lessons will rightly be learnt from the way local Councils dealt with recent bad weather, staff from both councils have made valiant efforts to keep local services operating during the exceptional weather conditions we have faced, and whilst I know residents have been inconvenienced but the staff do deserve our thanks.

Heavy snow has disrupted local services, including Social Services, Schools and Refuse collection. Please check Council Websites and local press for the latest information to residents and service users.

Statement from Cllr John Campion, Leader of Wyre Forest on the sad passing of Wyre Forest District Council Hon Alderman John Simmonds:-

"The communities of Rock and Wyre Forest as a whole have lost a public servant who gave decades of his life to the service of others. John was an inspiration to work with, who's consistent determination to improve the lives of those he served was humbling to behold. John went about his business without fuss or fanfare, just a great belief in serving the community he loved. On behalf of the District Councils administration and Conservative Group, I would offer my deepest condolences to Johns wife Pat and their family at this very sad time."

A Wyre Forest District Council By-Election was held last week following the death of Cllr Mike Partridge. The results were as follows:

UKIP                              63
Conservative                 394
Labour                           544
Health Concern             421

Labour win was convincing by Jamie Shaw who is a former Labour Leader on Wyre Forest District Council and lost his seat to Mike Partridge. The Areley Kings District Council seat has been in recent history a close run seat and Jamie’s majority is the largest in a decade which is a considerable accolade at a time of Labour being significantly down in the national polls.

The by-election saw a candidate from UKIP (Single issue European Party), but not one from the local Liberals or Liberal Democrats (National Party!!).

Cllr John Campion, Conservative Group Leader says “I would like to offer my heartiest congratulations to Jamie on his election. Jamie is a hard working local advocate and I look forward to working with him. The result is also a clear rejection by the communities of Areley Kings of the Health Concern movement and the negative campaigning they employ.”

District Cabinet Member for Planning & Regeneration Councillor Stephen Clee is delighted the Government have today announced £2.6 million pounds worth of grants to 50 local authorities. Three Councils, Wyre Forest, Worcester & Redditch have been equally awarded £52,000 each to be used to help regenerate empty shops in there respective High Streets.

Stephen says “The district council takes very seriously our town centres. For instance we have in partnership jointly appointed a Town Centre Manager in Kidderminster to help keep Kidderminster a vibrant Town Centre. We have plans to regenerate the current empty shops in Worcester Street so the frontages do not look shabby and neglected. This money this warmly welcomed to progress the £30,000 we have as an administration put into our budgets”

Others councils have followed Wyre Forest Districts lead and developed similar schemes like creating a showroom for local artists, a nativity scene or other using local school children to design new dummy shop frontages to make the street scene look more attractive.

Councillor Clee added “during the current economic downturn our high streets have seen several major stores close in prominent locations. This money is much welcome to kick start these prominent town centre sites and turn the areas in a more vibrant feeling locality. Although Wyre Forest District has bucked the national tends when it comes to empty shops in our high streets we still have a few prominent locations that will benefit from this grant which can have important knock on effects for these streets sustainability and vibrancy”

Which Health Concern District Councillor wouldn’t exercise his DEMOCRATIC DUTY because he didn’t like the room the meeting was to be held it??

Areley Kings District Councillor and Town Council by election candidate Nigel Thomas recently refused to exercise his democratic duty and missed a full meeting of Wyre Forest District Council. The full Council meeting had many important issues which needed to be considered including a new system for waste and recycling collection in the District, flexible working policy for Council staff and a plan to rationalise the Councils properties.

So what point of principle did Cllr Nigel Thomas neglect his duties for?? Apparently Cllr Thomas didn’t like the room the meeting was to be held in!

Local Conservatives in Areley Kings regularly communicate with local communities about their work and local issues. Local Independent Health Councillors for the area only communicate with their electorate when they are asking for their vote.

Independent Health Council Candidates recently issued their “election leaflet” in advance of the by election following the untimely death of Mick Partridge, (it is available on their website) and it contains a number of attacks on the Conservative controlled District Council.

As part of its regular newsletter to the communities of Areley Kings, your local Conservatives sought to set the record straight. This has led to a claim by the Independent Health Council Candidates that the Conservatives are engaging in negative campaigning.

Dr Richard Taylor MP has put his name to a letter which is being circulated condemning local Conservatives, and claiming his party wont be responding. The message must not have got through to his colleagues as his letter is being circulated with a leaflet attacking the Conservatives!!!! May we humbly suggest our illustrious and saint like Member of Parliament should concentrate his efforts on representing Wyre Forests views at Westminster and not sully himself with local politics, after all he keeps telling us he is above it all!!

Local Independent Health campaigners say one thing and do another. They want others to live by standards they are not willing to adhere to themselves.

As the Christmas lights go on around Wyre Forest, the starting gun has been fired in the count down to Christmas. Local Conservative Leader John Campion is calling on local communities to keep their Christmas shopping local this year.

As the economic climate is still distinctly chilly, local people supporting local shops will have help keep local people in jobs. Many local businesses rely on the Christmas period to see them through the lean months in the New Year, and local people supporting their local shops can make the difference.

Cllr John Campion, Leader of Wyre Forest District Council says, “Kidderminster, Stourport and Bewdley Town Centres all have much to offer local shoppers, from big high street names to specialist independents. I urge local people to keep it local this year wherever possible and help make a brighter and more prosperous Wyre Forest in 2010!”

For The Fallen
With proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children,
England mourns for her dead across the sea.
Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit,
Fallen in the cause of the free.

Solemn the drums thrill; Death august and royal
Sings sorrow up into immortal spheres,
There is music in the midst of desolation
And a glory that shines upon our tears.

They went with songs to the battle, they were young,
Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted;
They fell with their faces to the foe.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years contemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

They mingle not with their laughing comrades again;
They sit no more at familiar tables of home;
They have no lot in our labour of the day-time;
They sleep beyond England's foam.

But where our desires are and our hopes profound,
Felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight,
To the innermost heart of their own land they are known
As the stars are known to the Night;

As the stars that shall be bright when we are dust,
Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain;
As the stars that are starry in the time of our darkness,
To the end, to the end, they remain.

Wyre Forest District Councils’ Cabinet calls for review of 23hr parking rules in the Councils’ public car parks

Following concerns raised by local communities the District Councils’ Administration has called for an urgent review of conditions associated with the Councils public car parks. Local residents have raised concerns about some car park conditions including the limit of 23hr continuous parking which have led to some residents being issued penalty notices.

Cllr John Campion, Leader of Wyre Forest District Council says “The Council is a responsive Council, responding to the concerns of local residents. The issue of parking enforcement is always emotive, but it is right that we take stock of where we are now and review how the Council develops its parking policy including the 23hr rule.”

Cllr Tracey Onslow, Cabinet Member for Housing & Environmental Services says “We want to make sure all our car park users receive the service they need, whilst ensuring we have enough capacity to support the vital economic activity in our town centres. Therefore we have written to the appropriate Scrutiny Chairman asking her committee to review the Councils policy in this area as a matter of urgency. In the meantime the District Council will not enforce the 23hr rule in its car parks and is reviewing tickets that have been issued with a view to cancelling tickets issued under the 23hr rule.”

It is anticipated that the review will be completed by the Councils’ Community and Regeneration Committee and will be complete in the spring 2010.

Planning is already underway by Wyre Forest District Council to enable the authority to set its budget for 2010/11. Discussions have started on how the Council is going to tackle the financial pressures placed on it due to the economic downturn. It is expected to have to make savings of at least £4million over the next three years.

"Interest rates are still low so we are forecasting a lower income on our savings, and we are expecting a low government grant settlement - around ten per cent down on last year and we need to make savings. Although Wyre Forest District Council is also affected by the same financial pressures as local residents and businesses, we want to do all we can in next year's budget to help them. We need to be realistic about what we can offer and ensure that it's what the residents want."

Questionnaires are being sent to residents asking for their views on services. This will be one of the tools used to help inform the budget setting process. Residents will also be able to fill the survey in online.

The cross party Budget Review Panel is fully engaged with the budget process as the Council considers its priority areas. They will be reporting to the Corporate Resources Scrutiny Panel next month (12^th November 2009).

"The Council has been saving money year on year. Our efficiency programmes have seen millions of pounds saved from the cost of delivering local services, but the financial pressure is mounting. We have recognised the issue early in the budget setting process and we're implementing new working practices and smarter procurement methods as part of our pledge to make the Council as efficient as possible. But this can only go so far, and we need to reassess what services are offered and urge residents to get involved in the budget consultation to help shape the Council services that they want to see delivered within the tough economic climate we all find ourselves in."

"I commit to the communities that the Council serves and the staff we employ, that whilst the budget position this year is bleak, we will make sure every avenue is explored to minimise the impact on front line services."

The Financial Strategy is expected to be presented to the Cabinet on 22^nd December 2009. There will be further consultation before a final version is recommended to Council on 24^th February 2010.

It is with great sadness that it is announced the sudden death of Cllr Mike Partridge, who passed away earlier today. Cllr Partridge was admitted to Worcester Royal Hospital yesterday and passed away peacefully in his sleep overnight.

Cllr John Campion, Leader of Wyre Forest District Council says "I am devastated by the sudden loss of a great community champion. Mike was a true local character who always put his community first and for whom nothing was too much trouble. His sudden loss will be difficult to come to terms with and a massive void is left in his community. His legacy will be his hard work for the community he loved and served with pride."

He added "Mike was not only a local champion, he was also a family man, and my thoughts and prayers are with Leslie, his wife, and their family."