News

The Great Christmas Fayre at St. Margaret’s Church in Great Barr was all set for Saturday 27 November 2021. Then the weather took a turn and snow fell making everything look glorious but some stallholders found it difficult to bring their stalls to St Margaret’ Church. So a message was sent out that the Christmas Fayre was going to be cancelled. However some turned up and there was tea and cake. It was good to catch up with the vicar the Reverend Prebendary Martin Rutter and those who look after the Church. I managed to buy some Christmas Fayre that was on offer at a stall. 

I attended a meeting organised by the Beacon Action Group to discuss the proposed Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) on Chapel Lane. The meeting was held at the Great Barr Memorial Hall and was well attended.  The proposal is to build a battery storage system on the Green Belt and in a conservation area. The leaflet that was distributed was not sent to all the residents who may be affected and this was an initial “consultation”.  I do not consider this to be appropriate development on the green belt and should be taken no further. 

On Friday 26 November 2021 I visited the Joseph Leckie Academy and met the new head James Ludlow. The new building looked amazing. The original funds which were allocated 2010 under the Building Schools for the Future fund was withdrawn by the incoming Coalition Government. This was very disappointing for the children and the staff who worked in a sometimes dangerous building. I met with Ministers and the then head Keith Whittlestone also attended meetings at the Department for Education. Sadly Keith died in April this year before he could see the building completed. In 2016 the then Schools Minister Nick Gibb described the buildings as grim. However with his support the bid for the Condition Improvement Fund enabled some but all all the work to be undertaken. I was surprised during my visit that the dining room and the hall , which I thought was included, was outside the scope of that tranch of funding.    

White Ribbon Day,  25 November 2021 is a campaign calling for an end to male-inflicted violence against women and girls (VAWG). White Ribbon Day is followed by 16 days of action and activism to counter gender-based violence. This year’s leading message is #AllMenCan. Men can sign a White Ribbon pledge to not only show their commitment to ending VAWG, but also to not remain silent on the issue. 

I tabled two written parliamentary questions to the Department of Health and Social Care on 22 November 2021 relating to GP and dentist recruitment in Walsall.