Member of Staffordshire County Council representing Lichfield Rural East – Cabinet Member for Adults and Wellbeing

An innovative Chief Constable and and collaboration with County sees some crime falling by 26%

It’s about hard hitting prevention initiatives between the Police and County and even harder hitting detection and enforcement by the boys in blue.

From Smart Water bio marking creating no go areas for burglars across Staffordshire to Trading Standards and Police hitting counterfeiters, illegal booze and stolen goods recovery hard.

More police and community support officers on the beat instead of stuck inside police stations, slimmed down management structures rather than big cuts to front line officers and a massive can-do attitude which other areas, and Chief Constables, should note.

That’s why robbery is down by 6%, anti social behaviour has reduced by 26% and violent crime fallen by 21% in the last eight months. Across the measures in most parts of Staffordshire communities are getting safer and nuisance is reducing.

The detail of changes for Lichfield District are:

Serious Acquisitive Crime  - 6.7%      Domestic Burglary  – 5%   

Theft of Motor Vehicles  - 22.6%         Theft from Motor Vehicles  +1.4%

Business Robbery  – 20%                    Personal Robbery  – 30.4%        

But there are parts of Staffordshire where crime is still stubborn meaning complacenecy is nowhere in sight. Those pockets will be on the rceiving end of new targeted initiatives and multi agenct operations and the spread of Smart Water means a tougher time for those who seek to steal from others and anyone trying to dispose of stolen goods.

Translating that real success into people believing it and feeling safer is the big challenge.

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What a tremendous group, not only producing amazing handcrafts but a valuable asset for the over 60s…

The vast number of community groups in Whittington village is truly mind boggling.

And I have to confess I didn’t know about the one I was invited to visit yesterday. The Whittington craft group has been going strong since the early 80s. It’s not only a place where people, mostly ladies but also the occassional gentleman, craft everything from silk scarves and hand-sewn embroidery to amazingly detailed bead decorations and emblems.

The complexity of the work I saw was extraordinary but the weekly group serves a wider purpose than just an enjoyable and fruitful get-together. Some of the ladies I spoke with clearly looked forward to the session from week to week.

That can be incredibly valuable in combatting potential lonliness and social isolation, both of which are big risks which can cause the onset of ill health and deterioration in general wellbeing.

It’s clear that nothing could be further from the case with the group I visited and it was also very obvious how each and every person looked forward to their weekly meets.

They currently meet in the room on the side of the village hall at Whittington but with numbers, and interest, growing there may well be a move to the main hall on the cards… something I’ve agreed to assist.

An off-shoot of this group is a similar idea for children in the Whittington area called crafty kids.

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I’ve opposed it on weak business case grounds from the start and I’m pleased my Parliamentary colleagues have joined that opposition…

More and more people are casting doubt about the massive cost which will reach £112billion for the entire route to Scotland. 

It grieves me to oppose a major policy of my own political party but HS2 and HSR is flawed and unaffordable. Report after report reaches similar conclusions to the business case assessment commissioned by County Council and carried out by strategic rail industry experts.

That says at best it’s a gamble and at worst could be a phenomenally expensive failure which draws economic growth towards London and away from the Midlands. The exact opposite to what is intended.

Few are denying we will need additional capacity on our rail network over coming decades. But not at the level suggested by those with a vested interest in constructing the new line. It is only right that other alternatives around increasing capacity on the existing rail network are looked at in a more balanced way by the Government.

The latest twist is a decision by Government, and new transport supremo Justine Greening, to delay a decision until after Christmas. One can only hope they have reconsidered although that’s not the messages coming from those in the know.

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Back to being the centre of village life thanks to a dedicated local group with vision and ambition…

Like many traditional ’social clubs’ the venue at Drayton Bassett, near Tamworth, had lost its appeal despite the best efforts of the long standing and vey capable committee.

Enter a new group from the village with different ideas, new drive and a real clarity on how to modernise what was once the centre of village life.

A more modern look, pretty well gastro pub like, new investment via a loan from the local bank and a new atmosphere which attracts some of the younger elements from Drayton Bassett village. I

It’s working superbly with plenty of new business and a quiet confidence in pushing new boundaries without losing the very local village nature of the club. And the reward is not only more local trade but new bookings for hiring the venue from further afield.

All that is why I’ve agreed to a £1000 provision fro my Local Community Fund which will go towards improving the car park meaning benefits for the club but also a new place for parents to park when they drop off and pick up from school.

Delighted to help in what is such a tremendous community initiative.

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