News-Willenhall
Concerns voiced in Walsall over M6 gantries
09 Mar 10 20:15
Concerns voiced in Walsall over M6 gantries
BBC News 9 Mar 10
Some people living near the M6 motorway say gantries for new signs which are taller than their houses were put up without them being warned. Trees which formed a barrier between homes and the motorway were also torn down, according to some residents on Murdock Way, Beechdale...
Express & Star 23 Feb 10 Beechdale residents anger at huge M-way gantries
Walsall Advertiser 25 Feb 10 M6 'eyesores' blight the lives of residents
Facebook Murdock Way Residents Association gantry photos
Walsall Advertiser 18 Feb 10 M6 Toll charge rise traffic fears
Cllr Ian Shires 12 Feb 10 Tough talking greets Highways Agency boss in Walsall
Cllr Ian Shires 11 Feb 10 Crunch Meeting over M6 Traffic Management Today
The YamYam 10 Feb 10 Beechdale & New Invention residents to meet M6 boss at last
Cllr Ian Shires 9 Feb 10 Pleck residents latest victims of M6 noise
B’ham Mail 9 Feb 10 Tree planting to shield Walsall residents from M6 motorway noise
Express & Star 8 Feb 10 Complaints see M6 roadworks speed up
Cllr Ian Shires 7 Feb 10 Highways Agency chief to visit Walsall
Cllr Ian Shires 5 Feb 10 M6 closures could cause weekend chaos
Cllr Ian Shires 30 Jan 10 Angry Walsall residents force high level talks on M6 roadworks
Cllr Ian Shires 21 Jan Carillion to fell more trees along M6
Cllr Ian Shires 14 Jan 10 Highways boss’s message met with scepticism
Express & Star 14 Jan M6 chief apology on noisy widening
B'ham Post 18 Dec Highways Agency slammed over M6 Walsall residents
Cllr Ian Shires 13 Dec Frustration as Highways Agency runs ruff shod
Advertiser 10 Dec Roadworks keep family awake
Cllr Ian Shires 30 Nov M6 misery to continue until February 2010?
Advertiser 25 Nov Transport chief to visit Beechdale estate
Express & Star 10 Nov Willenhall M-way family’s anger as noise barrier taken
Cllr Ian Shires 9 Nov No sleep for M6 residents
Cllr Ian Shires 6 Nov M6 takes precedence over residents
Express & Star 20 Oct Carillion sets up M6 rescue service
Express & Star 20 Oct Anger of families at U-turn on gantry
YamYam 15 Oct Sleepless nights on the Beechdale again
Express & Star 8 Oct Thieves delay £150m scheme to widen M6
YamYam 2 Oct More trees axed for M6 widening
Cllr Ian Shires 5 Oct Further meeting with HA to discuss plans
Cllr Ian Shires 30 Sep Highways Agency to be held to account
Express & Star 29 Sep Rats plague Beechdale homes near Highway Agency roadworks
Cllr Ian Shires 30 Sep Further talks promised
Cllr Ian Shires 29 Sep M6 Highways Agency fiasco continues
YamYam links 21 Sep Noddy feels the noize and backs Beechdale M6 protest
B'ham Mail 21 Sep Noddy feels the noize and backs Beechdale M6 protest
Cllr Ian Shires 16 Sep Hard hitting talks at Walsall Council over M6 widening
Express & Star 14 Sep M6 hard shoulder scheme is started
Express & Star 10 Sep M6 drivers delayed by roadworks
Express & Star 8 Sep Walsall drivers facing year of motorway delays
Cllr Ian Shires 8 Sep M6 ATM project update
B'ham Mail 27 Jun Beechdale residents in plea to council over M6 widening
Ian Shire's 16 Jun Highways agency won't back down on M6 road scheme
Cllr Ian Shires 11 Jun Highways Agency should back down road now
Walsall Observer 12 Jun Fury over M6 widening plan
Express & Star 10 Jun We made a mistake admits M6 noise contractor
B'ham Mail 10 Jun Residents carry on fighting
BBC News 10 Jun Residents raise M6 noise concerns
Blog Cllr Ian Shires 2 Jun Agenda agreed for M6 dispute
Blog Ian Shires 25 May M6 plans should go south
BBC News 19 May Residents go to Downing St
Express & Star 19 Apr Residents protest to PM
Walsall Advertiser 14 May Noise battle to Downing St
Blog Ian Shires 13 May Calls for more discussions
Blog Cllr Ian Shires 27 Apr Distrust builds over plans
Walsall Advertiser 17 Apr 'Living hell' for residents
Blog Cllr Ian Shires 14 Apr M6 dispute progress
Express & Star 10 Apr M6 tree lop noise upset
Blog Cllr Ian Shires 7 Apr Roadworks raised with MPs
Express & Star 4 Apr Rude awakening from M6 diggers
The Highways Agency M6 upgrade details
Traffic England Walsall roads incident map
Facebook Murdock Way Residents Association
Shock at Walsall Gala baths £300k revamp
09 Mar 10 19:36
Shock at Walsall Gala baths £300k revamp
The YamYam 9 Mar 10
The surprise announcement by Walsall Council to spend £300,000 on improvements to the Walsall leisure centre has caused “disgust” in campaigners battling to keep Willenhall Leisure Centre open.
The Gala baths in Lichfield Street will undergo an electrical rewiring, the Brine pool will be redecorated and a new suspended ceiling will be installed in changing rooms. The £300,000 expenditure has caused outrage to users of the Willenhall Leisure Centre which has been earmarked for closure as one of the massive cuts in the recently approved council budget. The cost of the improvements to the Walsall centre did not appear in the controversial budget.
Councillor Ian Shires, Libdem councillor for Willenhall, reacted angrily to the news. “My reaction, in a word, is disgust” he said. “I have not seen anything through scrutiny in respect of this. To be honest, if we had had that kind of money spent on Willenhall, it would then be a well-used centre.”
Walsall cabinet member for leisure and culture, Councillor Anthony Harris said: “We believe very strongly that attractive venues are popular venues and I’m pleased to see investment in the Gala baths. “Much of the work will be unseen but vital none the less. It’s important that we re-wire the building since it is many years since this was done and it needs renewing. “There will be lots of night working when the centre is closed in order to minimise disruption which I’m sure people will be pleased to hear. We are also letting people know well in advance about any disruption through the Press, through our website, through Twitter, Facebook and through posters at the Gala itself. “No-one likes to have their fitness routine disrupted everyone will see the improvement once these works have been completed. This investment of £300,000 shows how seriously Walsall Council takes its commitment to provide facilities that are fit for purpose.”
Work is due to start on 15 March and last for around three months. The Gala swimming pool will be closed from 22 March for two weeks. The entire centre will be closed for seven days from April 5 with the Brine pool closed for three weeks from 3 May.
The unexpected nature of the announcement, the fact that the work will start within days, and the comments made by Councillor Harris regarding the need for a rewire has led to speculation that the urgent works are more than merely decorative.
In May 2004, the gym at the Walsall complex was gutted by fire caused by an electrical fault it the air conditioning system and the centre was closed for four weeks while structural engineers made the building safe. Work to replace the gym started two years later following settlement of an insurance claim.
Campaigners trying to save Willenhall Leisure Centre have been given a three months reprieve to formulate a plan to save it.
Walsall Council Walsall Gala Baths
Cllr Ian Shires 3 Mar 10 Fight to save Willenhall Leisure gathers momentum
Matt Lloyd B’ham Mail 26 Feb 10 Willenhall baths given stay of execution
Cllr Ian Shires 22 Feb 10 Crunch meeting for Willenhall Leisure centre
Cllr Ian Shires 16 Feb 10 Plans to save Willenhall Leisure Centre discussed
Express & Star 16 Feb 10 Cuts in opening hours could save centre
Walsall Council Cabinet report 18 Nov Draft Corporate Revenue Budget for Consultation PDF
Walsall Council Willenhall regeneration area
Cllr Ian Shires 11 Feb 10 Will Tories fund Willenhall Leisure Centre if costs are reduced?
Cllr Ian Shires 9 Feb 10 Willenhall Leisure Centre “closure by stealth”
Express & Star 8 Feb 10 Listing hope in drive to keep Willenhall Leisure Centre open
Express & Star 4 Feb 10 Willenhall Leisure centre granted short reprieve
Cllr Ian Shires 4 Feb 10 Comment: Willenhall’s challenge
The YamYam 25 Jan 10 Last chance for Willenhall Leisure Centre
Cllr Ian Shires 26 Jan 10 Window of opportunity needs to be grasped - use it or lose it
Express & Star 25 Jan 10 Rescue hope for leisure centre
YamYam links 23 Jan 10 Walsall councillor withdraws request for scrutiny conduct inquiry
Express & Star 22 Jan 10 Axe looms over Walsall swimming pools
Cllr Ian Shires 22 Jan Some hope for Willenhall centre?
YamYam 20 Jan Walsall awash with swimming pools says council
Ian Shires blog 20 Jan Comments: Council counting private pools
Yahoo groups Pooling resources
B'ham Mail 24 Dec Willenhall Leisure Centre facing closure
Express & Star 17 Dec 09 Pensioners join fight for Willenhall Leisure Centre
Cllr Ian Shires 14 Dec Is there a glimmer of hope for Willenhall's Leisure Centre?
Cllr Ian Shires 11 Dec Scrutiny process reduced to farce
Cllr Ian Shires 10 Dec Concern expressed as plans to develop LNPs unveiled
The YamYam 8 Dec Council boss says “put up or shut up”
Cllr Ian Shires 8 Dec Community condemn plans to close Willenhall's leisure centre
Cllr Ian Shires 7 Dec Attempts to debate Leisure Centre closure rejected
Express & Star 2 Dec Council spent £200k on doomed Willenhall centre
Cllr Ian Shires 2 Dec The nonsense of scrutiny
The YamYam 30 Nov Walsall councillors scrutinise budget
Express & Star 30 Nov Campaigners step up Willenhall leisure centre fight
Cllr Ian Shires 30 Nov Comment: the theory and practice in health equalities
YamYam 23 Nov Willenhall closure “sheer vandalism” says MP
Cllr Ian Shires 19 Nov Cabinet votes down demands on closure of Willenhall Leisure Centre
Walsall Council Cabinet report 18 Nov Draft Corporate Revenue Budget for Consultation PDF
Express & Star 13 Nov Willenhall leisure centre users’ fury at closure plans
Walsall Council 13 Nov Have your say on leisure facilities online questionnaire
Express & Star 12 Nov Willenhall leisure centre axe plan
Express & Star 12 Nov Battle vow on plans to shut down centre
Cllr Ian Shires 12 Nov Willenhall Leisure Centre singled out
Express & Star 13 Oct Major review brings fears for Willenhall swimming pool
BrownhillsBob 19 Sep Comment: And so it begins
YamYam 19 Sep Walsall leisure centres under threat
YamYam links 9 Sep Cash crisis at Walsall Council
Walsall Council Willenhall Local Neighbourhood Partnership (LNP)
Walsall Council Willenhall Leisure Centre
Facebook Save Willenhall Leisure Centre
Killer of Wednesfield boy to be deported at last
09 Mar 10 14:08
Killer of Wednesfield boy to be deported at last
Express & Star 9 Mar 10
An illegal immigrant whose car knocked down and killed a 12-year-old Wednesfield boy is finally set to be thrown out of Britain more than five years after the tragedy. The news comes on what would have been the 18th birthday of victim Jamie Mason...
Express & Star 1 Aug 07 Child killer set to stay
Express & Star 12 Jan 07 Death driver free in Britain
Express & Star 11 Jan 07 Fury on Jamie’s killer
BBC News 4 Mar 05 Town protest over killer drivers
BBC News 2 Mar 05 Family angry at drink-drive death
BBC News 10 Jan 05 Court appearance over boy's death
Brake Road Safety In memory of Jamie Mason
SCARD Support for people affected by Road Death and Injury