EDITOR’S COMMENT
THERE have been some shocking knife crimes this week, including a 16-year-old boy having one held to his throat during a robbery and a blade used in a car-jacking.
Next week West Mercia Police and other forces will be revisiting Operation Sceptre as part of Anti Knife Crime Week to raise awareness, particularly among children and young people, about the dangers of carrying a knife.
Knives as weapons have no place in our society – the more handed in, the safer we all will be.
LETTERS
WE WOULD like to thank all the Redditch residents who supported and voted for our candidates in the recent Local election on May 4.
Thanks to your support we were able to increase our vote share in Redditch.
We were all thrilled to witness the huge successes Liberal Democrats made across the country which confirmed we are a real alternative to those looking for a better way.
Our main aim is to make Redditch the best place to live in that it can be.
Winning seats on the council makes that easier but is a means to an end.
We will still be working all year round to do whatever we can to help.
As a local party we are committed to representing the thoughts and views of the Redditch population and will continue to hold those parties represented in the council chambers to account for their actions.
We will continue to work hard in Redditch, for the people of Redditch.
Redditch Liberal Democrats
DESPITE what Councillor Dormer said last Friday morning at the election count, the Tories have not been handed a mandate to proceed with their plans for Redditch town centre.
In fact the result was a resounding ‘no’ to the demolition of the library and his attitude shows they are still not listening.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the residents of Abbey Ward for electing me as their representative and I look forward to working with Coun Sid Khan to continue the good work he has been doing since his election last year.
Coun Monica Stringfellow
Abbey Ward,
Redditch
MAY I, through the Redditch Standard, thank the residents of Matchborough and Ipsley who took the time and trouble to vote in the local election.
The past 19 years have passed in a twinkle of an eye – it has been an honour and privilege to serve the community as their councillor.
I would like to thank my family for their loving support especially during election times, and all the wonderful people who helped in my campaign.
So as the baton passes to the new councillor for Matchborough and Ipsley.
I would like to wish Jane Spilsbury good luck.
I end with the words of Arnie: “I’ll be back!”
Juliet Brunner
Matchborough
I WOULD like to thank the residents of Matchborough for taking the time to vote in the local elections on May 4.
It is so important to local democracy that we all exercise our right to vote.
Thank you too to all those who voted for Labour, putting their faith in me as their representative.
As I pledged during my campaign, I will ensure that your views are taken into account.
Matchborough has so much to offer and I am looking forward to working with residents and local organisations to improve the environment for the benefit of residents.
I will be holding monthly surgeries on Saturday mornings.
Please follow my Facebook page for updates – Jane Spilsbury for Matchborough Ward.
I would also like to take this opportunity to acknowledge Coun Juliet Brunner’s 19 years of loyal service to the community.
Jane Spilsbury
Labour Councillor for Matchborough
I WOULD like to offer a special thanks to all residents of Crabbs Cross who voted for me in the local council elections.
I would however also like to thank all those who voted for other candidates as well.
Electioneering is quite hard work and we do it because we want to improve Redditch and to offer you a choice.
I met some fantastic people during the campaign and wish more of you would become involved as it was clear to me that many of you have much to offer.
I would also like to congratulate Chris Holz who won the seat, and wish him well for his time on the council.
Jim Heaney
Labour Party Candidate
OH, what might have been!
If only a few more Liberals and Greens had had the gumption to vote tactically in Crabbs Cross and Winyates we would have been able to save our purpose-built library, have a town centre refurbishment that was related to reality, a council prepared to deal face-to-face with the public, retained Ipsley meadow unviolated, had integrity and transparency in local government, a market in market place and the genuine prospect of a better future for the town.
Special congratulations to Coun Woodall on ousting the seconder of the Ipsley Meadow land grab Baker-Price, Coun Fardoe on banishing Mrs Isherwood and Coun Miles for her resounding gain in Batchley and Brockhill.
In Matchborough we chose the potentially excellent Coun Spilsbury.
The calibre of the Labour group, with the likes of Couns Khan, Harvey and Kane contrasts markedly with many of the Conservative councillors but 15 nonentities and Mr Dormer can still out-vote 13 good people and true.
With Labour gaining five seats and reduced Conservative majorities even in somewhere like Feckenham, it is a clear refuting of Mr Dormer’s ridiculous plan to demolish the library and ruin the centre of Redditch even more than they have already.
Unfortunately, though Labour did well, it was not well enough.
Too many turkeys voted for Christmas and regrettably Redditch will be irreversibly damaged by Mr Dormer and his supporters ill-conceived civic vandalism.
K Wass
Matchborough
