THE West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner has submitted, through an agent, a planning application for an Emergency Services Hub in Middlehouse Lane. Details ref. 22/00016/FUL on the Redditch Borough Council website.
The building will house a new police station, but there is no mention of any cells. Will the police need to take those they want to detain to Kidderminster or elsewhere?
In the documents submitted with this planning application experts say there is no evidence of flooding in Middlehouse Lane.
The County Council’s highways department many months ago, acknowledged there is a problem (their ref. 1145237) and said: “The problem in this area is currently under review.”
Councillor Matt Dormer is aware of the flooding problem.
Perhaps it’s an accidental oversight forgetting to mention cells.
Surely the Police and Crime Commissioner is aware of the enormous waste of time – resources and personnel – to keep taking detainees to a custody suite at another station.
A Walker, address supplied
I FEEL I must voice my frustration regarding the necessity to travel to Kidderminster for an X-ray when there is a perfectly reasonable alternative on my doorstep in Redditch at the Alex.
The parking at Kidderminster Hospital is absolutely atrocious. My husband and I circled the car park so many times I thought I was on the waltzers!
I have great sympathy for anyone having to travel to Kidderminster for hospital appointments or to use the Garden Suite.
Our MP Rachel Maclean has promised to bring hospital services back to Redditch. So come on Rachel, time to deliver on your promises.
Councillor J Brunner, Independent
AS BOTH a communications and engagement specialist and a prospective council candidate, I have been interested to read the ongoing debate about whether the residents of Redditch were consulted over future cemetery provision in the borough.
The Local Government Association describes consultation as ‘any activity that gives local people a voice and an opportunity to influence important decisions’. This means listening to, and learning from, local people before policies have been finalised, not after.
There are many consultation tools which can be used. Most importantly, local authorities should publish the results of any public consultation, including the number of responses, and explain how these influenced the final decision.
None of this happened before the council submitted its planning application for change of use of part of Arrow Valley Country Park South to a cemetery.
It is no surprise that residents feel angry and disenfranchised.
J Kane, Church Hill
COUNCILLOR Marshall appears to believes the Conservative landslide of May 2021 was to do with their plans for the provision of burials in Redditch (Letters). I must respectfully disagree.
Getting Brexit done, the success of the vaccine roll out and the perception the pandemic was virtually over, all national issues, were, I suggest, more significant factors.
Residents on the portal overwhelmingly opposed the Arrow Valley Park Cemetery proposal, often in detail and suggesting better alternatives.
Nevertheless, it was steamrollered through regardless.
That Coun Marshall says “I am democratically elected to speak on behalf of my residents” is indicative of the egocentric attitude adopted on this matter.
Though perhaps the people she thinks of as hers enjoy serfdom.
I presume the implication is democracy precludes sleaze, something the MPs expenses scandal definitively disproved.
K Wass, Matchborough
I READ in the Letters page last week Conservative Councillor Emma Marshall claiming in the last May local elections that the people of Redditch emphatically spoke in support of their plans giving them a clear mandate.
I wonder how those residents now feel when the Library is due to be demolished, despite no consultation, and we still don’t have a plan for a new one.
The cemetery was just rubber stamped and voted through for Ipsley Meadow despite objections and promises made by the Leader of the Council prior to the vote.
I’m sure there are plenty of other examples but wouldn’t know since they’re not consulting us about them.
If we’re never getting to see the decisions they make behind closed doors, without formal consultation until they come out in the local newspaper, what’s the point in having a chat on the phone or emailing the Leader to voice your concerns after they’re already decided?
I understand Coun Marshall is new to the council but whatever mandate she feels she has been given, she and her colleagues clearly think it’s OK to take the residents’ votes for granted.
Redditch Resident
I AM sick of these Cummings moles picking on the best PM we have had short of Churchill. That is the way history will show Boris, a great amongst traitors who have no loyalty or care for our health or wellbeing.
There is a war going on in the world and all the press and media can push as headline news is the own political agenda. Give us a break and go and live in the EU. We voted with a massive majority to ditch them.
Now Boris has to trigger Article 16 to finish the job before rejoiners ruin the UK once again.
How many more lies will Cummings etc spout making instant headline news without foundation? This must stop now!
O Moon, Southcrest
