Congratulations to Sandwell MBC. Travellers who occupied Greets Green Park were moved on within 24 hours using bailiffs while the police, as usual, were passive observers. This demonstrates what can be done if the local authority only has the will to do it.
The reply, to an information request asking how many enquiries had been made by councillors on behalf of themselves or constituents to sort out problems, was revealing and shocking.
The period covered by the request was May 2015-April 2016
After the bankruptcy of Cllr. Richard Marshall became public, that gent’s position was discussed at the group meeting of Sandwell Labour councillors. Leader Eling told them that Marshall had tendered his resignation from the council cabinet but that he, Eling, had refused to accept it.
Meic Sullivan Gould, who as acting monitoring officer was responsible for keeping Sandwell council and councillors within the law is on his way out. At last week’s Audit Committee, as usual, he gave clear unambiguous advice to its members and refused to back down when his advice was disputed.
Wednesbury was not Celebrating when there was an argy bargy at its town hall H.Q. What happened, or did not, led to three Labour councillors being suspended last night at a meeting of the Labour councillors group which lasted until past 1a.m.
Most of the residents of Sandwell don’t want travellers in the borough. This view is informed by experience; residents have seen playing fields, verges and parks occupied, been intimidated and suffered mini crime waves and been confronted by piles of rubbish and filth left behind by travellers.
