Have you seen this Sign?

It appears that the BEWDLEY town boundary sign that is missing from the top of Blackstone Bank has been stolen for its scrap value. I have been informed by the police that this is the most likely cause as no collisions had been reported in that area. It is most unlikely that it will be recovered so Bewdley Town Council will eventually have to pay for its replacement. Possibly through an insurance claim which will incurr an excess payment. The shape of the missing sign with the Bewdley coat of arms is unique and it would be sad if it was replaced with the newer place name signs which are now becoming common throughout the County. Every road into Bewdley used to have the distinctively shaped Bewdley sign but over the years they have mysteriousley disappeared. We now have only one left. I will be urging the Town Council to replace this sign and hope that in the near future the other missing signs will be replaced with the same design.

The theft of metal is becoming more frequent and I believe most is being stolen during the early hours of the day. I would urge all those who drive during these hours including taxi drivers and milk delivery drivers to keep an eye out for any suspicious vehicles during these hours, in particullar vans and flatbed trucks. As a Community First Responder I am frequently called out during these hours and I often take registration numbers of such vehicles I see and compare them with registration numbers that have been passed to me through Neighbourhood Watch. This is an organisation which I would recommend everyone to join as members are kept up to date on what is happening in their area.

Paul Gittins

Bewdley Parade

Paul Gittins

Lest we Forget

Jenny and I were privileged to attend today’s Remembrance Ceremony and Church Service held at St Anne’s Church in Bewdley. We were joined by hundreds of other local people to remember the sacrifice made by our Armed Forces. We mustered on the Wribbenhall side of Bewdley Bridge with dozens of service people, Scouts, Guides, Boys and Girls Brigades, Police, Fire, Ambulance personnel, civic and community representatives. The parade marched into Bewdley and assembled outside St Anne’s Church to wait for the service proper at 11am, and the two minutes silence with the Vicars Team and Mayor of Bewdley.
I laid a poppy wreath on behalf of Bewdley Labour Party. The Flag Standards were presented in Church and the service lasted until midday.
Everyone is very well aware of the service given by our Armed Forces, particularly now in Afghanistan. Like many other people, I sold poppy’s in Bewdley and Kidderminster (Franche Co-op). People have given generously. The welfare of our Armed Forces personnel is paramount.

Paul Gittins is Labour Spokesperson for Wribbenhall.

With reference to my report regarding the Bewdley Precept, time is running out for local residents to tell the Town Council what they want or are you happy to let the councillors decide for you. Its your money! Because the Distict Council intend to stop an annual grant to local councils, Bewdley could be over £12,000 short in their funding next year. Cuts may have to be made! OR the Precept increased! Have you any projects you would like to be funded? Can you suggest what could be cut? please tell us what you want. This is your opportunity to have your say.

When I was Mayor in 1999-2000 I initiated the Civic Award. This annual award given by the Town Council is for Anyone who has given outstanding service to the town of Bewdley. If you know of anyone who you consider deserves such an award please write to the Town Clerk now. Soon it will be too late.

Paul Gittins

Paul Gittins is Labour Spokesperson for Wribbenhall.

Soon, Town and Parish Councils will be preparing their Precepts for next year. This is a local tax which is used to fund the running costs of the council including the wages of the Town or Parish Clerks, administration and other items such as flower displays, Christmas lights, Parades, War Memorials, Grants and the Mayors allowance. Next year because the District Council intend to discontinue the giving of a grant to local councils of 15% of their Precept, Bewdley for example could be over £12,000 short in their funding. To continue with their current spending this could mean that the Precept for Bewdley may have to be increased by 15% which is unthinkable. The alternative could be to reduce spending which could mean less of the services mentioned above including the funding of the play area on Wyre Hill, Carnival fireworks and the maintenance of the towns seating and bus stops. Now is the time to ask your local councillors about your Precepts and to tell them what you want. For further information regarding the Bewdley Precept please look on the Bewdley Web Site. www.bewdley.org.uk

Paul Gittins
Town Councillor

Riverside Gardens

Paul Gittins is Labour Spokesperson for Wribbenhall.

In contrast to the wonderfull floral displays in Kidderminster town centre which are funded by WFDC the post mounted flower baskets and tubs in Bewdley are funded by Bewdley Town Council and the flower beds are funded and maintained by WFDC. It was very disappointing to see that in order to save money WFDC have grassed over some of the towns flower beds and even more disappointing that the Town Council was not informed before the deed was done.

Paul Gittins is Labour Spokesperson for Wribbenhall.

In December I wrote about a group of youths drinking outside Kidderminster Library and the bad impression it gave to the town to people walking from the car parks to the Town Hall. On Saturday I attended a concert at the Town Hall and was again disappointed to see youths drinking and swearing opposite the Library with bottles and cans lying around and the litter bins full of them which would mean that people were drinking there during the day. This thoroughfare to the town centre and Town Hall has been greatly improved by the placing of flower baskets along its route and the removal of the oversized litter bin called a node. However despite these improvements the litter outside the Library let the town down. At a recent public meeting with the police in the Library which as I recall was interrupted by noisy youths outside, Councillor Campion in reply to a question said there is no intention to introduce a Alcohol Restriction Zone in Kidderminster as there are in Stourport and Bewdley because the police had sufficient powers to deal with drink related problems. The idea of a ARZ is that it is ( or should be ) self policing. The signs say you must not drink alcohol in the street in designated areas. As there are no signs in the Town Centre of course people will drink in the street unfortunately leaving their cans and bottles littering the street.

Cllr Paul Gittins at The Hollow

I am very pleased to report that the slope at the bottom of the steps in the Hollow leading to Bark Hill have been improved by installing a non slip surface and a new hand rail. The wall under the hand rail has also been repaired. I have been campaigning for these improvements for several years and over these years several people have slipped there and parts of the wall have fallen into the road. However I was disappointed to find that although the wall had been repaired and the non slip material applied the old hand rail which my father had installed when he was a councillor had been removed and we had to wait several weeks for the new hand rail to be fitted. Athough I am pleased that at last this area has now been made safer I am disappointed that it has taken so long.

Paul Gittins is Labour Spokesperson for Wribbenhall.

I found it interesting to read that Councillor Clee, a member of Bewdley Town Council, claimed he was staggered to hear about the Wyre Hill play area and Bewdley bridge proposals and lay the blame on the Health Concern members.

Had he attended more town council meetings or read the minutes of those he missed or left early he would have known that his Conservative colleagues supported all the proposals and that they came from the Finance Working Group of which there are two Conservatives, one Health Concern and one Independent member.

My proposal to fund the play area for a whole year and to consult with the district council for future years was accepted because the district said they had no funding available to run it, although I believe they could have used some of their reserves to run or even improve it.

What was staggering, however, is the district cabinet’s approved proposal to phase out aid to parish councils which would mean that Bewdley Town Council will be over £12,000 short for next year’s funding.

This funding is used not only to maintain the play area but for other projects such as the Christmas lights, war memorial and the town’s flowers. The town council did indeed do a U-turn and I hope the district will do the same with the parish grant and with the funding and improvements to the play area.

PAUL GITTINS Labour Bewdley town councillor

Paul Gittins is Labour Spokesperson for Wribbenhall.

At Bewdley Town Council’s meeting on 5th May the following proposal was accepted unanimously.

Although the Play Area has been funded by the Town Council from the S136 grant since 2003 it was agreed that the Town Council only fund it this year for 6 months at a cost of £2,110 and to return the running of it to the District Council, the remainder of the funding to be used to illuminate the bridge.

I believe the main reason for this proposal was because of a WFDC Cabinet review which was approved by District Councillors to ‘phase out aid to Parish Councils’ next year 2010/2011 in order to save £57,010 which would mean that Bewdley Town Council would loose over £12,000 next year and make it difficult to finance the Play Area as well as other projects.

However the WFDC have informed us that as they do not have a budget to fund the Play Area it may have to close in 6 months time

Because of this Carol Gittins has raised a petition of over 300 names in support of saving the Play Area and calls on Bewdley Town Council to increase the funding of the Play Area for one year and to consult with WFDC for funding in future years. I have pleasure in presenting this petition to the Mayor………

As one of the Town Councils representatives on the Environment group which is devoted to enhance the town centre of Bewdley I will be seeking part of a Town Centre Management Forum grant of £5,000 to illuminate the bridge and ask the Bewdley Development Trust to seek funding from the Market Towns Initiative and other sources.

I therefore propose that we increase the funding of the Play Area for one year The extra funding to come from the funding of the lighting of the Bridge and consult with WFDC as to the funding of the Play Area next year.