BLACK COUNTRY’S BLACK DAY FOR DEMOCRACY

29-03-2008

Disturbing news reaches The Stirrer of plans to take democracy away from the people in the Black Country. Sandwell Council is considering axing local town meetings in Wednesbury, forcing residents to travel to West Bromwich.

Sandwell’s monthly Town Team meetings are meant to ensure that residents in all six of the borough’s have the chance to input into local decision making.

That’s the theory anyway, although at one recent Wednesbury Town meeting, Conservative councillors led a walkout after their questions were censored.

They were also angry after being downgraded from the “top table” which was reserved for Labour councillors.

Now it seems the Wednesbury forum is being scrapped altogether, and being merged with the West Brom meeting.

Wednesbury North councillor Elaine Costigan said, “What are the people who come to our meetings supposed to do? At the moment they can just walk up and get involved.

“What’s going to happen now? Will they lay on a bus? If not, people will have to get a bus or tram.

“I tell you what, they just won’t bother. It’s a disgrace.”