South Staffordshire January Round-up
I am delighted to start off my first newsletter of 2023 with some excellent news – South Staffordshire District Council have recently decided to pause their Local Plan.
This decision is, in my view, absolutely the right course of action. With the Government’s commitment to abolish the duty to cooperate and change how housing targets work, this pause provides an opportunity to see what the new advice will be and how it will affect South Staffordshire. Hopefully, it will give the Council a chance to review the housing numbers in the Local Plan and protect as much greenbelt land as possible. For my part, I will continue to press the Government for clarity on when we can expect the new planning advice to come in force.
In other local news, I had the great opportunity to visit Collins Aerospace’s facility in Wolverhampton alongside Jane Stevenson MP. The site tour and discussions I had with the staff at the facility gave me some great insight into their work on advanced manufacturing and helping develop a more sustainable aviation sector. I particularly enjoyed speaking with apprentices and those in their early careers at Collins about their work and how Collins is helping them acquire the skills they need to thrive in the STEM field.
I also had the pleasure of meeting with staff from Staffordshire Wildlife Trust at Highgate Common to see their conservation and restoration work there. Since taking over the site in 2009, the Trust has focused on restoring the common’s heathland which provides essential habitats for its nationally important collection of insects. I would thoroughly recommend everyone make a visit to the common for its wonderful walks and fantastic wildlife – though I can understand if some might want to wait for slightly warmer weather first!
Turning back to politics, I have recently been calling for the Government and district council to look into providing greater support for foster carers. Foster carers do such important work providing children with safe and nurturing homes, and it is vital that we continue to support these carers during the current cost-of living challenges. Other councils have exempted foster carers from council tax, and I believe the district council should consider making this change as well. In Parliament, I have asked the relevant minister to re-examine the rate of pay for foster carers which has not been reviewed since 2003. These changes would encourage more people to participate in the foster care system and ensure those who are already foster carers can provide support to those children who need it most. It is my sincere hope that both the council and the Government consider these proposals seriously.
I have also been pushing for continued Government investment in our school facilities across the West Midlands. We have made some great progress in improving school facilities in recent years, particularly locally with the work done to Wombourne High School, but we need to go further. More long-term investment is needed to raise the quality of our school buildings across the board and I will continue to fight to ensure our children have excellent environments to learn in for years to come.
I do hope that everyone’s 2023 has started off well and, as we continue into the year, please do not hesitate to get in touch with me if you have any queries or issues that you would like to raise. I can be reached by email at gavin.williamson.mp@parliament.uk, or you can phone my office on 01902 846616.