Latest news with #DamianCorfield
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Park upgrade paid for with stashed cash
Thousands of pounds stashed in Dudley Council's coffers for years is to be spent on upgrades at a borough park. Work at King George V Park, Wordsley, will go ahead using £24,800 from property developers who agreed to pay for improvements in areas where they build homes. Dudley is to splash cash in the Lawnswood Road green space from agreements linked to applications approved as far back as May 2004. The deals, called planning obligations, are enforced under section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act. Councillor Damian Corfield, Dudley cabinet member for neighbourhoods, said: 'Section 106 contributions are often multi-faceted with large sums allocated to many different projects. In this case we have held on to and combined several smaller elements of these S106 payments together to generate a significant total amount. 'That amount is now being used to fund this hugely beneficial project for the community in Wordsley, and an example of very smart use of section 106 money.' The park will get upgrades including resurfacing of the multi-use games area, the reinstatement of the bowling green and a revamp of the children's play area. The cash will come from four developments which were approved between 2004 and 2011. Latest figures published by Dudley Council show at the end of March 2024 a total of £2.8m of unspent S106 money was sitting in the authority's bank. In the financial year which ended on the same date the council's income from S106 payments was £61,580. In the same financial year the council spent £1.05m of S106 cash, mostly on education facilities while a further £956,810 had been allocated but not spent. Hoarding S106 funding is common practice for local authorities despite most agreements having a time limit which means the money has to be spent within a specific period or paid back to the developer. According to a report published by the Home Builders Federation (HBF) in autumn 2024, a total of around £6bn of unspent S106 cash was held by councils in England and Wales – with the average council holding £19m. The HBF is calling for greater transparency in local government about why spending is delayed and how long councils are holding on to cash for. Neil Jefferson, CEO at HBF, said: 'Each year developers contribute around £7 billion to local authorities for the provision of local infrastructure, affordable housing and education, recreational and health facilities but some councils are increasingly failing to invest this cash into the services that so desperately need it. 'Investment in new housing delivery brings unrivalled economic and social benefits to communities but too many of these advantages are going unseen by local people. With the government desperate to find money to invest in infrastructure to drive growth, it is nonsensical to have billions sat in council bank accounts. 'Furthermore, a lack of infrastructure provision is often cited as a reason to oppose development, yet this pipeline of billions of pounds of unspent infrastructure funding is too often underappreciated in debates about the impact of new development.'
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Drivers risk fines after motorists spotted ‘flouting' key High Street rule
DRIVERS in Stourbridge are being warned they could face fines if they fail to comply with night time restrictions around the town centre. Dudley Council has announced it will begin enforcement action after several motorists have been found to have been 'flouting' the rules of the night time Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) that is in place on Stourbridge High Street. The TRO restricts vehicle access to the High Street between midnight and 4.00am, with only licensed Hackney Carriage taxis permitted on the road during these hours. However, the council has said private hire vehicles have been spotted breaking the rules, with some illegally parking and utilising taxi rank points. Drivers found to be contravening the order or illegally parking could face a fine of £70, with private hire drivers also risking a review of their licence. Cllr Damian Corfield, Cabinet Member for Highways and Environment, said: 'The TRO and parking restrictions are in place to help keep people safe when they are enjoying Stourbridge's night time economy. 'Unfortunately, we have had several reports of drivers ignoring the rules and this could place people at risk, especially youngsters who are out having fun. 'West Midlands Police will now be undertaking enforcement operations in the area to ensure the TRO is not being breached. 'We will also take enforcement measures around the use of parking and taxi rank bays.' Working with West Midlands Police, Dudley Council said it is reviewing signage and markings in the area to make it clear what parking restrictions are in place. Hackney Carriage drivers will be able to continue to use the taxi ranks on High Street. Drivers of private hire vehicles and other privately owned vehicles instead should relocate their meet point away from the High Street, with Dudley Council suggesting other nearby locations, such as Lower High Street or Crown Lane.
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Council embarks on pothole ‘blitz' across borough
OVER 1,000 square meters of road has been repaired as part of a 'pothole blitz' across the borough. Dudley Council said contractors have been working through the nights to fix potholes on roads across Stourbridge, Dudley and Halesowen. The work, which has been in addition to usual daytime council road works, has seen nine roads be repaired over a three-week period. Workers have been in Peartree Lane in Netherton at its junction with Crackley Way this week, having already filled potholes on Duncan Edwards Way, Haden Hill Road, Norton Road and The Boulevard near Merry Hill. Dudley Council said Level Street, Hagley Road in Halesowen, Kent Street in Upper Gornal and Lye Cross have also seen much needed repairs made. Cllr Damian Corfield, Cabinet Member for Highways and Environmental Services at Dudley Council, said: 'Potholes are a problem for all local authorities, and we have a continuous programme of works to repair potholes in Dudley borough. 'Last year we launched a game changing proactive service with regards to repairs, which includes our nighttime pothole-blitz sessions to help us catch up on issues left over from the winter. 'We've received a lot of positive feedback from residents since this started, but with more than 700 miles of roads across the borough we know we need to continue to work to deliver even more improvements. The team have been working in Peartree Lane in Netherton at its junction with Crackley Way this week (Image: Dudley Council) "I would like to thank our residents, who help to keep us updated on locations through our online reporting system MyDudley. 'This logs issues and immediately allocates the work, closing the reporting for that location until the issue is resolved and ensures no duplication of reporting, allowing us to deliver work for our residents more efficiently.' Cllr Corfield said that over the past 12 months, Dudley Council has spent £8 million on repairing roads and potholes, having carried out repairs on 2,700 potholes.
Yahoo
04-02-2025
- Yahoo
New cycle lanes and walking routes planned
Plans for new cycle lanes and walking routes in are set to be backed by council bosses in a town. Dudley Council's cabinet will be asked to sign-off its Black Country Walking, Wheeling and Cycling Plan at a meeting next week. The scheme has been drawn up jointly by Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton councils to encourage the activities in the area. A council report said the authority expected most of the funding for the routes would come from outside grants. The plan includes nine cycle routes and three walking zones which are: Himley to Stourbridge Brierley Hill to Cradley Heath Dudley to Cradley Heath A4101 Pensnett to Dudley town centre Pensnett to Upper Gornal Smestow Valley Leisure Route A458 to Woodgate Valley Stourbridge to Halesowen Hagley to M5 junction three DY5 Enterprise Zone and Brierley Hill Stourbridge Interchange/Stourbridge Junction/Town Centre Kingswinford Councillor Damian Corfield said the plan would be a large part of the borough's aim to be carbon neutral by 2041 with transport the single largest cause of carbon emissions. The plan will be discussed at a meeting of the council's cabinet on Wednesday. Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. Why does Cambridge have so many unusual road layouts? Walking routes link together abolition landmarks New river trail receives £10m funding Dudley Council Sandwell Council Walsall Council City of Wolverhampton Council
BBC News
04-02-2025
- BBC News
New Black Country cycle lanes and walking routes planned
Plans for new cycle lanes and walking routes in are set to be backed by council bosses in a Council's cabinet will be asked to sign-off its Black Country Walking, Wheeling and Cycling Plan at a meeting next scheme has been drawn up jointly by Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton councils to encourage the activities in the area.A council report said the authority expected most of the funding for the routes would come from outside grants. The plan includes nine cycle routes and three walking zones which are:Himley to StourbridgeBrierley Hill to Cradley HeathDudley to Cradley HeathA4101 Pensnett to Dudley town centrePensnett to Upper GornalSmestow Valley Leisure RouteA458 to Woodgate ValleyStourbridge to HalesowenHagley to M5 junction threeDY5 Enterprise Zone and Brierley HillStourbridge Interchange/Stourbridge Junction/Town CentreKingswinford Councillor Damian Corfield said the plan would be a large part of the borough's aim to be carbon neutral by 2041 with transport the single largest cause of carbon plan will be discussed at a meeting of the council's cabinet on Wednesday. Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
