There is a lot being written about getting kids involved in more sporting activities and getting youths off the streets.With this in mind I wrote to the council about the tennis courts at Aldridge Airport. One is not set up to use at all, whilst the other needs work to repair the surface and remove vegetation.

Here is the reply I’ve received:

“The reason for there only being one tennis court erected is that we are looking at developing the redundant tennis court, in the long term, into a Multi Use Games Area.  Short term works that will be occurring in the near future to improve the one tennis court include the removal of all encroaching vegetation plus repairs to the hole in the tennis court fence.

Unfortunately Aldridge Airport is not categorised in the Green Spaces Strategy as being as site of borough importance & therefore there are no current plans to majorly develop the site or to produce a Maintenance & Management Plan.  

Please note that further works are envisaged to continue the refurbishment of the play area and following the recent completion of the Outdoor Adventure Centre we are looking at implementing wider community activities at the centre.”

I will keep monitoring progress at the Airport.

I was listening to a debate yesterday about whether pupils should be taught about the slave trade.

I believe it is important to teach kids historical events, including the slave trade - if only so they understand how our freedoms were gained and to try and prevent mistakes from being repeated!
With the slave trade the context at the time is important - i.e. lots of nations were involved including many in Africa and Asia who traded their own people into slavery.
Also in UK at the time many of its population where effectively no more than slaves themselves and concern for their welfare, let alone slaves, was not a high priority.
As important is to teach the efforts Britain put into trying to bring the whole trade to an end after it ceased involvement in 1807.

I was surprised to find the toilets at the bus station were closed when I was in the town centre on Tuesday. Looking in Aldridge the public toilets are closed completely on Sunday, as are ones in Willenhall. This creates a number of problems when the public cannot find a toilet open.
At the weekend I visited Richmond and was impressed by the Lib Dem council’s innovative idea to overcome the problem the public faced trying to find a toilet - they simply pay premises like pubs and restaurants a small sum each year (£600) to open up their toilet facilities to non-customers.

I’ve written to Walsall council to ask if Walsall is one of the 100 authorities looking at the Richmond community toilet scheme, as it seems to me that this is a great scheme and one that Walsall should adopt to provide its residents with a much needed increased facility.

If you want to know abouh the Community Toilet Scheme here is a link: www.richmond.gov.uk/home/transport_and_streets/road_and_pathway_maintenance/public_conveniences/community_toilet_scheme

I recently wrote to Travel West Midlands to find out if they have a programme detailing when the buses they operate on routes serving Aldridge will be replaced with the new style buses (like the 997), or at least refurbished in the new red and white livery.

I’m advised that the repainting of the buses in the new colours is being undertaken as quickly as possible, but they have no firm date when this will be completed. In regards to new buses  they would only say that their aim is to have replaced all old style buses by  the end of 2012 .