There have been some major wins for Stourbridge residents when it comes to protecting green spaces and improving quality of life.
First and foremost, Corbett Meadow is now safe from housing development and this is terrific news.
Developer Persimmon has not appealed a decision by Dudley Council to refuse permission to build on the meadow and its sale contract has expired.
The meadow’s owner Dudley NHS Trust has now said it is no longer surplus and its designation of agricultural land remains.
The Trust is currently considering the future use of the land and it will be discussed at a board meeting soon.
I have supported the campaign to save the meadow all the way through. I would like to thank Save the Corbett Meadow Action Group, residents, the mayor Andy Street and, of course, the excellent local Amblecote councillors Paul Bradley, Kamran Razzaq and Pete Lee for their commitment to protect the land.
I would also like to thank the chief executive of Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust, Diane Wake, for her transparency throughout the process.
The financial importance of this site to the Dudley NHS Trust versus developing it was always a tough call, that is why it was so important to let the process run its course.
But as many Stourbridge News readers know, I always believed this green space should be protected. The policy must always be brownfield first.
The other bit of good news is the roads and footpaths at Clockfields have now been adopted by the council in a boost for residents and Amblecote councillors who campaigned for it. A huge thanks to Dudley Council for all its work to get them adopted. It means they will now be maintained.
There was good economic news this week. Office of National Statistics data found that employment remains high at 75.5%. The number of people on company payrolls is at a near record high and 3.8m more people are in work than 2010.
Basic wage growth outstripped the rate of inflation in July for the first time in more than 18 months. This is good news for Stourbridge families but we must be mindful that inflation remains the biggest danger.
Getting people back into employment is also key to growing the economy and significant numbers are going back to work including those who have retired.
However, the long-term sick figures remain very high. The Department for Work and Pensions has launched a consultation on changes to the Work Capability Assessment. The rise of flexible and home working and better employer support for disabled people and those with health conditions means that more people with conditions can now work if they are supported. I welcome the consultation.
