The people of Walsall express their thoughts on the forthcoming local elections.
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00:00 So we've recently had a couple of meetings with the council, so I guess one of the biggest
00:05 issues around here is obviously the increase in crime, anti-social behaviour and local
00:13 economies, so about supporting local independent businesses.
00:19 So those are probably the key areas I think for me personally.
00:26 And you mentioned crime, obviously there's been a lot in the news about it.
00:29 What's it like from your point of view being here, what's it feel like?
00:34 In respect of what?
00:35 The crime, is it a tense atmosphere at the moment?
00:40 It's kind of on and off.
00:44 I think a lot of it's down to the lack of a regular police presence.
00:51 Sometimes they'll come in spills, they'll come in places, you'll see numbers, other
00:55 times it's just like the place is completely devoid.
00:59 So I think that kind of gives those who come into town on a regular basis and commit crime
01:06 related activities, it's got a kind of a no fear factor, they're not in for any threat.
01:12 Or anyone's going to... just that lack of deterrent, that lack of a presence is prevalent.
01:28 So there's a no fear factor for those who come in when they're shoplifting, which happens
01:34 everywhere, but it's certainly prevalent down here.
01:37 It's quite often the same people, the same with the dealing, the drug dealing, drinking
01:44 alcohol out in the streets, it's the same people, it's the same crowds, and it just
01:48 kind of drags the whole atmosphere down.
01:50 So I think that's a general consensus among most people within this area.
01:56 And in terms of business, what's it like for yourself at the moment, the business environment
02:01 here?
02:02 For me personally, survive.
02:03 You survive here.
02:04 No chance of getting rich around here.
02:05 Don't get me wrong, you want to see the place succeed, you want to see the town thrive,
02:14 you want to see local businesses thrive, and some of us are kind of working together to
02:19 make that a possibility, but without that kind of support at a higher level, it's difficult.
02:32 What do you think of how the council's performing?
02:34 Are you happy or not?
02:37 I couldn't give an 100% answer on that, because it's easy to be critical.
02:44 I kind of know the mercy of the government higher up the chain with regards to planning
02:51 and stuff like that.
02:52 Your trust is goody-armless.
02:53 I think there's definitely a lack of visibility.
02:57 For me personally, I think there's a bit of a disconnect.
03:04 I don't know the personal circumstances, I don't really live in the area.
03:08 I don't see many of them shopping around here.
03:11 You do have to live or work in the area, don't you, one or the other.
03:18 It's a difficult one.
03:20 It's easy to say they could always do more, and they probably could do a lot more, certainly
03:23 engage a lot more, be a bit more up front, a bit more clear on their intentions and what
03:31 their policies are.
03:33 You'll be voting?
03:35 Oh, I'll be voting, yeah.
03:37 What will be the things that influence your vote?
03:41 Well, to be honest with you, I'll probably go down the reform route.
03:45 I think there needs to be changes.
03:48 That's kind of where I'm at at the moment.
03:50 Have you voted in the past?
03:51 Have you voted for the bigger parties?
03:53 I'm not worried.
03:54 Not because I don't want to, I just don't feel...
03:56 Now, I mean in the past, when you voted before, how have you voted before?
04:00 I've voted for different parties before.
04:02 So you're not party political, yeah.
04:04 Yeah, yeah.
04:05 But again, I've not voted for a long time, because for me they're all singing from the
04:10 same song sheet.
04:12 Our hymn sheet just has a different name.
04:15 Because I live in the U-tree, buses to get to town and stuff, and basically the speed
04:21 limits and stuff around the area, because we keep having motorbikes drive up and down
04:25 all ends of the night.
04:27 The day wakes him up, and it's not very good.
04:29 No, of course it's not, no.
04:30 So it's more about the area, noise pollution and stuff.
04:34 And has that sort of influenced how you voted then?
04:37 Oh yeah, because I think it's Liberal Democrats who said that they'll help with the area upkeep
04:43 and all that, and the buses.
04:45 And they were saying about reducing taxes and stuff, which is good for me, but my wife
04:50 voted differently, so she always does.
04:52 Yeah, so you voted Liberal Democrat this time.
04:54 Yeah, yeah.
04:55 How have you voted before?
04:56 I don't know.
04:57 You don't bother?
04:58 I don't bother, I just look at the news, see who catches my eye, and then I vote accordingly.
05:02 What do you think of the job the council's doing at the moment?
05:04 Well, we're putting all these plants and stuff up in Walsall, which is not very good, but
05:09 we're part of Sandwell and Dudley, so they don't really do that, but Walsall, you know
05:15 all the plants they keep putting around the place, and the big thing is, spend all the
05:19 money on that, instead of spending it on potholes and stuff like that.
05:22 Well, I'm a bit undecided to be fair.
05:26 I mean, I don't like how they've sort of let a lot of the things go.
05:31 I mean, like a lot of the towns, I mean, yes I do shop outside the town, but I do buy one
05:38 or two things online, but I still like to come and have a shop.
05:42 You can't beat being out and having a look around, but I do feel that they ought to be
05:47 looking at trying to invest more in some of the towns and things, they've let everything
05:53 go.
05:54 Yeah, and what would you like to see them do specifically, because obviously they don't
05:58 have a lot of money, you know.
06:00 Well, I know they don't, but I think they ought to start tackling one or two of the
06:04 key issues, and if I'm looking at the government directly, I mean, the issue, I mean, yes I
06:11 understand why a lot of people are trying to escape from the countries where there's
06:15 a lot of war going on, but I mean, the big issue at the moment is the amount of immigrants
06:20 that we're getting over here.
06:21 We're only a small island, aren't we, we're not like Australia, you know, a vast country,
06:27 and I'm worried about, because I've got children, I'm worried about the infrastructure
06:31 of the country and how we're going to cope with it all, particularly the NHS.
06:35 Yeah, because I remember thinking more about the council elections up this way, so it's
06:39 nothing to do with the government, it's the local councils.
06:42 Well, I want them to look at doing more local investments.
06:46 I know there's been a lot going on since the COVID, and I know they've lost a lot
06:51 of money and things, but yeah, they've had to put the council tax up, but I think people
06:56 are getting a bit fed up with not seeing some of the services, and I think they need to
07:02 start looking more at that localised...
07:05 Any services in particular that would be important to you?
07:09 Well, the shopping element, and I mean, Walsall in particular used to be so vibrant, didn't it?
07:17 I mean, Park Street used to be so busy, and you just get fed up of seeing all the other
07:23 shops boarded up, and then, I mean, I shouldn't say it, but a lot of the cheaper shops.
07:28 I mean, I never thought the day would dawn when Marks and Spencer's pulled out, and
07:32 Debenhams, Woolworths, Bridgeshowers, Dawn Littlewoods, all of those.
07:36 I think they ought to try and help them have cheaper rents to get the people in, and then
07:43 I think they could start getting the town more vibrant again and the council a bit more
07:47 up on its feet.
07:48 Yeah, of course the council doesn't set the rents to its landlords generally.
07:52 Well, I think the council ought to do, like, sort of try and innovative ideas with them
07:57 and trying to work with them a bit more.
08:01 I mean, have you decided you think you'll vote on May the 2nd, or don't you know yet?
08:06 Last time I didn't vote, and that was the first time ever, because I was really, really
08:12 undecided.
08:13 I mean, this thing about the H2 as well, and now that's more government.
08:17 But the last time I voted was Conservative, and I'd always been wrong Labour before that.
08:27 When was the last time you voted?
08:30 Last year, I think it was, yeah?
08:34 The one of the...
08:35 Twenty-three, yeah.
08:36 Yeah.
08:37 This time I'm a bit undecided.
08:41 I'm still watching this space and thinking, I mean, I live in Pelsall.
08:47 Obviously, Wendy Morton, we've got Gary Perry and all of them.
08:51 They're quite active.
08:54 I probably would probably vote Conservative again.
08:57 Do you think Walsall Council has been Conservative for quite a long time now?
09:02 Do you think they've been doing a good job?
09:05 I just want them to do more.
09:07 I want them to get it more back on its feet.
09:09 I know we've had a few difficult years now, but I thought we'd have anything like the
09:13 situation with COVID.
09:15 But I think they need to, like you said, they've got probably landlords.
09:19 I mean, I'm a landlady.
09:21 I think then the council as a whole needs to try and look at Walsall now and try and
09:28 turn it round a bit.