The Wyre Forest Agenda: ‘can-do’ Wyre Forest wfa.org.uk/2012/03/07 #wfsota

@WyreForestDC @ksshuttle #wfsota Enjoyed the question time event tonight – I have a lot to blog about!

really interesting #wfsota feed tonight from @wyreforestdc and @ksshuttle, thanks both.

@WyreForestDC #wfsota great question time tonight very impressed. Shame that you didn’t cover questions from twitter after asking for them

Good #wfsota debate on the economy in Kidderminster town hall tonight. Some great issues raised now the council must deliver!

That’s all for now – we’ll arrange a twitterfeed from next week’s council debate on Wednesday 14th #wfsota Good night!

#wfsota Clive Joyce closing – send any other comments to @ksshuttle & I’ll pass them to the council. Wyre Forest should be “can do”

#wfsota Cllr Campion – imperative is to act, need to move now from talking to doing – we will make a difference!

#wfsota Tony Bray – British Sugar site is key, create space for new businesses to grow and survive

#wfsota Lindsay Richards – set up a “town team”, involve people in improving the town centre

#wfsota Andy Dobson – better links between education and business, improve Kidderminster town centre

#wfsota summing up now. Mike Ashton – engage with businesses; respond positively to @WyreForestDC ‘s initiative

#wfsota Birmingham Metropolitan College – need to improve perception of Kidderminster and surrounding area. Better marketing required

#wfsota King Charles school – 2nd school to establish a social enterprise, keen to work with businesses on entrepreneurship

#wfsota Cllr Phillips need to promote area as destination for weekend visits – working with local businesses, new hotels in Kidderminster

#wfsota Karen Wright, public health consultant on benefits for health of employment, participation in arts etc

#wfsota Heather Wastie, Kidd’r Arts Festival – great art in subways but they need cleaning. Plug for BHG, new art gallery in Boar’s Head

#wfsota Cllr Campion – no proposal to remove gallery space in Kidderminster but will be in different place

#wfsota Plea re future of gallery at Kidderminster library. Also where are street signs in town centre?

#wfsota developing a can do attitude within the community and businesses is the way forward

#wfsota Mike Ashton – Visit Worcestershire will be advertising on Tube in March @Worcestershire_ 160 businesses are members

#wfsota Cllr Campion @WyreForestDC is acting to support businesses. Check out the draft local development order on the website

#wfsota Andy Dobson – large number of small businesses in similar sectors. College could meet their needs better if they get together

The £1m regeneration grant in the 2012/13 budget has been spent about 10 times over tonight. So I have to ask is it enough? #wfsota

#wfsota Tony Bray – single point for businesses to access support. Low cost start ups a good idea: another idea for spending the money

#wfsota general consensus on connectivity. Improve integrated transport and digital infrastructure

#wfsota Tourism a strong point: Cllr Martin. Two world class attractions @svrofficialsite @WestMidSafari But need to promote the area more

#wfsota Cllr Martin & 3 councillors visited incubator units in Redditch yesterday – good model to emulate

#wfsota 4th and final topic Cllr Martin speaking on business – need to find ways to generate new business, facilities for start ups

#wfsota Ken Wigfield, FSB: importance of broadband for small businesses, applauds @worcscc in leading broadband plan for the county

#wfsota Vivienne Hussey, business owner on Stourport Rd corridor – use some of fund for intelligent traffic light system at Brinton Park

#wfsota Tony Bray – idea of new service to Foley Park and Bewdley on Severn Valley Railway: another example of using assets that we’ve got

#wfsota Cllr Godwin on running train service from Bewdley like service to Stourbridge town centre – with new halt at British Sugar site

#wfsota Andy Dobson – some good bus links to get into Kidderminster town centre. County council spending reductions have had adverse impact

#wfsota Cllr Campion – need to make the best of assets we’ve got, redualling the A449 and A456. Not likely to get £70m for Stourport bypass

#wfsota Lindsay Richards: need to provide for those who don’t drive, get more people used to travelling on buses

#wfsota Cllr Shaw: improve hub at station. Free shuttle to centre? Hoo Brook link can open up British Sugar site & reduce congestion

#wfsota Ring road in Kidderminster is physical & psychological barrier. Poor bus links in many areas. Last bus to Stourport leaves now!

#wfsota 3rd topic – connectivity. Cllr Shaw speaking about improving broadband and transport links

#wfsota Straw poll gave mixed views re using some of £1m to reduce parking charges. Cllr Campion: need to look at more on street parking

#wfsota retail business owner, Stourport who relocated from London 12 months ago. Not enough on street parking – people need to stop & shop

#wfsota good lively debate on town centres.

#wfsota Mike Ashton – learn from Leominster and how they regenerated the market town following impact of major supermarket

#wfsota Derek Fradgley, town centre forum Stourport – town needs marketing, expert help to change its image, to counter impact of new Tesco

#wfsota Question on impact of moving leisure centre. Cllr Campion – we must regenerate where The Glades are, & rebalance the town centre

#wfsota Cllr Nicky Gale – can we use young artists to paint billboards in empty shops, like the work done to improve subways?

#wfsota Cllr Campion – no town square in Stourport or Kidderminster, they lack a focal point. We’ve got to be bold

#wfsota Can council restrict out of town centre developments, and give rate reductions. Cllr Campion – yes, need partners to help pay

#wfsota Mike Ashton – town centre needs to stop being solely a shopping area, 9 to 5. Need people living in the town centre

#wfsota Andy Dobson – seats by college one of the few places for young people to congregate. Need better, distinctive spaces for people

#wfsota Blunt assessment from Tony Bray on planning errors visited on Kidderminster since WW2! Need clear vision, be in it for long haul

#wfsota Lindsay Richards – on line & out of town shopping put town centres under pressure. Get more people on streets by diversifying use

#wfsota Cllr Dyke: better mix of property uses in town centres, not just shops. Events to draw in visitors. Look at reducing business rates

#wfsota 2nd topic is town centres – Cllr Helen Dyke speaking and she’s had 40 years working in Kidderminster town centre

#wfsota Cllr Campion: society needs to engage positively with young people. We all have responsibility to set role models of behaviour

#wfsota Final question from Chris, member of public – asking about anti-social behaviour in vicinity of library. Needs sorting out first?

#wfsota Can council use some of £1m fund for apprenticeships? Cllr Campion: yes, and we should. Tony Bray: can top up Government scheme

#wfsota good idea, use the businesses as young people mentors to raise aspiration

#wfsota Andy Dobson – Government changes to measuring attainment in schools don’t value vocational qualifications

#wfsota Cllr Campion – centralised target for number of young people going to university is “nuts”. Need to value vocational models too

#wfsota Chairman of UKIP branch on need for apprenticeships and flexible leaving age from school. Not enough jobs for people after training

#wfsota There are some deprived areas of district where parenting skills are an issue – need for early support

#wfsota First question from the floor – Cllr Tracey Onslow. Are parenting skills important?

#wfsota Tony Bray from BIS (good to have a representative from the civil service here) Need structured links between schools and businesses

#wfsota Lindsay Richards – mixed communities in good housing provide a sound platform

#wfsota Cllr Campion – importance of role models to break through ceiling on aspirations

#wfsota Mike Ashton – importance of engaging business. Need to give students more experiences, to make informed career decisions

#wfsota Cllr Oborski introduces the topic of skills. Need to promote vocational training, better links between business and education

#wfsota Clive Joyce sets the scene for the state of the area debate. Four themes, starting with skills

#wfsota We stood for a minute’s silence, to show respects for the 6 British soldiers killed in Afghanistan

#wfsota The panel are on the stage – about to start. Tonight’s event is being filmed and will be on @WyreForestDC website

#wfsota Good mixture in the audience – from business, college, councillors and staff. Have seen the director of Worcs LEP in the room

#wfsota The chairman of tonight’s panel, Clive Joyce, has just come over to say hello. We’ll be starting in a few minutes

#wfsota Good evening, everyone. The audience is starting to assemble at the town hall for question time – must be about 100 people here

RT @IanM65: #wfsota I’ll be tweeting from the official @WyreForestDC address at tomorrow night’s public question time 6.30pm Kidderminster Town Hall

RT @WyreForest: New blog on the Wyre Forest Agenda: #wfsota wfa.org.uk/2012/03/05 [thanks to @stayingaliveuk & @IanM65]

#wfsota Question | @WyreForestDC : great news on Hoo Brook Link Road, what’s the timing and what will it mean?

New blog on the Wyre Forest Agenda: #wfsota wfa.org.uk/2012/03/05 [thanks to @stayingaliveuk & @IanM65]

@wtomaney #wfsota use the hash tag to submit your question in advance or on the night! Good that you are tweeting on the night!

@WyreForestDC Consultation on a local development order for S Kidderminster on WFDC website. Will this help boost the economy? #wfsota

Got a question for our panel on Economic Development in Wyre Forest? Event to be held 7 March 6:30pm at Kidd Town Hall. #wfsota

#wfsota | Question @WyreForestDC : the digital world is big and growing very fast, why can’t we build a digital city here?

#wfsota Question | @WyreForestDC : to connect biz in area why don’t we start ‘Finditin’ initiative like B’ham and Worcester?

#wfsota Question | @WyreForestDC : who will decide on the priorities of spending for regeneration and will other services suffer?

#wfsota Question | @WyreForestDC : what kind of £ budget would be set aside? Any funding from central gov or EU available?

#wfsota Question | @WyreForestDC : is there a time-frame for regeneration 5, 10, 15 years or longer?

#wfsota Question | @WyreForestDC : will planned gypsy/traveller sites in the area contribute favourably to regeneration?

@wyreforestdc taking part in interesting debate with third sector on plans to support economy. #wfsota