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Cllr David Taylor, Redditch (2026)

08/09/2026

* Are Labour going to pay us back? *

The north–south divide of our great county might have paused, but let’s be honest, the money is gone.

Council tax has already contributed and paid for the reports, the consultants, and the hundreds, if not thousands of hours of officer time poured into this.

And will the Labour Government pay any of it back?

Of course not.

There’s no mechanism, no precedent, and no sign of accountability for the spend they drove.

Residents foot the bill.

Poor show…

*image is for illustration only.

07/09/2026

* Breaking!! Worcestershire Unitary Pause *

The Labour leadership have taken the decision to pause the unitary council plans across 14 areas, including Worcestershire.

That means Redditch is directly affected.

Two rumours are already doing the rounds.
One is that the government is worried about judicial reviews, and two, that Andy Burnham is weighing up whether he needs to call a general election to secure a mandate.

Whatever the reason, this pause is welcome.

A “north and south” split for Redditch would be a disaster. And across the county for children’s services, for adult social care, and for the stability, splitting would be a dangerous risk not worth taking . It would create confusion, duplication, and a bureaucratic mess that residents would end up paying for.

Keir Starmer became known for the U‑turn.
This is one u-turn I’m very happy to see.

*image is for illustration only.

04/09/2026

* Is Andy Burnham the answer? *

Andy Burnham is getting the bounce in the polls that was always on the cards. But is he the answer to the country’s issues?

For me, it’s a no.

It’s early days, and as someone on the centre‑right, part of me wants him to stumble, but that’s shallow, and I’m not going down that route. I’ll keep the glass half full and watch how things develop.

Nigel Farage is waiting in the wings, Kemi Badenoch is still a force, but politics runs on momentum, and right now Labour have it.

Burnham reminds me of a new football manager, the early impact is usually instant, but the long‑term league position is far less certain.

From where I sit, Labour have taken a bad situation and made it worse.

The Conservatives lost their way, but they’re showing signs of recovery, and Reform remain firmly in the public eye.

So the national picture is messy, but for me national politics doesn’t belong in local government.

Millionaires in Westminster making decisions for towns like Redditch, places they’ve never even visited, is exactly why trust breaks down.

Local issues need local understanding, not distant management.

Maybe Burnham will make an appearance here one day, perhaps just in time for the local elections in 2027….

Either way, he’s a good distraction from all the nonsense coming up in the Party conferences this month…where saying how great you are really does give bullsh*t a whole new meaning!

*image is for illustration only.

02/09/2026

* Morrisons Island update *

The large potholes on the Morrisons island will be repaired in the short term as part of the normal highways work programme.

More long term, Highways Engineers have recently assessed the roundabout, and it has now been added to the schedule to be fully resurfaced before next summer.

Both pieces of work will cause some disruption, particularly the resurfacing.

To plan your routes/routines around this, as soon as I receive a fixed date, I’ll post it on here as will WCC and other local Councillors.

*image courtesy of Google Maps

01/09/2026

* Do Councillors deserve a pay rise? *

With unitary elections approaching and with Redditch becoming part of a larger North Council, the question of councillor allowances is already being raised.

It’s something that will need to be addressed openly and transparently.

Most councillors step up because they want to help their communities. But the role is time‑consuming, often requiring time away from normal employment, which is why allowances exist.

At the moment:
* County Councillor allowance: around £12,500 plus expenses
* Redditch Borough Councillor allowance: around £4,500 plus expenses

If someone currently holds both roles (and many do) that totals roughly £17,000.

The move to a unitary authority changes the picture though. One councillor would cover a larger area, more services, and a heavier workload. So the question becomes:

Should the new unitary allowance simply match the combined £17,000, or should it be higher, or even lower?

There are different views:
* Some argue the allowance should stay close to the combined figure.
* Others believe the wider responsibilities justify an uplift.
* Some feel the role should be revalued entirely based on the scale and finances of the new authority.

We need to also bear in mind about the new salaries for officers and staff…and not forgetting that both new unitary councils will be saddled with debt, up to £500 million each.

For me the fairest approach is for an independent remuneration panel to review it and make a recommendation.

What do you think?

*image is for illustration only.

27/08/2026

* This Saturday, Matchborough Pond *

26/08/2026

* Who should get housing? *

As someone who has lived in Redditch all my life, and as an Independent Councillor, I am not tied to national party lines or Westminster nonsense. Labour and Reform are both talking a big game on housing, but their policies clash. I also say neither fully reflects what many Redditch residents tell me day‑to‑day.

This is my take, from an independent who isn’t afraid to say what others tiptoe around…

For me, British‑born residents should be first in line.

If you were born on these shores, you should be prioritised for council housing.
This is not about race, culture, or background, it is about birthplace. It seems every other country looks after its own citizens first, and I don’t think Britain should be any different.

Disabled residents must be near the top.

Disabled people already face barriers most of us never have to experience. They shouldn’t also have to fight the system for a stable home.

Single parents deserve protection, not punishment.

This is where I part ways with Reform. They want married couples prioritised. I understand the theory with stability and tradition etc..but reality is very different such as two out of three marriages are ending in divorce.

And far too many dads walk away, pay nothing, and disappear from their own child’s life.

It is mainly Single mums and they are carrying everything. They shouldn’t also be fighting for a roof over their heads because someone else abandoned their responsibilities!

In my view, and as one who has two children by two different moms, if you don’t pay for or see your children, you should be at the bottom of the housing list, and the benefits list. Step up or step off!

Of course, let’s not forget Taxpayers. We should have priority access to housing but some with limits attached.

If you contribute to the system, you should be able to access the system.
British‑born first, but taxpayers wherever they were born.

However, support should be for your immediate family only.

Not six aunties, seven uncles, and five cousins flown in from another country.
Council housing is not a free expansion pack for extended families.

This isn’t a completed list but as it’s high on the political agenda, and debate is good, it is worth the discussion.

What do you think? Who would get your priority for housing?

20/08/2026

* A guide for Assylum seekers *

I don’t care where anyone sits politically, the moment you need a leaflet explaining that r**e is wrong, something has gone seriously off the rails.

And yes, the link and images are real. I’ve checked them myself.

Now I will admit that explaining laws and rights to asylum seekers is not new and in all honesty, completely necessary. But r**e in particular should not need to be explained in such detail. In any country with any language barrier, forcing someone to have s*x is wrong.

Because of so‑called “cultural differences,” these guides are handed out to asylum seekers to make sure they understand that no means no. Think about that. We house people, feed them, give them opportunities, and then have to remind them that s*xual violence is illegal in this country.

It’s staggering.

You don’t need to be hard‑right for this to set off alarm bells. Anyone with common sense should be asking questions.
What makes it worse is that many of these leaflets have to be read aloud because a large number of asylum seekers, many here illegally, can’t speak or read English.

So what exactly is happening here? Am I being overly concerned? Or is my shock justified?

See the link below.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6a84555dc9205b515d421e22/COB_summary_booklet_FINAL_web.pdf

17/08/2026

* Dolben Lane potholes *

Good to hear that most of the outrageous deepest potholes on Dolben Lane have been filled.

The images below shows just how bad they were.

I couldn’t quite believe the condition of the road surface.

Nice to also receive a thank you email from a local resident. The concerns about her mother having to negotiate them as she crossed the road was the final straw.

My moaning to County officers stepped up a gear!

Councillors don’t get to add too many happy resident posts, so this is mine 😊

Cllr David Taylor

08/09/2026

07/09/2026

04/09/2026

02/09/2026

01/09/2026

27/08/2026

26/08/2026

20/08/2026

17/08/2026

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