Beryl Blackmore Councillor for Marford & Hoseley

Welcome to February - a little nearer to Spring. But that means birds are nesting and we are still waiting for hedge/tree pruning. I will continue to ask for these to be done.

Gresford Community Councillors and the local PCSO, met with me outside The Rofft School on a school day at 2:45pm - which was much appreciated. Parents and residents have been concerned about the congestion around the entrance to the School car park. By the time you read this, I hope the school governors will have agreed to meet with me.

Illegal car parking

On the day, three cars were parked in the cut-through to the main road, where there is a clear sign showing ‘NO PARKING’ - the enforcement patrol are likely to catch you! Cars were parked on the pavement, meaning pedestrians need to walk in the road. PCSO Lisa spoke to drivers highlighting the risk. Sandrock Road is always full of cars, which the residents accept, but they are not happy to find cars parked across their entrances. Drivers are arriving some 30 to 45 minutes before school finishes were sitting in their car with the engine running - despite the pollution health risks to all. I wonder if the drivers realise they risk an £80 fine for idling?

We also went to the zebra crossing, by The Red Lion, and noted a number of ideas to improve safety. We will pass these ideas to the whole Gresford Community Council for their approval and I have contacted the Road Safety Department for their input. I am positive things will improve.

I asked the residents, via ‘Marford and Gresford’ Facebook, to tell me their priorities to improve life in the community and Wrexham.

Here they are, all very important:

• Lack of hospital beds/cottage hospitals/ care homes.

• Pot holes and badly maintained roads, in particular, the poor workmanship in filling in existing pot holes, they breakup again within days.

• Social services/childcare services/lack of qualified staff in both childcare settings and care homes.

Again, lots of concerns, and likely to be no money and less grants. We need to stop running unnecessary projects and put money into the above problems. There was feedback on ‘Wrexham Town Centre’, Facebook page. I really do feel there has been an improvement and there is a lot going on. Let’s watch this space for a while longer, again I feel positive.

Well I hope I haven’t depressed you further, as the dark mornings do that. But the sun is just out, and the nights are getting lighter. I am here to support you as much as I can, I know you will find me!

Tel: 07933 201731 beryl.blackmore@wrexham.gov.uk