Chris Kelly MP has welcomed the gesture by local brewing company Bathams to cut the grass bank at Coldstream Drive, Wordsley.

Long suffering residents had raised concerns that the grass bank that runs along the A491 had not been cut for over a year and that the Council had refused to cut this and around one hundred other such banks due to cutbacks.

Chris Kelly MP said: “Whilst I understand the plight of local residents who wish the surrounding area to be kept in the same pristine condition as their own properties I also accept that, due to both the Government and local councils having to balance their budgets, some services will be affected.”

Mr Kelly added: “Whilst acknowledging the pressures the Council are under I could not allow the situation to continue. This is why I have asked several businesses within the locality to assist if they can. I and the residents are very grateful for the generous gesture by Bathams Brewery. They responded within 10 minutes of a request going to them and agreed to cut the grass as a one off gesture.”

Finally Mr Kelly added: “What residents, local Councillors and I will now be working towards is to find a sponsor to maintain this grass bank. Obviously there is a commercial aspect to this and I see no reasons why that sponsorship, if forthcoming, cannot be advertised in the same way that sponsors are advertised on road traffic islands throughout Dudley Borough.”

Cllr John Jones (Wordsley) said: “I am just glad that the residents of Rectory Fields have at last got their grass bank cut. It has been an eye sore and the real work now begins to ensure we don’t have the same situation next year. I will work with residents to find a sponsor.”

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24th July 2010