Together with West Midlands Mayor Andy Street I am working to help protect our precious Green Belt and Open Spaces. This is why we have launched a local survey, which is currently being delivered to thousands of homes across Aldridge and Streetly.
At the moment, the Black Country Core Strategy is being drawn up, and will decide where new homes should be built. We want to make it clear that we want to protect our green belt and open spaces in Aldridge-Brownhills.
We all understand that there is a real need for new homes, and councils need to ask where they should be built over the next 15 to 20 years. So far, 200 sites in the Black Country have been suggested, which include building homes on green fields.
I have always said that we should focus first on abandoned and neglected sites, often called Brownfield sites. These are the kind of former industrial sites that we have plenty of across the Black Country.
Andy Street and I want residents to fill in our survey, so we can share their opinions on open spaces with the people making the decisions.
We know that Walsall Council is doing all it can to protect the green belt, but it is important that local people have their say, to show how strongly they feel about the issue too.
It is only by working together that we can make a difference and help protect our precious Green Belt and Open Spaces.