Work starts to spruce up Halesowen (From Halesowen News)
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Work starts to spruce up Halesowen
5:18pm Thursday 6th September 2012 in News
TWO eyesore trees in the centre of Halesowen , which had been dead for several years, have finally been chopped down just weeks after unkempt areas of the town were pointed out to a senior Dudley councillor.
Their removal was prompted after chamber of trade chairman Steve Fitzpatrick took the council’s cabinet member for regeneration Councillor Shaukat Ali on a fact-finding walkabout last month.
It followed the Halesowen in Bloom group’s decision to pull the plug on the town’s first entry into the prestigious Britain in Bloom competition because it was embarrassed by the “shabby” state of the town.
But Mr Fitzpatrick reported to today's chamber meeting that weed spraying and litter picking was also under way in the town centre as a result of Cllr Ali’s visit.
Fellow chamber member, Cornbow Shopping Centre manager Eve O’Connor said: “This is a first positive step in the right direction for a long time.”
Cllr Ali has agreed to meet regularly with Mr Fitzpatrick to monitor progress of overdue maintenance work in the town centre.
