Whitby Watch

Over the last few weeks Lib Dem Watch has been succesfully exposing Birmingham City Council's Deputy Leader, Lib Dem millionaire John Hemming, as a total opportunist. My beef, however, is with his coalition Leader, Conservative Councillor Mike Whitby. You see, Mike Whitby may lead Birmingham City Council... but he lives in my Ward in neighbouring Sandwell and only jumped on the Birmingham Council bandwagon after the people of Sandwell had rejected him a number of times. To complicate matters there is a local park just 300 yards from Whitby's house that is in Sandwell... but is owned and managed (due to an accident of history) by Birmingham City Council. It is by far the most run down and desolate piece of land in the area, with footpaths that are virtually impossible for anyone with a pushchair, wheelchair or anything short of a mountain bike to navigate, and no improvements since Aneka Rice parachuted in about 10 years ago. Community groups in Bearwood are now planning an all-night torchlit vigil outside Whitby's house in protest at the state of the park.