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Cllr David Taylor, Redditch (2026)

16/10/2026

* Update on Redditch Innovation Centre *

After my last post on the £16.6 million Innovation Centre, lots of you got in touch asking why it costs so much. It's a fair question, and you deserve a clear answer.

So I haven't waited. I've sent a Freedom of Information request to Redditch Borough Council.

Among other things I have asked for:

* a full breakdown of the £16.6 million and where the money came from.
* the original tender price compared with the final contract sum, and the reasons for any difference.
* how the contract was tendered, including whether it went through the Procure Partnerships Framework as has been reported, and how the builder was chosen.
* the dates the project was approved, the contract started and building work began.

The council has 20 working days to reply. I'll share what I find out.

Backing good projects and asking the right questions go together.

Cllr David Taylor
Independent County Councillor Redditch East
Standing up for Residents

16/10/2026

* Westminster will decide *

A massive solar scheme is being lined up across Worcestershire and Warwickshire.

Around 1,700 hectares. Roughly 2,000 football pitches. Batteries, substations, underground cables.

It's classed as a "Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project". Imagine saying that after a few pints!

I'm all for cheaper energy. That's why I back drilling what's under our own seabed. But who has the final decision on this project? Not Redditch or Worcestershire... no, that would make too much sense.

The decision lies with Westminster.

The consultation is open until 2 November. There's a roadshow tomorrow, Saturday 17 October, at Inkberrow Village Hall, from 11am to 4pm.

For me, blanketing productive farmland with panels while we still import oil and gas just doesn't make sense.

I'm keen to hear your views.

Maybe you agree with this project? Maybe you think it's a good use of land? Or maybe you agree with me that we have energy we can call upon, if only we had the will to tap into it.

David Taylor
Independent County Councillor
Standing up for Residents

* Image is for illustration only

15/10/2026

* Good news for Redditch *

Ground has been broken on the new Redditch Innovation Centre on Grove Street, right in our town centre.

It's a £16.6 million investment, paid for through the Government's Towns Fund as part of the Redditch Town Deal.

2,600m² of flexible office, lab and workshop space, meeting rooms, networking space and a café.

Specialist support to help local businesses start, grow and work together plus a focus on digital manufacturing, building on our towns proud history of making things.

For me, this is about our young people.

Good jobs, new skills and a real reason to build a career here in Redditch instead of leaving town to find one.

It's due to open in spring 2028.

I'll be keeping a close eye on it to make sure it's delivered on time, on budget, and in a way that really benefits Redditch residents and businesses.

Redditch has a real oppurtunity for success. Let's get behind it.

Councillor David Taylor
Standing up for Redditch

14/10/2026

* Questions for the Police and Trading Standards *

I have the pleasure of chairing Worcestershire County Council's Overview and Scrutiny Performance Board (OSPB) tomorrow. It's a very important one.

On the agenda is the yearly community safety update: illegal to***co and v**es, underage v**e sales, knife crime, domestic abuse and youth violence.

Around the table will be West Mercia Police, including a Superintendent, the Police and Crime Commissioner's office, Trading Standards, Public Health, Safer Communities, Youth Justice and Cabinet Members.

After what happened at Matchborough Centre on Sunday, knife crime isn't just a line on an agenda for me. I'll be raising it directly with the Superintendent and the Police and Crime Commissioner's office.

The meeting starts at 10am and you can watch it live on the Worcestershire County Council website.

If there are any questions you'd like me to ask about this agenda, please let me know as soon as possible and I'll do my best to put them into my questions for tomorrow.

Councillor David Taylor
Standing up for Redditch

14/10/2026

* Lethal Force to stop the boats *

Reform's Robert Jenrick said on Monday that if the Royal Marines "need to use lethal force, then they'll be able to do so".

Now, I want the small boats stopped, and like many others, the sooner the better. Illegal immigration is at the top of the list for many Brits when it comes to the issues facing the country.

I'm also an ex-Reformer who wants to see progressive politics and real competitors to the usual two big parties. It's important for the right to have a voice, and it's just as important for the left to spark debate. For me, that's where the best policies are decided.

The Government called Jenrick's comments illegal. Ministers queued up to be outraged.

And while they all shouted at each other, the boats kept coming.

As hard as it might sound to some, our forces can't follow an unlawful order. The law of the sea says you have to rescue people in danger.

In my eyes, we need a real plan:

* Deter people in the first place. Britain should be a destination to live and prosper, not a destination for handouts.
* Keep the Navy on standby for real threats to our borders.
* Returns that happen, and happen fast.
* Real deals with France to stop the boats leaving, or scrap the agreement altogether.
* Smash the gangs who run the trade.
* An asylum system that decides cases quickly and removes people with no right to be here.

Labour plays politics with it. So do the Tories. So does Reform.

Stop playing and start acting.

Councillor David Taylor
Standing up for Redditch

*Image is for illustration only.

14/10/2026

* Make a decision *

Our own oil. Our own gas. Our own jobs.

And still the Government can't make its mind up.

Rosebank and Jackdaw, two fields off Scotland, have been waiting for a decision since the consultations closed in August.

Industry says drilling would protect jobs, cut household bills and make our energy supply more secure.

Labour's answer? Silence, while they argue among themselves.

I voted Leave. This is what I thought we'd do, stand on our own two feet and become more self-sufficient. We shouldn't be importing what's sitting under our own seabed.

Here in Redditch and across the country, families are staring down another winter of high energy bills. Pensioners are worrying about putting the heating on, I see this and hear this all the time. It is often a pensioners most pressing concern.

Make the decision. Back British energy. Put households first.

Councillor David Taylor
Standing up for Redditch

*Image is for illustration only.

13/10/2026

* Knife at Matchborough Centre *

Police were called on Sunday afternoon after a teenage girl allegedly threatened a child with a knife.

A multi-tool with a knife was seized. Gladly, nobody was injured. A 13-year-old is due to be voluntarily interviewed.

Neighbourhood policing has been stripped back for years while Westminster argues about everything except our streets.

Kids need to be taught that carrying a blade isn't "protection", it's how lives end.

What is to blame - Violent games, phones, social media? Maybe all part of it. But screens don't hand kids knives. Adults set the limits, at home, in school and on the street.

I grew up in Matchborough. It wasn't perfect, but it did feel safe. This is part of a worrying trend of anti-social behaviour, and I'll keep pushing for whatever it takes to stop it growing: police we can actually see, knife education in every school, and parents backed up, not blamed.

Where do YOU think it's going wrong?

Councillor David Taylor
Standing up for Redditch

*image is for illustration only

12/10/2026

* Roadworks coming up in Winyates and Church Hill *

Here’s what Worcestershire County Council highways has planned over the next two weeks:

* Farlow Close - footway resurfacing, finishing Wed 14th Oct. The close is shut to traffic.

* Hentland Close - footway resurfacing Thu 15th to Mon 19th Oct. The close will be shut to traffic.

* Granby Close - road resurfacing Mon 19 Oct. Expect road closure and traffic lights.

* Dinmore Close - footway resurfacing Wed 21st to Mon 26th Oct. The close will be shut to traffic.

* Beoley Lane - drainage work Mon 19th Oct, with two-way traffic lights.

🚗 There is also grass cutting on the A448 and A4189 dual carriageways between now and 23rd Oct, with lane closures, so allow a bit of extra time.

These are planned dates and can change with weather.

If you have problems with access, or you have a carer or medical visits that could be affected, let me know and I’ll raise it with highways.

12/10/2026

* Back in the Town Hall....Finally. *

From today, Redditch Borough Council's customer services are back in the Town Hall.

Good, I'm glad.

But this was not a smooth ride.

* 2023: the Tories put the refurb budget up to £6.2 million. An extra £1m borrowed.

* 2024: Labour took over and binned the plan to move the library in.

The council's own Finance Chief warned up to £600,000 could be written off. Reserves down 10%. The revised timetable said finished by September 2025.

It's now October 2026.

Blue started it. Red ripped it up. Blue's back cutting the ribbon and thanking us for our "patience".

Every time Redditch swaps colours, the plans get torn up and the bill lands on us.

That's Westminster-style party politics, played out in Walter Stranz Square.

If you are popping in this week, please feed back to me what you think. Was it worth the wait and the expense?

Councillor David Taylor
Standing up for Redditch

*Image is for illustration only.

09/10/2026

* Winyates gets it done *

There's a new lifesaving defibrillator in Winyates.

It's outside the Link/Reach shop at Winyates Centre, opposite the Winyates Chippy, and anyone can use it, 24 hours a day.

Who made it happen?

Not Westminster. Not a party machine.

Residents, local businesses and our First Responders, who donated the defib and the cabinet. A £526 county Public Health grant paid for the electrics and installation.

It all started after a sad loss in our community, now something good has came out of it.

It's registered on The Circuit, so ambulance crews know it's there.

So do me a favour. Next time you're getting a portion of chips, look where it is. One day you might need it.

That's Redditch at its best. Neighbours looking after neighbours. No fuss, no party political b*llocks.

Well done to everyone involved.

Cllr David Taylor

16/10/2026

16/10/2026

15/10/2026

14/10/2026

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09/10/2026

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