Express & Star

Walsall Remembrance Day parades will go ahead after all as policing deal is struck

Remembrance Day parades are set to go ahead across Walsall after police bosses struck a funding deal with Walsall Council.

Published

West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner David Jamieson has pledged an as yet unspecified amount of money to ensure the parades will go ahead, with Walsall Council agreeing to match it.

David Jamieson

Parades across the borough had been under threat after West Midlands Police said they would no longer be providing officers for traffic management duties.

Announcing the deal at a meeting of the Strategic Policing and Crime Board, Mr Jamieson said: "We will put some resources into Walsall this year as long as it is matched by Walsall Council.

"But in future years Walsall has to fall in line and do their job in terms of putting in place road closures and allowing the police, quite properly to do the job we know the police will do."

West Midlands Police had said that closing roads for the parades was the responsibility of organisers, opening up the possibility of the council being saddled with costly bills to pay for professional traffic management contractors.

Walsall Council leader Sean Coughlan, said: "I am pleased that we have found a compromise for this year, which recognises the limited time available for event organisers to put in place safe arrangements for their parades"

Mr Jamieson also hit out at critics who he said had unfairly rounded on the police over the issue.

"There was a minority of people in Walsall who were saying that we had not taken the proper action and complaining that we were not playing our part," he said.

"This is manifestly, and totally untrue. I ask those people to reflect that this is a solemn commemoration to those people who gave their lives. It is not a place for people to make political points."

WMP Chief Constable Dave Thompson, said: "The power to close roads is sadly not one that the police have for pre-planned events.

"We think these events are really important and we are going to be a part of them, but there needs to be a balance struck as to how we sustain and manage our resources."

Sorry, we are not accepting comments on this article.