Dudley MP and council leader clash over payments to businesses affected by tram-line delays

Dudley MP Sonia Kumar has clashed with council leader Councillor Patrick Harley over the impact the much-delayed tram and bus-station schemes were having on businesses in the town.

Miss Kumar and regional mayor Richard Parker had visited independent traders in the town to her about the difficulties they had experienced as a result of the disruption, and criticised the council for ‘offering businesses just £5,000 through an intensive application process’.

But Councillor Harley accused the pair of ‘bare-faced cheek’, saying it was West Midlands Combined Authority, led by the mayor, which was responsible for the delayed projects in the first place.

This week the Express & Star revealed that a provisional opening date of November 1 had been set for both the tram line and the new bus station.

But Councillor Harley said he ‘would not be holding his breath’ given the number of time the project has been delayed.

Miss Kumar, whose office is in Birdcage Walk, one of the areas severely by the disruption, said the West Midlands Combined Authority had provided the council with a £310,000 support package, with £150,000 to provide tailored support for businesses surrounding the bus station, and £160,000 for improvements to public spaces in the area, and for marketing events to encourage visitors to the town.

But she said the council was making businesses ‘jump through hoops’ to get grants of just £5,000.

She said: “Frankly, the Conservative-run council offering businesses just £5,000, locked behind an intensive application process and layers of red tape, is derisory. Our town centre needs ambition, not businesses being made to jump through hoops for relatively small pots of support.”

But Councillor Harley replied: "I can't believe the bare-faced cheek of this MP and her invisible West Midlands Mayor. The Metro extension has been delayed time and time again. To make matters worse the new bus station has also been delayed.

“This delay of projects managed by the WMCA, of which Richard Parker is the head of, has caused many problems for town centre traders.

“It's not a council-managed project, and if it was it would have been completed a long time ago. The mayor should take responsibility for the shambles that is the combined authority.”

Councillor Harley said some businesses in the town had received payments from the council of up to £18,000, and said it was Dudley Council officers, who had fought for the £300,000 support package.

“The money provided by the WMCA that the MP is shouting about has taken months and months to reach us,” he added. “If any organisation is wrapped up in red tape then it's the WMCA."

Miss Kumar introduced Mr Parker to a number of business owners in the town, including Mick Butler who keeps the Pet Pantry, Kirsty Clift and Vicky Ray of Dream Days bridal wear, and Nico Kumbetti of Cottage Bakers, all in Birdcage Walk.

She said: “The Metro and new Interchange give Dudley a huge opportunity, but building new transport infrastructure alone won’t regenerate our town centre. We need people to get off the Metro, stay in Dudley, visit our shops, use our businesses and spend money locally.

“There are brilliant businesses already here. I want us to back them, attract new businesses and give people from across the Black Country more reasons to come into Dudley.

“I’ll continue standing up for our traders and pushing everyone with responsibility for Dudley town centre to show the ambition our businesses and residents deserve.”

Tracey Dale of Dream Days said the past two years had been very difficult.

“With the works taking place right outside our door, access to this part of the town centre has been disrupted and we’ve had to work really hard to reassure customers that we’re still here, we’re open and we’re accessible,” she said.

“We’re not an ordinary shop where somebody simply pops in to buy something. Brides travel to Dudley specifically to visit us and choosing a wedding dress should be one of the most exciting and memorable experiences of their lives.

“From the moment a bride and her family arrive in Dudley, we want them to feel excited about their day. We don’t want their first experience to be worrying about roadworks, finding their way around barriers or wondering whether they can actually get to us.

“Vicki, Kirsty and I put so much into making every appointment personal, relaxed and special, and despite everything happening outside we’ve worked hard to make sure that experience hasn’t changed once customers walk through our doors.”

She said she believed the new bus station and tram line would ultimately be positive for Dudley, but said businesses like hers needed support to ensure they would still be there when the projects finally opened.

Pet Pantry owner Mr Butler said he felt is was unfair that the payments were subject to VAT, and that businesses faced restrictions on how they could spend the money.

“For a retail business like mine, investing in stock would allow me to sell more products, generate a return and put that money back into the business,” he said.

“That would provide more lasting value than being told to spend the grant on items that may not reflect what the business actually needs.

“There is a lot of potential in Dudley, but support needs to be flexible, practical and shaped around the realities facing individual traders. I hope the investment coming into the town will bring more people here and give our local businesses the boost they need.”

Nico Kumbetli, owner of Cottage Bakers, said he was pleased Miss Kumar and Mr Parker had visited the business to hear what it was experiencing.

“Dudley has some fantastic independent businesses, but we need more people coming into the town and we need practical support that helps businesses grow.”