Lye Police and Community Meeting (PACT)

The PACT meeting was poorly attended but useful. The police took the poor attendance as a sign that problems raised at previous meetings had been resolved successfully. I hope it wasn't that people found nothing done so felt there was no point turning up...

But actually a lot has been done and I was impressed by the Police report. There is good working between Dudley Council and the local police on things that matter to residents like litter, speeding traffic and drugs.

The main problems in Lye are drugs, domestic violence and speeding traffic. The other issue was crazy parking around the Mosque on a Friday. Under age drinking is a problem although the alcohol ban on the High Street has been effective.

I like Lye. Although it is one of the more deprived parts of the Stourbridge Constituency, the little Victorian roads with much of the original red brick terraced housing still standing give it some real character. The Muslim presence is reflected in lots of restaurants, grocery stores and activity. Both Mosques are a force for good but I wish we could get more integration across ethnic and religious divides.

We can all take some pride in the fact that for the first time no part of Lye is represented in the study of twenty worst streets for crime and anti-social behaviour across the West Midlands.

Lye is part of a pilot study of how PACT meetings are conducted in the future. A public meeting at Crosswalks will take place on October 21st. Next PACT meeting January 15th.

Photo: Margot attending community project in Lye.