A local shop worker and Lib Dem Campaigner has condemned the Government's funding programme for high street regeneration as "a shambles" after Bromsgrove missed out funds allegedly for small towns, whilst larger cities benefitted.

The fund was supposed to help the country's most struggling high streets, but eyebrows were raised after Worcester and Hereford were included and Bromsgrove was left out.

Bromsgrove Lib Dems have welcomed a decision by the Cabinet at Worcestershire County Council to pause plans to close the junction of School Lane and dual part of the A38 in Lickey End.

Earlier in the year many residents were furious to discover that the Highways Department was proposing to close off the junction of School Lane and the A38 as part of plans known as the Bromsgrove Route Enhancement Programme (BREP). The changes would also have seen one side of the A38 in Lickey End dualled as well as changes to pavements.

Bromsgrove's Lib Dems have yet again expressed their disappointment at Worcestershire County Council's lack of action on improving active travel.

Following the news that the County Council only received half of its active travel bid back in July, the Lib Dems called for more ambitious plans from the ruling Conservative group after Bromsgrove missed out on thousands of pounds to improve walking and cycling due to the Council's poor bid.

The Bromsgrove Liberal Democrats have expressed their delight with the decision by Diamond and Worcestershire County Council to reinstate the 202 bus service between the town centre and Halesowen from 29th November.

The 202 service was axed earlier this year, which lead to the Lib Dems launching a petition to save the service attracting 150 signatures.

Local Lib Dem councillors have called for more to be done to encourage best use of housing after it was revealed there are 163 empty homes in the district. They also insisted changes to the planning system should make new homes more affordable for local people.

At last week's council meeting on Wednesday 21 October a key item on the agenda was the Government's Planning White Paper and reforms to the housing need formula which could see Bromsgrove's housing requirement increase from 379 new homes a year to 694 homes.