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Blakenall South is one of 169 neighbourhoods across the country which has been awarded money from central government to improve the area. Ward member for Blakenall, Councillor Pete Smith, tabled a notice of motion at full council on Monday (November 3), calling for transparency around the project and for it to be community-led. The independent member said ‘lessons needed to be learnt’ from past and present government grant schemes. Councillor Smith said he recalled a previous New Deal funding programme in the early noughties which made ‘no difference’ to the high crime rates, unemployment rates and poor health indicators. He also referred to the current Darlaston towns board, which has faced criticism for ‘sidelining’ the community, having a board made up mainly of professionals from local organisations. At the first meeting in October, protesters gathered outside Darlaston library as members of the public were excluded and enforcement officers were deployed. Concerns in Darlaston have also been raised over the independent chairman, Manjit Jhooty, who chairs the Bloxwich and Walsall towns board as well, each receiving £21.3 million of government funding. Mr Jhooty owns the Walsall-based firm Jhoots Pharmacy Group, which has made headlines in recent weeks over allegations of staff going without pay and pharmacy closures. All Jhoots pharmacies are owned by either Manjit Jhooty or his brother Sarbjit Jhooty. Mr Jhooty has maintained that only his brother’s branches are having difficulties, stating his branches remain unaffected. Last month Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood returned a £2.5k donation to Manjit Jhooty, saying she was "deeply concerned about the revelations relating to Jhoots pharmacy". Councillor Smith at the meeting on Monday questioned what the government criteria for an ‘independent’ chair of a towns board is, given the fact that Manjit Jhooty donated to the Labour cabinet minister. Councillor Smith also queried whether someone who is "very busy running a huge business and preoccupied with several directorships of different private companies" has time to chair any decision making board. In response to the councillor’s remarks, Manjit Jhooty said: “There is no legal, financial, or governance connection between my companies and those operated by Sarbjit Jhooty. We are independent businesses and share only the Jhoots Pharmacy brand name. “The pharmacies that my businesses operate are all fully solvent, functional and continue to provide important services and professional support to their local communities and that is not going to change.” On the future Blakenall South board, Councillor Smith called on members at full council to support the motion of it being community-led, with those living and working in the footprint area having the final say. He said the board should be of a similar set-up to the council, where councillors with no specific expertise have decision-making powers, with experts and officers on hand to advise and support. Councillor Smith also called for there to be ‘genuine transparency’ with meetings held in public and documents regarding all decisions and contracts published online. He said: “We need to trust the people to own the project and do the right thing. Such a model could maximise the engagement of local folk, it will bring about local community self responsibility, they’ll see the fruits of their own efforts and own involvement and decision-making. “Hopefully they’ll have reason to be proud of their local community and proud of the system once more that enables them. That is why it’s in our interest to create models that allow this to take place.” Councillor Mike Bird, leader of Walsall Council, said: “We don’t have any hesitation on saying yes but we have to work within the parameters that have been laid down within the government direction.” Councillor Emma Morgan, ward councillor for Blakenall, said: “It is absolutely imperative that the money is spent according to the wishes of the residents and local businesses in Blakenall. I also agree that an independent chair is absolutely essential because we do not want any outside influence on how this money is spent.” Councillor Aftab Nawaz, leader of the independent group, said: “£20m for places like Blakenall is a lifeline. It’s a traditional white working class community that has suffered from various forms of neglect from government and council. Therefore this money will be crucial. We should be able to trust our communities.”
