OSCOTT ELDERLY RESIDENT GROUP TEA AND BISCUIT SESSION

I try to pop in and see the OERG when I get the chance.

The next meeting of the Oscott Elderly Residents Tea and biscuit meeting will be on February 10th at 11.15 am. The venue will be the 610 Community Centre, Kingstanding Road . Free tea and biscuits will be available and there will be an opportunity to have a friendly chat with other local residents.Why not go along and there is also an oppotunity to find out more about the OERG. All Oscott elderly residents are welcome.


For further details please contact Maureen Byrne 681 1826

A SIGN OF THE TIMES IN QUESLETT NATURE RESERVE

The Friends of the Queslett nature Reserve have at last recieved new information signs for the reserve from the Birmingham City Council. The FQNR which is a voluntary group paid for 2 signs to be made for the reserves and for them to be erected at the Old Horns entrance and the Ashworth Road entrance.
The new signs inform those who use the reserve a little of the history of the area, about the wild life in the reserve and about the FQNR themselves.
If you want to know more about the FQNR ( which now incorporates the Aldridge Road recreation ground) and would like to help improve the environment for the wild life in them please ring 360 6486 for information

SANDWELL COUNCIL TAKING A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION ON QUESLETT ROAD

At long last Sandwell Council have agreed there is a problem on the Queslett Road. Following months of pressure being applied by local resident, the Great Barr Observer and my self (other Councillors have now joined in as well as has Khalid Mahmood MP) the Sandwell Transportation department are to recommend speed indicators be placed on the Sandwell side of the Queslett Road near the approach to the M6 motorway bridge and the Nova Court junction.
There are also proposals to resurface part of the Queslett Road carriage way at this location to improve the grip on the road there for vehicles.
This is certainly a step in the right direction however I am still leading the campaign to have the Nova Court junction improved along with my colleague Councillor Barbara Dring.

RUGBY ON THE UP IN BRUM

As a member of the Planning Committee I was pleased to be able to vote in favour of a new 5,000 seat stand for the Moseley Rugby Club. The clubs new stand which incorporates a new Barr, changing rooms, offices, toilets and medical rooms will help put Moseley Rugby club into the big time.
There is also accommodation for 30 disabled car spaced and 30 Buddy spaces for the car park The ground capacity will now be 7,500 and will also include hospitality rooms. Moseley Rugby club does a lot for the community and to promote Rugby and with this new stand this will even more the case.

RESURFACING CARRIAGE WAYS GOES AHEAD

I was pleased to see that after long last the carriage ways in Wideacre Drive and Crestwood Drive have been replaced. Councillor Barbara Dring have been helping residents in these roads for some time to try and get the Transportation department to get these carriage ways repairs done. (Barbara and I have also managed to get the Council to resurface a number of other small groves in the area.)
It just shows you where there is a will. Lets hope they replace a lot more carriage ways in the area they have let go to rack and ruin.

BLACK BAGS STILL NOT COLLECTED IN SOME AREA'S

It would appear that despite assurances by the Council Salvage department that much of the backlog in collecting blag bags (AND RECYCLING BOXES) would be sorted out over the weekend, a number of roads are into their 3rd week without a collection in the Oscott area.
I know the crews and management are doing what they can to resolve the problem but it is frustrating for local residents.
The senior Council chiefs seems to be struggling with the bad weather we have had this year and seem not to have made much in the way of contingency planning. Lets hope they learn the lesson for the future that it will snow during the winter sometimes.

TREES BEING REMOVED FROM THE OLD SAINT MARGARETS SITE

I have been contacted by residents who are concerned about the tree felling taking place in Holly Wood (off the Queslett road) and part of the old St Margaret's site.
I have now been in touch with the Landscape artist looking after the site on behalf of Bovis Homes. They have informed me as part of a woodland managements agreement with the Walsall Planning department. A number of self setting Sycamore trees are being removed.
These are being replaced by Native English Trees and this should help the long term welfare of the woodland.
Well over a thousand trees have been planted as replacements although these for the main part are whips which are small and not easy to notice for some time. They are similar to a number that have been planted in the Queslett Nature Reserve.
I have had this confirmed by the Walsall Council Tree planning officer I have also asked however asked that the situation be monitored and care be taken with other plants in the woodland.

MISSED BLAG BAGS SHOULD BE COLLECTED SOON.

Following a number of complaints the Salvage department Management have assured me the majority if not all of the back lock of blags bags not collected in the Oscott Ward over the last couple of weeks due to the weather. should be cleared on Saturday 16th.

IF YOUR BAG IS NOT TAKEN AWAY OVER THE WEEKEND PLEASE CONTACT ME.

THE ELDERLY NEED HELP TO GET OUT. WHEN IT SNOWS

During times when there is heavy snow on the ground elderly residents have a lot of problems getting about. Many living in elderly complexes feel trapped for example. With this in mind I have requested that the Council liaise with the Community Service Team to try and get paths around elderly complexes in the Oscott area cleared of snow in the future.

THE NEXT OSCOTT WARD COMMITTEE IS ON THE 27TH JANUARY

Oscott Ward Committees are formal Council Committee meeting where the 3 Oscott Ward Councillors meeting to hear about or discuss issues of relevance to the Oscott Ward or to hear presentations from Council officers.
Members of the public are invited at the discretion of the Chair (in this case Councillor Barba Dring) to make comments and ask questions. There is also an opportunity for members of the public to raise issues of urgent concern.
THE MEETING TAKES PLACE AT 7pm AT THE 610 COMMUNITY CENTRE KINGSTANDING ROAD.

If you would like to know more please contact me.

KEEP CLEAR OF THE QUESLETT NATURE RESERVE LAKE

Hardly a day goes past at the moment where we are not told about someone falling through the ice on some lake or other.
Both Brenda Wilson the the Friends of the Queslett Nature Reserve and I have seen foot prints on the ice on the lake and given the location of the lake and the fact that many safety rings have gone missing going onto the lake is very dangerous. If you fell in it would be very difficult for anyone to try and help you.
With that in mind I would remind you please keep off the ice on the lake in the Queslett Nature Reserve and also, please keep your dogs away from the frozen lake.

PAVEMENT WORK STARTS IN DUNEDIN ROAD

I was pleased to see that work has started on replacing the pavement in Dunedin Road despite the snow and ice. I think the contractors should be applauded for getting on with the job. However I suspect if the work had been delayed the Council might have had second thoughts about doing it.
All three Oscott Councillors have worked hard to ensure the Council carry out this work and lets just hope once they have finished they will do the carriage way like they promised. You may be assured both Councillor Barbara Dring and I will be on their case until they do.

RESIDENTS CARE ABOUT ROAD SAFETY

I was more than pleasantly surprised when several residents braved the cold and snow to come along to my Councillors surgery today to discuss various road safety issues in the Oscott ward. Considering I only asked residents via this blog if they wanted to discuss road safety issues with me, on Thursday, as I say I was really surprised any body turned up at all.
It does go to show there really are people who care about things in their community.

PLANNING FOR THE CITY

Contrary to the views of some there is more to being a local Councillor than “swanning round looking at pot holes”. Councillors apart from doing their best to look after local residents, have city wide responsibilities.
For example I am on the Planning Committee which is regarded by many as one of the busiest committees on the Council. The Planning Committee is also now one of the few where Councillors can actually make decisions (after looking into a welter of legal implications), rather than just make recommendations. Decisions made by members of the Planning committee are independent although of course as the major group on the Council the Conservatives often have the leading say.
Some of the planning applications up before the Committee last year for example included.

The proposed new Central Library.
The hugely expensive TV screen in Victoria square
The Olympic sizes Swimming Pool in Ladywood where it will be impossible to park and may not be to the Olympic standards for swimming?
On a brighter note
The new Sutton Coldfield college campus on the Aldridge Road.
The Perry Barr Speed way application was agreed.
The Gate way project (New street station)
The Queen Elizabeth Hospital site
New buildings for Good hope Hospital
And last but not least on this brief list, the new Car Auction site on the college Road which should create over 200 jobs for people in this area.

One of the things I am continually reminding my colleagues on the committee about is the effects on our Flora and fauna / wildlife, of all these planning applications and I hope in some small way my efforts are helping to make a difference.

There was many other application which went before the committee and if you would like more information about them please let me know

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE SAFETY OF OUR ROADS IN OSCOTT

I have had a few people who appear to be genuinely interested in the problems in the area regarding road safety and have contacted me on this blog about the issue recently.
With this in mind I have asked them to come along to my surgery on Saturday at the 610 Community Centre (10.30am) If you have any thoughts on the issue of road safety in the area please pop along the more the merrier.
Although I am not able to resolve all the issues I hear about I am more than willing to hear the views of residents at my surgeries.
If you can not make it to a surgery why not drop me a line?
C/o the Birmingham City Council
Council House
B1 1BR
and if you give me your name and address I will get back to you.

BE CAREFULL IF YOU CLEAR SNOW.

When we have a fall of snow like the one we have just had many people naturally like to go out and clear the pavement out side their home.
Although doing this is ok in theory always be aware if some one slips as a result they may blame you?
Also please do not be tempted to shovel the snow into the road as it may help prevent that road from becoming clear of snow and it could become very icy.
One last thing, if you do decide to clear snow whether it be from the pavement or your own paths please do not over do it and make your self ill. If you are up to it however why not ask an elderly neighbour if they need help?

ANOTHER ACCIDENT ON THE QUESLETT ROAD

Sadly there has been yet another accident on the Queslett Road. This time it was on Sunday.
Once again a driver has been injured and a car damaged. The accident happened on the stretch of road opposite Nova Court (between Nova Court and the St Margaret's junction.
The Police had to close the road and once more vehicles including buses had to be diverted down the dangerously pot holed Booths Lane.
It appears the Birmingham and Sandwell Councils are refusing to learn any lessons and at some point in the future may have to do a lot of soul searching if a very serious accident happens on the stretch of the Queslett Road. It would be better if they did this soul searching and put in some road safety measures before the accident they know will happen.

TRYING TO IMPROVE THINGS IN OSCOTT

I would like to thank those who have sent me Christmas Cards and New Year wishes.
I hope Oscott Residents and others have a successful 2010.

I will try and do what I can during the year (without making any false promises) to improve things for the residents of Oscott.
For example will continue to campaign for better road safety measures particularly speed indicators, signs and improved junctions and pavements.
Other issues I will try and address for local residents will be, trying to get out empty council Houses back in use, pushing for more jobs in the area, looking after the environment and insuring a fairer deal for the elderly and vulnerable.
I will also do what I can to try and get Councillor Barbara Dring re-elected as Councillor for Oscott as she has worked so hard for the community over the years.