AMEY HIGHWAYS DELAY RESURFACING PART OF THORNBRIDGE AVENUE.

Like a number of residents living in Thornbridge Avenue or commuting along it, I am very disappointed that Amey Highways no longer intend to carry out resurfacing work along the whole carriage way in that Road.
Having informed me in writing m in November ( and I am glad I kept a copy) the Road was to to be done this summer they have now, following requests from the 3 Oscott Councillors to get this work done, told us they intend to do the work during the next financial year. This is clearly not good enough and I have informed them that is the case and will taking the matter up with the relevant Cabinet member.

The 3 Oscott Councillors, are now urgently pressing Amey Highways to think again and to for fill their commitments.

All Amey intend to do at the moment a a single stretch of the carriage way.



With this in mind My Colleague Councillor Tristan Chatfield is currently  petitioning residents about the issue and will make Amey Highways fully aware of the feeling of residents and commuters in regards to this matter.

This situation is simply not good enough.

DOG FOULING IN OSCOTT IS STILL A PROBLEM

Dog fouling has been a problem though out the summer holidays.
 A small minority of dog owners will just not bag their dogs mess and bin it.
The vast majority of to days dog owner do their duty and take care of their dogs and the mess they make but sadly a few give dog owners a bad name.

There is no excuse really bags can be obtained cheaply in pound stores and so on and I have managed to get a number of new litter bins for the Oscott area. (I am still trying to get more). There are plenty of warning stickers on lampposts and so on.

Clearly the worst offenders are those who let their dogs foul where children play near schools and playing fields  for example. Many parents complain quite rightly about how unpleasant it is to have to clean dog mess off their children's shoes and they should not have to do so.

 I again ask dog owners to bag and bin their dogs mess and I will continue to try and get the city's Dog Wardens to patrol the Oscott area as much as possible.

There is a substantial fine for those caught letting their dogs foul and not pick it up but I would rather see common sense prevail and all dog owners bag and bin or just take home  their dogs mess.

YOUNG PEOPLES INFORMATION ABOUT BUS SERVICES NOW AT THE 610 COMMUNITY CENTRE

I have created a young persons bus information corner at the 610 Community Centre.
With the help of Centro I have created a section on the 610's notice board where I have placed various information for young people , such as leaflets about student and school children's school  term passes. There are also leaflets with information about Smart card and Swift cards.
I hope to be adding more information as time goes by.

DAY CENTRE FOR THE ELDERLY AT SAINT MARKS CHURCH

 The Saint Marks May Centre Bandywood Crescent B44 9JX is open Monday to Wednesday in the week.

Transport can be provided and there is a hot meal available.
There is a small fee to attend and different activities are available for elderly residents.

For further details and to find out about availability to attend  please ring 360 4298

GAILEY CROFT STREET LIGHTING UPGRADE

Following my various correspondence with Amey Highways who deal with street light upgrading, they have agreed that the Street lighting in Gailey Croft will be upgraded. The time scale will be 2015 / 2016.
Your 3 Local Oscott Councillors will do what we can to keep them to that time scale.

THE OSCOTT ELDERLY RESIDENTS GROUP IS STILL GOING FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH.

I enjoyed attending another of the Oscott Elderly Residents groups 3rd Wednesday in the month social get  together and for once won a prize on their raffle.

These meeting help get elderly residents out of their homes and to socialise. Events at these meetings can include out reach exercises classes, quizzes, trips, guests giving talks  and a general opportunity to get together over tea, coffee and biscuits for a good chin wag.
 There is also an opportunity to ask an Oscott Councillor questions.

Maureen Byrne the Chair of the group and her trusted aides do a great job organising these meetings.
To take part in the raffle costs £1.50 and refreshments are 40p.
The group meets at the 610 Community Centre at 11.15am. The room they use is wheel chair friendly.
For more details please ring 675 2349

MEETINGS WITH OSCOTT'S COMMUNITY GROUP LEADERS

It was clear from a meeting I had today with some of the Oscott  local Community leaders that there is great reluctance to see any major changes in the Oscott Wards boundaries.
However the Boundary commission for England are requiring ideas for change and many of the groups are giving consideration to possible changes and will informing the Boundary commission of them.
 If any Oscott residents would like to make suggestions to the various Oscott Groups in the area,  for them to consider regarding the Boundary review, please ring 6752349 for details.

It was also clear that the Group leaders want the Oscott Ward Advisory Board to continue and would like to continue to support it.

THORNBRIDGE AVENUE CARRIAGE WAY UPDATE

Despite clearly stating in a Email/ letter dated 4th November that they (Amey Highways) would be " resurfacing  the THORNBRIDGE AVENUE'" carriage way by the 4th of June, they have only just begun on the Perry Barr end of the road. Clearly this is not good enough and along with my Ward Colleagues I will be complaining to them about this in the strongest terms, regarding getting on with the road surfacing work they promised.

Amey Highways who were given a 25 year contract by the previous Council administration to upgrade our roads, need to get used to doing what they commit to.

BURFORD ROAD PLAYING FIELDS UPDATE

Following a number of discussions with various parties I can announce that the Kingstanding Road gates to the Burford Road Playing Field site is now expected to be  opened and closed for officially organised and paid for matches shortly.

I hope this will mean an end to the long running saga of these gates not been opened for the vehicles of those using the site. This has caused problems for local residents in Burford Road due to extra parking taking place there.

The Education department have agreed that the ground is now capable of supporting parked cars as was the previous case.
There are some further issues regarding the use of the site, to be resolved which are in hand and hopefully may be resolved during a meeting  I an trying to arrange next month between various parties.

Any organisers who would like to use the site are advised to contact the Education department for further information.

FRIENDS OF QUESLETT NATURE RESERVE 15th AUG ACTIVITY DAY CANCELLED

The FQNR Committee are sad to have to cancelled the FQNR activity session planed for tomorrow 15 AUG due to expected bad weather. We will try and reorganise for another date later in the year.

For information please email
  brendafoqnr@yahoo.

To find out what is happening in the reserve please continue to use this blog

( I am also on Twitter)

OSCOTT COMMUNITY LEADERS INVITED TO INFORMAL MEETING

If you run a community group/ organisation  in the Oscott area or are thinking of starting one up I am holding a getting to know you session at the 610 Community Centre on Wednesday19th of August.
This meeting will be an informal opportunity to discuss with me any issues of concern

The meeting will take prior to the Oscott Elder Residents group meeting at 10.45am

QUESLETT NATURE RESERVE ACTIVITY DAY SAT 15TH AUGUST

Reminder 
The Next Friends of Queslett Nature Reserve activity day will take place on the 15th of August (Sat) at 11.15am.
Please meet at the Ashworth Road entrance but do not park to close to residents drives.

There will be light pruning and litter picking taking place. 
A Park Ranger will be in attendance.
Please come prepared for the weather. (The meeting may be cancelled  in poor weather see below)
Children are welcome under the strict supervision of an appropriate adult.


The FQNR are a small group of volunteers who believe rather than talk at endless meeting about improving the local environment and wild life it is better to do things actively.
They also take an interest in other open spaces in Oscott and help out in mini litter picks around the ward. it also works closely with the Oscott Residents association.

For further details please email.
Keith.Linnecor@birmingham.gov.uk

Chair
 FQNR

MEET QUILL THE NEW FRIENDS OF QUESLETT NATURE RESERVE MASCOT QUILL

PLATINUM BUSES COME TO THE AREA RE 997 ROUTE

A the Councillor champion for the route I am like NX pleased to confirm that more Platinum services have now been launched, this time on service 997 between Walsall/ Aldridge and Birmingham. I have tried a number of other routes with this service and found it very good

NX  Premium bus services give you fast class travel with some great updates that you wouldn't fine on a normal bus including...

EXTRA LEG ROOM & COMFY SEATS with high backs, more padding and loads of extra space.

FREE WIFI so you can work or play on the move using super fast 4G.

Please note that Wi-Fi on NX Platinum buses has a personal daily download limit.

A FABULOUS DRIVING TEAM with some of the best trained in the industry. They will do their best to help make your journey as comfortable as possible.

SAFE & SOUND with crystal clear CCTV, bright LED interior lighting, improved sound proofing, suspension & tinted windows.

NEXT STOP audio & visual next stop announcements, helping you get off at the right stop.
A CUSTOMER CHARTER promising to deliver the best service possible to you. View and download the Platinum Customer Charter here.
GREENER BUSES with the latest engine technology minimising fuel usage and nasty carbon emissions.

The 51X has also gone platinum

NX be launching more new Platinum buses between Walsall and Birmingham soon on the 934, 935 and 936, keep checking their twitter account for the news of when these will be ready to launch


Note also see post dated 27th January

THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR DOG MESS IN THE QUESLETT NATURE RESERVE

Despite the introduction of more new litter bins in the Queslet Nature Reserve a small minority of dog owners are still not bagging and binning their dogs mess.

Sadly at this time of year when parents are taking their children to the Queslett Nature Reserve to play and enjoy the reserve,  dog mess is still to be found. 
Amazing and even more unpleasantly a few dog owners for some unknown reason are bagging up their dogs mess and attaching the bags to bushes and you can imagine the distress this can cause young children playing in the reserve.

I also would like to thank the vast majority of sensible dog owner who either bag their dogs mess up and take it home or use the litter bins in the reserve.

I would also appeal to all dog owners once again to bag it and bin it.


Chair FQNR
 

OSCOTT ELDERLY RESIDENTS TRIP TO THE ALBERT DOCKS LIVERPOOL WAS A REAL SUCCESS

I enjoyed a wonderful day helping out the Oscott Elderly Residents Group with their trip to the Albert DocKs Liverpool today.

This self help group meets at the 610 Community Centre where they have a good chat and light refreshments. They also like with the Liverpool Trip fund raise for special days out.

All this social interactivity  aims at getting older residents to socialise more and enjoy healthier life styles and get out of their own homes.

On to days trips residents saw the sites and enjoyed the freedom to roam in the complex.
There was a lot of interesting  things to learn about in local museums and many enjoyed a pleasant walk on the banks of the river Mersey.  Judging from the sing song on the way back enjoyed themselves.

Well done Chair Maureen Byrne for organising yet another successful trip.

For further details regarding this club please ring 675 2349

LITTER LOUTS NEED TO BE STOPPED IN OSCOTT

In Oscott residents are by and large proud to have clean streets sadly however there are some people who do not think before they throw litter on our streets.

Almost 5,000 litterbugs were given £80 fines after being caught by council enforcement officers in Birmingham last year, new figures have revealed - raising almost £400,000.


Oscott Councillors support the Birmingham City Council who are committed to dealing with environmental crime by the use of Fixed Penalty Notices. Authorised officers of the council issue Fixed Penalty Notices for a range of criminal offences.
A Fixed Penalty Notice is an 'on the spot' fine for committing offences such as:

• Littering
• Dog Fouling
• Businesses not having a waste removal contract
• Unauthorised distribution of literature i.e. flyers,leaflets

I have always made a point of trying to get missing litter bins replaced and new one put in various locations in Oscott and this has happened in several locations in Oscott recently. If you know of a missing litter bin please email me Keith.Linnecor@birmingham.go.uk.

I have also worked with the Hawthorn Traders Association to try and get traders to do more and the Environmental team have removed a number of un-authorised posters and so on.