DATE OF THE NEXT OSCOTT MEETING ABOUT TREES ANNOUNCED

The date for the next public meeting in Oscott concerning trees, the way they are pruned and the need for a sensible, large tree, replacement program will be the 15th of October at 7.30 pm at the 610 Community Centre Kingstanding Road.
I would encourage anyone in Oscott with concerns about trees to try and get to this meeting to have their say. My campaign to get better tree pruning and a phased replacement of over grown street trees, although it wont be easy goes on. 
Council Officers and Amey Highways officer have been asked to attend.

ENTRIES CLEANED UP ON THE BANDYWOOD ESTATE

The Oscott Labour Team Councillors, Councillor Barbara Dring Tristan Chatfield and myself have been working with the Housing department to get entries in the Bandywood Estate area tided up.

We have had some successes like the one in the picture above in Kilburn Road but there are still a number to sort out.

We are also requesting the Housing department to do more inspections and to warn residents who are blatantly dumping rubbish in their entries not to do so. (Rubbish will still be received FOC at the Holford Drive recycling waste centre just 5 minutes away.

If you live on the Bandywood Estate and have a entry that needs a clean up please email me on Keith.Linnecor@birmingham.gov.uk

WHY NOT HAVE A RAMBLE

I have been asked by an Oscott resident to let residents know about the following group BW BIRMINGHAM WALKERS AND RAMBLERS BY PUBLIC TRANSPORT.


This city wide group hold rambles 4 times a month on the 2nd,and 4th Wednesdays and Saturdays. The cover between 5 and 8 miles ( some times shorter routes including wild life walks. The often have pic nicks and the walks are usually circular. each walk has a leader and public transport is recommended re getting to the start point.

Examples of there itinerary are

Sat October 17th a wild life walk in Cannock Chase using new street station leader Brian contact no 472 5143

Sat 28th November Sandwell Valley Walk Leader Lyn contact no 551 6521.

The club is also considering using the Queslett Nature Reserve a venue for their walks?

FOR FURTHER DETAILS  PLEASE CONTACT RAMBLE CO- ORDINATOR HARRY EYLES 353 2442

MISSED COLLECTIONS NEED TO BE DEALT WITH.

There seems to have been a rise in missed household waste and recycling material in the Oscott area recently.
I am aware in some cases this was due to roads not being accessible due to road maintenance work and so on, but clearly missed collections are not acceptable. I am also aware how frustrating missed collections can be for some residents.

When I receive a complaint about a missed collection I do what I can to get the situation sorted out as quickly as possible and to the best of my knowledge the complaints I have dealt with have been sorted out.

As a rule of thumb if you bin is not collected on the correct day it is best to leave it out and on many occasions it is collected the next day (if other in the street have also been missed?)

If you are an Oscott resident and have no joy trying to get you bin collected after ringing the Council email me on Keith.Linnecor@birmingham.gov.uk or ring me on 303 2039 and I will do what I can to help.

QUESLETT LAND FILL SITE CAN BE DANGEROUS

The Queslett Closed land fill site (next to the ASDA Super store off Old Horns Crescent,) look to all the world like a peaceful green oasis in the ever developing urban North Birmingham.

The green wooded spaces and grass land which can be seen from distant heights can however be very miss leading. This site is potential dangerous for those who insist of trespassing onto it.
The land is highly contaminated with gases such as methane which have developed as a result of the burning off land fill household waste for many years.
A regular check is made on the level of gas by a very dedicated staff who work around the clock on the site. The site is criss crossed with underground pipes and vents which need monitoring.

Not only do these staff monitor the gas they also maintain the site creating important wind brakes in case of fire, but they also have to act as a deterrent to would be trespassers and vandals.

The site will not be opened to the public for decades due to the amount and type of gas found under ground with the site. This gas can be inflammable and highly toxic.

Sadly some are intent on getting into the site even using grinders to cut through the fences.These people need to know they are putting their lives and other in danger. I have asked the Police to be a vigilant as possible and would ask local residents and users of the near by reserve to inform the Police of anyone seen breaking into this site.
The message to all is keep out.

The neighbouring Queslett Nature reserve is safe to go on as only tiny traces of gas remain but the site is still checked regularly for safety reasons.

PATIENTS STILL WANT A NEW CROSSING ON SHADY LANE

Ever since the new Oakes Medical Centre was open for business there has been a call from patents for some form of crossing on the Shady lane to make it easier to get to.
This has been rejected by the Transportation department in the past but I have not given up trying on behalf of Oscott residents and I have demanded they re look at the situation.
I will keep you posted.

EARLY BIRD COUNCILLORS SURGERY 22nd. SEPT AT 9.30AM

I will be holding my next surgery tomorrow (22nd Sept) at the 610 Community Centre at 9.30am.
If you have an issue you would like me to look into please pop in.

If you are not able to come along please email your concerns Keith.Linnecor@birmingham.gov.uk

Clearly especially with all the cuts the Council are having to make as a result of the Central Governments cut backs in Local Government funding, I can not resolve all the issues I hear about , but I am willing to try and help if I can.

OSCOTT TREE CAMPAIGN UPDATE

2 further petitions from residents calling for better tree pruning and more FOR large trees to be replaced by smaller varieties, have now been presented by myself to the Birmingham City Council.
The petitions were from residents in Goodway Road, Harleston Road and Marshall Grove.

It is clear from my discussions with Oscott residents that no one is opposed to tree lined road but many of the trees in the Oscott area are just to old and large.

I am continuing

to call with a sensible program of replacement of large old trees with smaller more suitable varies which will grow steadily over the years.

Councillor Tristan Chatfield is now helping to organise a meeting in October (to be Chaired by Councillor Barbara Dring) where the powers that be will be available to discuss further the issues resident face with regards to over large trees.

RESIDENTS STILL WANT A CROSSING ON THE DYAS ROAD

The battle for a crossing on the Dyas Road near the Coop store goes on.
Despite rejections in the past along with local residents I am continuing to try and persuade the Transportation department that some form of crossing or a cross over platform is needed at this location.
A number of elderly and disabled residents as well as school children need to cross the Dyas Road at this point to get to bus stops and local shops.
The slow down signs are some help but I am currently working with local residents on another petition and will do what I can to be more successful this time road although clearly with all the cuts in funding faced by the Birmingham City Council this is not going to be easy.

If you would like to support this campaign please email me. Keith.Linnecor@birmingham.gov.uk

REQUEST FOR NEW BUS SHELTER IN SHADY LANE

On behalf of dozens of local residents and users of the Old Oak Medical Centre Shady Lane, I presented a petition to the Birmingham City Council yesterday, calling on Centro to think again and install a new bus shelter in Shady Lane.

The preferred location would be near the Winster Grove junction. There is not another shelter near by and patients using the new medical centre who use the 997 bus route have nowhere to shelter when waiting for a bus.

BURFORD ROAD UPDATE

Following a meeting organised by myself between various parties involved in the official use of the Burford Road playing field agreement to open the main Kingstanding Road gates has come about at last.

Other issues that have been sorted out were financial  arrangements the setting up of the pitches, the announcement that occasional  official spot checks are to be made of the site from time to time to see that the gates are being used properly and no un-authorised club organisations are using the site without payment.
Council officers have agreed to help look for further funding to allow better use of the site.

Lee Richards the current official user of the site will continue to use the site and monitor the Burford Road entrances to encourage parents to use the main entrance in Kingstanding Road to park their  cars.
He has also agreed to continue to litter pick the site after his clubs have used it and is happy to discuss with local residents any issues they have with his use of the site.

I feel that the good will shown all round at today meeting meant there has been a step forward and was pleased at the good will shown by those who attended the meeting on site.

The site will continue to be used by local residents and children will certainly continue to be encouraged to use the field for kick about's and other exercise.

PLEASE NOT ANY CLUBS WISHING TO USE THIS SITE NEED TO CONTACT THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT IN ORDER TO ARRANGE FOR PAYMENT FOR ITS USE.

Also dog walkers please take home your dogs mess

ELDERLY OSCOTT RESIDENTS MATTER

In this day and age when Councils face cut after cut in their funding from Central Government and when the push for change in Council structures seem to be so important to the powers that be, we should not forget the elderly.
The grand strategy  and the hunt for new policies on how Councils run things is all very well but at the end of the day it is people who matter.

That is why I do what I can to meet as many Oscott residents as I can to hear what concerns them.
Attending Council meetings may look good on the records but nothing compares with trying to help local residents.
The elderly in particular can be easily forgotten by some which I why I make it my business to call into elderly residents complexes, attend elderly residents group meetings and make Councillor visits to elderly residents own homes.

Policies are all well and good but it is the resident who matters.

OSCOTT'S PDSA CHARITY SHOP NEEDS VOLUNTEERS

The Oscott PDSA Charity shop  (Peoples Dispensary For Sick Animals) 228 Hawthorn Road need volunteers to help run the shop to raise funds for sick animals.
Volunteers are needed for a few hours a week to help man the shop. Duties included sorting out stock, pricing stock and serving the public.

The shop carry a range of second hand goods, books, cloths bric a brac and so on.

Donations are welcome.

For further details pop in the shop or ring 382 2556

Sick animals need our help.

UN COLLECTED DUST BINS AND RECYCLING BOXES IN OSCOTT

A number of residents have been in touch with me concerning their old recycling boxes and dustbins not being taken away as indicated on leaflets from the Council.
I have been informed that far more boxes and bins than were anticipated have been put out for removal and this means there will be a delay in their collection.
The advice now is leave them out (as not to present a hazard) and they will be collected ASAP and hopefully by Monday next week.

I HAVE ASKED THAT EVERY EFFORT IS MADE TO HAVE THE BOXES AND BINS COLLECTED SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.

CENTRO YOUTH FORUM

Adam as seen in the middle of this picture is one of a growing band of young people with an interest in Public Transport.

There will be a meeting of the Centro Youth Forum at the West Bromwich Bus Station ((no 5 route from Oscott) on Saturday 19th September. (10am to 1pm)
This group is for any young person with an interest in public transport who is aged from 12 to 24.

The morning will showcase a day in the life of  busy bus station. There will be behind the scenes and a chat with staff at this award winning garage. There will be a lunch and an opportunity to meet others with an interest in public transport.

If you would like to become a member of the Centro Youth Forum or for more details
Email youthforum@centro.org.uk or ring 0121 214 7614