HELPING GET TO GRIPS WITH POST STORM DEBRIS

Have been out and about today meeting local residents and the Road cleaning crews who came along to get rid of the bulk of street litter and tree debris from Harleston Road.

 I was pleased to meet up with them following a number of requests for their assistance I have made since last week, following the storm, when I recieved a number of compaints from various residents.

 Had a nice reception apart from one resident who abused a local volunteer who had come along to help. Still sadly this is a sign of the times these days. I took on a number of cases which I will try to deal with on behalf other residents on my walk about in the area.

 Councillor Barbara Dring and I will be requesting the roads get another street cleaning as they are looking a real mess in some cases following the recent storm

OUR ROADS IN OSCOTT WILL TAKE SOME TIDYING UP AFTER THE RECENT STORM

The recent high winds have left a lot of litter and tree debris on many roads in Oscott and as a result your local Labour Team have been notifying the Street Cleaning department. I would expect they will have a busy week or so cleaning up across the ward. (There will be a massive area to deal with following such a nasty storm.

We cannot be in every road, although I will be out and about again tomorrow, so if you have a problem let us know and we will try and get the street cleaning department to deal with the issue as soon as possible.

Many thanks to those who have already and your understanding and patience.

Mind you it has to be said if the trees were pruned more heavily like I request Amey to do on behalf of many residents there would not be so many branches on the road. I will continue to make these request for better tree pruning.

I have also requested our MP to have a go at the Government calling for funds to help with local storm damage. They need to reduce their funding cuts to help the Birmingham City Council  deal with the results of the storm.

It is a major relief the trees were not in full leaf when this storm hit.

SUPPORT THE YMCA SLEEP OVER MARCH 31ST

 

The Sutton Coldfield YMCA 'Sleep Easy'

Friday 31^st March 2017

 

 

Any one who can take part or help please take note

 

 

The YMCA Sleep Easy is a National fundraising event, intended to raise awareness of the issue of youth homelessness whilst raising vital funds to support individual YMCA’s work with young people in many different ways.

 

A Sleep Easy event is a sponsored sleep out in the open on one of the coldest nights of the year where participants have only a cardboard box for protection (and a sleeping bag for warmth if they’ve brought one!) It’s meant to be challenging but fun, as participants take the chance to support their local YMCA.

 

Following the fun and huge success of our Sleep Easy event in March 2015 and 2016, YMCA Sutton Coldfield will be undertaking the challenge again this year to raise vital funds to continue the important work our organisation is delivering. We are looking for individuals, families, businesses and schools to support us in this event, either by sponsoring a box, or by participating themselves. We are hoping to have over 100 participants this year, and we would love you to be part of the fun!

Hot food and drinks will be provided during the evening and there will be plenty of activities and games to keep you warm. We will even provide the cardboard boxes!

 

The Sutton Coldfield YMCA Sleep Easy will be taking place, on:

 

Friday 31^st March 2017 from 7pm to 6am the next morning At Gracechurch Shopping Centre, Sutton Coldfield

 

Please consider participating or sponsoring us! If you have any questions or need any more information, don’t hesitate to contact me on 0121 354 5614. You can also find more information at http://www.events.ymca.org.uk/sleepeasy.

 

Thank you,

 

Kirsty Burden

YMCA Sutton Coldfield

 

Registered charity number: 100875

CORBRIDGE AVENUE TREES STILL DUE TO BE PRUNED IN THE SPRING

It is a good job for many Oscott residents that the overgrown street trees in many of our roads are not in full leaf during Storm Doris otherwise there could have been a lot of damage. Will keep on at Amey to get their tree survey done and to get more trees in roads pruned


I am please to say that my efforts ( with the help of Councillor Barbara Dring) on  of behalf of Corbridge Avenue  residents ( as I reported to them last  year and earlier this year) to get Amey to prune trees in Corbridge Avenue are still on track and the trees should be pruned in the spring. I will keep a watching brief.

My campaign to get trees in Oscott Pruned more goes on and will do.

Please feel Free to join in my campaign if you are an Oscott resident and let me know of any concerns.

ALDI OLD HORNS PLANNING APPLICATIONS IS TURNED DOWN

ALDI OLD HORNS UPDATE

Sadly I could not speak at the Planning Committee due to my views already expressed re the Aldi Old Horns application. Also as the Founder and Chair of the Friends of the Queslett Nature Reserve it could be considered I had an interest.

  Those local residents Bob and Brenda who were allowed to speak did very well expressing the views of a number of other local residents.
...

It was good to see fellow Oscott CLLR and local resident, Barbara Dring also took the time to come along to show support. Oscott residents views were well considered.

 It was also pleasing to hear of Walsall's objections to this application.

Hamish Latchem, regional property director for Aldi UK, said that a new supermarket on Old Horns Crescent would bring  less "necessary overtrading in Great Barr, Kingstanding and New Oscott".
"Thirty full-time jobs would be created," he added  .

The application was turned down due to concerns about traffic congestion, and wildlife and tree loss. It was recognized new jobs may have been created but also jobs in other small local shops may have been lost. The decision was made by Councillors representing all the Political parties on the Council. It appeared to me to be a very fair hearing but a decision had to be made.

Out of 273 names on the petitions against the proposal 260 were raised by the Friends of the Queslett Nature Reserve and the Oscott Elderly Resident Group, both of which are local groups, so well done to them.

 I do however hope ALDI will now look for and find another more suitable site for their store, they are a large company who should note the feelings of the local community.

KEEPING AN EYE ON SPEEDING IN OSCOTT

It was good to see the Perry Barr /Oscott Community Speed Watch out and about in Oscott recently (on the Queslett Road)  which is just one of a number of Oscott roads with speeding issues which I have been raising with the Police at their Neighbourhood Tasking meetings.

I have been assured others are in the pipe line to be looked at. ( I wont say where!!)

 I would also like to thank the scores of residents  who raise the issue of speeding with me and can assure you they are all raised with the Local Police team one way or another.

If you have concerns about speeding in the Oscott area or if you would like to join the Oscott Community Speed Watch Please email me Keith.Linnecor@Birmingham.gov.uk.

OSCOTT POLLING STATIONS ARE UNDER REVIEW

As you may be aware, the recent Governments Local Government Boundary Review has resulted in the creation of 69 wards in Birmingham and the move to all out elections from 2018. (in place of the previous 40. )This is due to their requirement for the reduction in numbers of local Councillors despite an increase in the population of Birmingham?  

In order to move towards these new arrangements, they  are now undertaking a full review of Polling Districts and Places in order to ensure that polling stations are located in the most suitable place within the new wards 

All of the  documents needed to understand the new changes will be available online, but in addition to the above, there are 69 ward maps showing the proposed polling district boundaries and a list of streets per polling district, 

Where you vote may change.

 

They are asking for residents opinions however given their past record although you should inform them of your opinion don't be disappointed at their final response or if your views are ignored.  

Here is a link to the documents held online – 

https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/info/20097/elections_and_voting/1054/local_government_boundary_review

 

CHECKING OUT THE GRIT BINS IN OSCOTT

With snow expected I have been out and about again checking grit bins have been topped up.
If the one by you is low on grit and snow let me know and I will chase up getting it topped up.

Please remember grit is only meant foe the public high way.

IF YOU WANT TO BE ON THE BCC SOCIAL HOUSING LIST MAKE SURE YOU ARE REGISTERED

If you are on the Birmingham City Councils application for new social Housing list (including requests for Transfer) you will need to be re registered, if you have not done so recently. There is a April dead line so you need to do it soon otherwise you will be off the list.

This is due to changes to how lists are dealt with to ensure requests are dealt with in an open and transparent way. It is the law.

To find out more Email allocationscheme@Birmingham.gov.uk

Make sure you are registered. DO NOT LEAVE IT TO CHANCE

ALDI OLD HORNS PLANNING APPLICATION RECOMMENDED FOR REFUSAL

The Planning officers for Birmingham City Council are recommending the latest Planning application from ALDI  regarding the land at the corner of Old Horns be refused.

They have decided the current application does not meet their requirement's and there are to many issues that still need addressing.

They have listened to arguments from all sides and read letters from residents.
 They have also taken into account the petitions organized by the Friends of the Queslett Nature Reserve and the Oscott Elderly Group which I presented on their behalf, as both of these group have been very active seeking residents opinions.

. Councillor Barbara Dring, Councillor Chatfield and Khalid Mahmood MP for Perry Barr, have also made strong representations on this issue and like myself have been carefully listening to residents views rather than jumping on the issue late in the day.

I would also like to thank ALL those residents who have taken the time to contact me on this issue.

Aldi still have a right of appeal if the Planning committee accept Planning officers recommendations to refuse their plans and being a large powerful company they may well succeed.

Given the amount of time and effort I have put in listening to a number of views from many residents on the subject,  I feel I  should not take part in the Planning committees deliberations as it may be felt to be unfair.

OSCOTT LIBRARIES STAYING OPEN

It was a great shame to see the Pheasey Library (Walsall) is to close.

Thankfully although there may be a small reduction in the opening hours in Oscott it looks very likely both of our Libraries in Oscott will despite the awful cuts being made to the Birmingham City Councils funding from the Government will stay open

Along with my 2 Ward Colleagues Councillors Barbara Dring and Councillor Tristan Chatfield I have been fighting for our libraries Kingstanding and Perry Common ( and Tower Hill).

We care about our libraries for example a new roof  and refurbishment of the Perry Common Library and an upgrade to the children's section of the Kingstanding library have took place

 over recent years.

We are also in talks behind the scenes about the libraries in Oscott to try and make their future even safer. We hope in the long term to have our libraries extend their hours again?

One of the best ways to safe guard libraries rather than just sign a petition is to use them and increase the figures of those who use libraries. Residents who like me live in Oscott like our libraries so despite the sometimes odd opening hours please try and use them

A NEW FACE AT THE OSCOTT NEIGHBOURHOOD POLICE TASKING GROUP MEETING

SOME OF THE OSCOTT NPTG MEMBERS MEETING THE NEW SERGENT GARY BLACKMAN

It was good to welcome the Oscott Police Teams new sergeant Gary Blackman to the Oscott Neighbourhood  Police Tasking meeting.

He is fast getting to know the area and is very helpful
Amongst items discussed at todays meeting were local burglaries (Make sure you lock all doors and windows including sheds and garages). Speeding and parking problems.

If you represent a local Oscott group of some sort and would like to attend the Oscott NPTG meeting please contact Sergent Blackman care of the Kingstanding Police Station. or email me
Keith.Linnecor@Birmingham.gov.uk