Saturday 31 January 2009

ALDRIDGE ROAD / GREENHOLM ROAD JUNCTION UPDATE



Despite calls for urgent action to deal with road safety issues at the above junction from residents, Councillor Barbara Dring and myself,the Birmingham city Council have only come up with resurfacing, the above junctions carriage way with anti skid carriage way material. This is far to little, what residents want is real road safety measures at this junction.

STILL BATTLING AWAY FOR MORE LITTER BINS FOR OSCOTT


At a recent Housing Liaison Board members agreed with me that it would be a good thing to use some of the community involvement money they are given by the Council, to spend on helping the community, on more litter bins for the area.
Litter attracts anti social behavior as well as being bad for the environment.
I am now in the process of looking for potential sites for new litter bins with officers of the Council. If you have any views please let me know. Tel 360 6486

Friday 30 January 2009

ANOTHER ANTENNA ON THE WAY

At yesterdays Planning Committee I found myself in opposition to a number of my fellow Planning committee members (not that unusual)
The Planning committee with a few exceptions voted to allow a news aerial mast to be placed on the island opposite the Perry Common Library. It will be in the form of a "mock telegraph pole and cabinets.
While I am not against the installation of aerial antennas generally in this case the proximity to local schools and a library as well as the potential for the cabinets to attract anti social behavior made my mind up for me.

Thursday 29 January 2009

PUBLIC TOILET STILL NEEDED FOR HAWTHORN ROAD SHOPPING AREA


While I am on the subject of Hawthorn Road, nearly every time I shop there I am asked by shoppers, why the Council does not put a public Toilet some where in the area.?
As far as I am concerned the Council should install a Public toilet on the Hawthorn Road as soon as possible. Along with the Hawthorn Traders Association and the Oscott Elderly Residents Group I will continue to press the Council to install a WC somewhere in the vicinity of Hawthorn Road.

Wednesday 28 January 2009

WHAT IS HAPPENING TO THE HAWTHORN ROAD?


As part of my campaign to Save our Shops I have highlighted problems faced by traders and shoppers alike when it comes to the Hawthorn Road shopping Centre.
One of the constant complaints I get is how the current Council have let it fall into neglect over the last few years.This is particularly annoying when you remember the tidy up it had about 5 years ago, when new railing signs, and pavements were introduced as part of a improvement plan.
Now walking down hawthorn Road you see broken bollards. damaged pavement and safety railings. All these are being left longer and longer before they are repaired if at all. In these tough times shopping areas need to look attractive to potential traders who may want to rent shops. The Council needs to take action now.

TREES IN COURTENAY ROAD NEED PRUNING

I am still receiving complaints about the trees in Courtenay Road not being pruned.
As you can imagine I am in touch with the Council treeing to get them to take action and get these trees pruned. They have delayed long enough. To prune just a few at the top end of the road and leave the rest was ridiculous, but I suspect it was all to do with cost cutting.

Saturday 24 January 2009

ANOTHER POLICE ACTIVITY DAY IN OSCOTT





Today the Local Police have carried out another of their activity days. (Operation Garden Gate)
AS part of their activity days they carry out high visibility patrols at various hot spots meeting local resident. Along with the Police Councillors like myself ,officers from the Council and Local resident group leaders often attend to lend a hand.
The Police also have a Police caravan located at the Circle for residents to pop in and have a chat with them.
I do my best to attend as many of these activity days as it is important that the Police and the Council along with local residents communicate with each other.
Places visited today included the Aldridge Road Recreation Ground, ASDA Queslett,The Burford Playing Field and Hawthorn Road.

THE STATE OF OUR PAVEMENTS IS GETTING WORSE

I am receiving a number of complaints about the state of the pavements in Oscott at the moment. Atlantic Road is a typical example. Our pavements do seem to be deteriorating more then ever at the moment and the only real response the Councils Transportation department seems to have, is to mark them. I am contacting the Transportation department on a number of residents behalf already but if you contact me with a pavement problem I will do what I can to chase it up for you.
Please give me a ring on 360 6486

ITS TIME THEY THOUGHT AGAIN ABOUT THE STREET RUBBISH COLLECTION SYSTEM

This is the time of year when Wards are asked to put together lists of roads they would like to be considered for Special Street rubbish collections. (where rubbish is put out on the street for collection).
For some years we have had a system where some wards get to nominate up to 31 "rounds" for collection and other wards as few a seven rounds. Unfortunately for those with the small number of rounds, even the numbers of houses in those rounds has been dropped from 350 to 300.

I think it is now time for rate payers across the city to be treated fairly and all wards should be offered the same service. There will always be those wards where there may be more need for street collections because of the nature of the housing in that ward but this should be catered for by funding from other sources such as the Ward community chest for example.

In my view each ward should get at least 18 rounds which with carefully planning should mean a street collection every second year. (extras should be paid for from another source)

The only saving grace at the moment for those residents who do not get a regular street wide rubbish collection is the free Bulky Waste collection service which is excellent. However it is under threat every time the Council looks at it budget or so it seems. Should this collection service go , be reduced or made chargeable it would be a disgrace!

Friday 23 January 2009

THE MARY VALE COMMUNITY PROJECT MEANS MORE ACTIVITIES FOR THE LOCAL COMMUNITY




Today I spent an interesting morning at the MaryVale Community Centre Old Oscott Hill.
There I attended the Mary Vale project meeting where guests from the Lottery Fund. the Father Hudson Society and others, spoke about the project and its aims. Father David Oakley rounded off the morning session in his own entertaining way. It is really good to know how much this Centre has to offer the Local Community.
There were also a number of other agencies at the meeting such as the Police and the Fire Brigade.
The Mary Vale project caters for elderly residents , and the centre also has a youth club and School activities taking place amongst a number of other things. To find out more about the Mary Vale Centre, the project and so on ring 382 3590 and ask for Linda or Ann.

Thursday 22 January 2009

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO ANSWER A PETITION?


I am a great believer in residents putting pressure on the Council by way of petitions. This is the reason I am happy to present residents petitions, to the Council.
In theory it should mean that a Council department or other agency gets to know of residents concerns and looks into them. What is happening however in certain cases (those like me who are not in the Party in control on the Council) are having to wait longer and longer for a reply.
Those is charge of the Council need to realise, it is not only those Councillors in opposition and who are presenting petitions, who are getting frustrated with the delays, but those those residents who sign or compile names for petitions , in good faith.
I hope the Council will now get their acts together and petitions will FULLY be responded to more quickly in the future.

MIKE LEDDY WHERE ARE YOU?

When I was in the Perry Barr Ward the other day I was asked by a resident, "whats that nice Mr Leddy up to these days, he was our Councillor not long ago." Well Mike is a Councillor in Brandwood Ward now after winning a spectacular Bi election there.
To find out about what he is up to these days follow my link to his new blog.

THE AMAZING CASE OF THE MISSING LEAFLETS


Following a question from myself to officers at to days Perry Barr Constituency meeting concerning a Perry Barr Community leaflet which as far as I can ascertain no one has seen, a mystery seems to have developed.
Where is the a fore said leaflet, or should I say thousands of leaflets?. Apparently the Police have spent £8000 on a community leaflet in cooperation with the Birmingham City Council and the Fire brigade yet as I say no one I have spoken seems to have seen it. The leaflet is called the Perry Barr Community leaflet (dated November) and is full of useful information re various services but apart from a few dozen copies located in the Perry Barr Constituency Office they seem to have disappeared.
It would seem the Post Office have been given them to distribute but from there the trail has gone cold.
I have asked officers to investigate the missing leaflets and suggested the Post Offices lost and found department may be considered as a starting place? I will return to the subject if the fog lifts?

Wednesday 21 January 2009

MOOR LANE JUNCTION ACCIDENT BLACK SPOT.


At a Police Neighbourhood Tasking meeting today in was announced that the Moor Lane / College Road junction had had 6 accidents invoving vehicles where the Fire brigade had had to attend over the last 12 months.
Visibility for those exiting Moor Lane and speed seem to be 2 factors in consideration.
I am now calling on the Transportation department to take action. Knowing the dithing of this department however do not hold your breath.

SAFER TRAVEL ON BUSES

At a meeting of the Birmingham Transport Users Forum yesterday the Police Safer Travel Team reported violent crime on buses was down 6% over the last year. Crimes on buses in general were 14% lower than last year. They also reported there had been 99 bus crime related arrests last year and the Safer Travel Team had been on 144 special operations.
All this is a step in the right direction it is a shame good news does not get the coverage bad news does.

Monday 19 January 2009

ACTION ANNOUNCED AT LAST FOR DUNEDIN ROAD AND IN FOOTPATHS AND CARRIAGE WAY


After years of letters, site meeting, petitions and so on I am pleased to announce the Birmingham City Council, are to at last spend some money on the pavements and the concrete carriage way in Dunedin Road . £230000 in total. £150000 on pavements and £80000 on carriage way works. This has come about as part of a government funding initiative.
I am pleased,to see this is to be done, as I have always requested and they are to be carried out in a phased way.
The footway works will be carried out in the early part of next year and the carriage way works between. April and June next year. Some trees may have to be removed but should be replaced. There will also be another look at road safety issues.
Both Councillor Barbara Dring and I have been working along with Khalid Mahood MP , former Councillor John Cotton and others for some time on this issue and are pleased that there is now a significant step in the right direction.
I am sure with an announcement like this all sorts of claims will be made by all sorts of people but I hope residents will remember the efforts put in by all concerned.
I can also assure residents in Oscott who also have concrete carriage ways in their roads, I will not be letting the Transportation department forget them.

Friday 16 January 2009

A TRAFFIC BOTTLE NECK IN THE MAKING?


At yesterdays Birmingham City Council Planning Committee, a planning application for office units to be built on the Tambridge Industrial Park was agreed.
I have no problem with that planning application being allowed as redevelopment and new jobs are needed in the area. However I have had to put on record my concerns, that given the amount of new development near in the area in question, a new college, a hotel/ takeaway not to mention the football academy and the Wicks super store, I do feel there is a major traffic problem in the making.

It is my believe that planning application should be seen not as they are currently as individual applications but also as part of a wider scenario.
Any one using the Aldridge Road will no that there is a natural bottle neck near the Bores head due to the motor way bridge. There is also a ridiculous situation where for example any one using the near by Tambridge House is asked to consider parking at the Perry Barr Race track near half a mile away do to the terrible parking situation on the Tambrige industrial estate.

I have been assured that the traffic and parking situation on the Aldridge road will be monitored but I still feel in five or ten years there will be major problems and that the Transportation department in particular should be doing more to address possible problems in this area, with the future in mind.

Thursday 15 January 2009

DITHERING TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT


We have got used to long waiting times to get things done by the Transportation department (that if you can get them to do anything in the first place?) but to take over a year to replace a Keep Clear carriage way marking at the junction of Aldridge Road and Shady Lane, is some achievement. It still has not been done at the time of writing.
What is typical is they put down this road marking then come along and re surface the road (which was not as bad as many others in the area) and then forget to replace the carriage way marking.
They can not even claim to have forgotten it as I have reminded them on may occasions and know doubt I will have to continue to do so. I suspect this is just another of those hidden cutts which are taking place?

Tuesday 13 January 2009

MOOR LANE RESIDENTS DEMAND ROAD SAFETY MEASURES.

Today I shall be presenting a petiton of behalf of Residents in Moor Lane calling on the Council to intoduce road safety measures to Moodr Lane.
Over the years wing mirrors have been ripped of parked cars by speeding traffic, also fencing has been damaged. Residents have had enough of taking their lives in their hands and want the Council to do something to slow the traffic down.

COUNCILLOR DRING LEADS CAMPAIGN FOR SAFER PARKING AT KINGSLAND SCHOOL

Councillor Barbara Dring and I have both been very concerned at the lack of thought that as gone in the parking issues at Kingsland School. Since its rebuild the main entrance of this school has been Bandywood Crescent yet the parking arrangements there are very poor. Parents are driving onto the near by green and turning into a mud bath. There is also no safe road crossing point. Councillor Dring will now be leading a new campaign with my support to try and get something done.

GLENMEAD ROAD GETS SAFETY FENCING


Following a site meeting between Transportation Engineers, the Police and myself, The Councils Transportation department have finally erected safety railing on the pavement on the bend in Glenmead Road. This should ensure at least this section of pavement remains free of parked cars and thus safe for children to walk on.

Monday 12 January 2009

n bus ALL BUSES ALL DAY TICKETS LAUNCHED TODAY

Today sees the launch of n, bus All day bus tickets. This new style all day ticket for use of any bus in the area (costing £3.60) can be purchased from shops showing the Pay Point symbol

ITS NOT ALL SMILING FACES FOR BUS USERS

I attended a meeting of the Westmidland Passenger Transport Authority today and was pleased to see a new format in the paper work showed happy face icons. This was to indicate the many successes announced within that report.
I had to comment however on January 2nd when using the bus I did not witness many smiling faces. Far from it paying passengers had just realised they had been ripped off by the bus companies, with 10% fare hikes in many cases.
It also a fact that may of those using the Birmingham Airport at unsocial times during the early morning will have seen no improvements to the bus service either.

Saturday 10 January 2009

ICE RINK SCHOOLS


I am battling away at the moment to try and persuade the Councils Transportation department to either grit roads near schools more effectively or to at least put more grit bins on roads near schools.
They do not seem to understand that in icy conditions roads near schools can because of the amount of cars using them. turn into an ice rink. Pavements near to schools also need more grit on them to prevent those also becoming sheets of ice.
Glenmead school) (Glenmead Road) is a typical example. It is near a tight bend, the carriage way is one of those badly maintained concrete ones and the whole area can turn into a sheet of ice.
This is clearly dangerous and needs sorting out.
I will continue to get our Transportation department to see sense.

Wednesday 7 January 2009

CABINET MEMBER FOR LEISURE SERVICES SHOWS SUPPORT FOR NATURE RESERVE


Following a lengthy discussion with the Cabinet member for Leisure Services, Councillor Ray Hassall today, I am delighted to inform you that he would not support the locating of a Skate Board park in the Queslett Nature Reserve. He was adamant that the Queslett Nature Reserve is just that a Reserve and totally concurs with the view that a Skate Board facility would be detrimental to the reserve.
Council Hassell who know the reserve well has shown that common sense rather than Politics still matter when it comes to the interest of the wild life those who use the Queslett Nature Reserve. Council Hassall also believes the Perry Barr option for a local skate Board is a good one given all the circumstances. It is now to be hoped any rumours that the reserve will have a skate board will be squashed.

ACCESS GATES NEED TO BE LOCKED


At a Oscott Police Tasking meeting today the Police agreed at my request to ask their Community Support Officers to check pad locks on rear access ways in the area.
Many of these locks are not secured to gates and can easily be lost. CSO Officers will use their contacts with those using these gates to try and persuade them to have their pad locks welded to the gates.
Security gates only work if they are locked correctly.

PLANNING DEPARTMENT SAY NO TO BURNHAM ROAD TAKEWAY


The Birmingham City Council Planning department have taken heed of Khalid Mahmood MP, Councillor Barbara Dring and myself along with local residents and have rejected a proposed Take away for Burnham Road. They have clearly recognised the proposed location was inappropriate.

I would like to thank all those residents who contacted me and signed the petitions I handed in on their behalf. I will also continue to monitor the situation in case any further proposals are made.

Friday 2 January 2009

HAPPY NEW YEAR - THESE ARE MY COUNCILLOR SURGERY DETAILS 2009




I would just like to wish everyone a Happy New Year.

I would also like to remind Oscott residents that I hold a regular surgery on most Saturday Mornings at the 610 Community Centre at 10.30.
If you would like to contact me by phone my Number is 360 6486 or 303 2039 (you can leave a message on either)

( Please note however I will not be at the 610 this Saturday Jan 3rd) as it is shut)

Councillor Barbara Dring also has surgeries on the 1st Wednesday of the Months at the 610 Community Centre 7pm.
Or the first Thursday in the month at the Kingstanding Library at 3pm.
Councillor Dring can be contacted on 360 7565

(We may rotate these surgeries)

Home visits are available for those with genuine mobility difficulties.

Khalid Mahmood MP for Perry Barr holds his surgery in Oscott on the first Saturday of each month. They take place at the 610 Community Centre at 10.30am. His office No is 356 8264