BURFORD ROAD PLAYING FIELD RUMOURS ARE SQUASHED

I would like to thank those who have contacted me about the Burford Road Playing Fields.

I am pleased to be able to inform residents that any talk of  this field being sold and a Mosque being built on it is purely a rumour and no such thing is happening..

Your 3 Oscott Councillors are all doing our best to ensure this Field is kept as a playing Field and for residents to use
. As long as residents want to keep this field for recreational purposes we will continue to monitor the situation and problems regarding parking  and to do our best to keep this field as a recreational field.

There are no plays to the contrary.

TRYING TO PROTECT HEDGEHOGS IN OSCOTT

Ao many of us know a recent survey has indicated the decline in the numbers of the humble Hedgeog.

To try and combat this locally in Oscott along with the Friends of the Queslett Nature Reserve I am requesting the Planning department encourage developers to remember the hedge hog. They can for example ensure small gaps are left in fencing to allow Hedge Hogs to roam from garden to garden and they could even include Hedge Hogs Homes on the development sites.

I have also requested the Parks department to do what they can to help improve the lot of the Hedge Hoge. They to could help by leaving natural homes for hedge hog's in place fallen trees and so on.

Home owners can also do their bit by giving up a little space in their garden. hedgeHogs homes can be made or purchased as can hedge hogs feeding stations. Some additional food can be left out when using these feeders. Don't forget hedge Hogs need to roam so leave a small gap in your garden fence.

To know more about hedgehogs please try


Organisation: HOGFIELDS HEDGEHOG RESCUE


Address: 78 MORLAND ROAD GREAT BARR

Town/County: BIRMINGHAM WEST MIDLANDS

Postcode: B43 7JH

Phone: 0121 360 8035 0121 360 8035 / 07545979477

Email: janewingfield24@yahoo.co.uk

Website: http://www.hogfields.org.uk

ASHGROVE ROAD AND EAST MEWS DE CLUTTER DAY

There will be a Green and litter free de clutter skip day on Wednesday 2nd March 2016.
Skips will be located on the car park area's in Ashgrove Road and East mews (off Shady Lane) between 11am and 3pm.
This is a Community Safety initiative to help residents in these roads and near by get rid of their rubbish and help keep the area clean.

General household waste will be taken and Council officers will be on hand to help and advise.

There are things that cannot be taken and they include.
Fridges and freezers, batteries, paint, gas canisters, asbestos, light tubes, oil, tyres, clinical waste, bricks and rubble.

Along with my Ward Councillor colleagues I will be pressing for more of these de clutter sessions to take place across the Oscott ward.

The nearest Salvage department is Halford drive 5 minutes away by car on the Aldridge Road. For information regarding rubbish ring 682 2000 or 303 1112

PUBLIC TRANSPORT INFORMATION FOR YOUNG OSCOTT RESIDENTS.

Younger Oscott residents can pick up information regarding public transport from the Centro youth corner which I created in the 610 Community Centre.

I have had placed  information there for young people about student bus passes, ticket guides, Swift cards and about the Centro Youth Forum for example. The information leaflets get topped up by my self regularly.
If you do have an issue about public Transport in Oscott please email me.
Keith.Linnecor@birmingham.gov.uk.

THE MARY VALE ELDERLY GROUP ARE DOING WELL

It was great to pop into see the Mary Vale elderly residents group at the Mary Vale Community Centre again recently. There is always a warm welcome there.


The group volunteers do a great job helping to feed and entertain the group’s members and I know the elderly residents who attend enjoy their time there.

There are all sorts of activities which take place sings songs, chats and an enjoyable lunch. It certainly helps the elderly being able to socialise and get out of their own homes. I certainly get a lot of advice!! As well as case work from these residents.

FRIENDS OF QUESLETT NATURE RESERVE ACTIVITY SESSION 27TH FEBRUARY

The Friends of Queslett Nature Reserve will be holding an activity session on Saturday 27th February.
There will be litter picking and light pruning. We also hope to have a ranger with us who will be able to answer questions about the reserve and its wild life.

The meeting place will be the Ashworth Road entrance at 11.15 am.
Please come prepared for the weather, wear solid shoes or boots.
Children are welcome under the supervision of an adult.
If you come by park please do not obstruct local residents parking area's

The FQNR roll up their sleeves and get on with the work involved. IT TAKES ACTION AS WELL AS WORDS TO LOOK AFTER OUR OPEN SPACES

If there is any doubt about the weather or you would like to become a member of the FQNR

Please contact Brenda 0785576 7652

OSCOTT WARD MEETING TO TAKE PLACE 17TH MARCH

The next Oscott Ward meeting will take place on the 17th of March. The venue will be the 610 Community Centre and the time 7pm.

The meeting will be Chaired by Councillor Barbara Dring and Councillor Tristan Chatfield and I will be in attendance.

On the Agenda will be.

Oscott Policing issues.

Parking near schools

Tree issues.

There is also an opportunity for residents to ask about urgent issues in the ward.

If you cannot make this meeting you can always contact me regarding your concerns by either1

Leaving me a telephone message on 303 2039

emailing me   Keith.Linnecor@birmingham.gov.uk

Sending me a letter C/oThe Birmingham City Council, The Council House, Birmingham   B1 1B-

Please do not forget to leave me your full contact details along with your message.

THE BATTLE TO RE OPEN BOOTHS LANE GOES ON

The battle to get the Booths Lane re opened goes on.

Yesterday I attended a site meeting with members of the Booths Lane working party ( which includes local residents who are members of the Oscott Residents Association.) and a Transportation engineer from the Planning department.
Sadly there are still legal issues appertaining to the link between the Persimmons development and the Taylor Wimpey development..

It has to be remembered that however much we would like to re open Booths Lane these developers own the land and the road and negotiations with all parties is needed. This can be very frustrating but no amount of huffing and puffing and false promises can alter that fact.

There is to be a meeting between the developers and the Birmingham City Council Planning department shortly to try and move on the process.
It needs also to be remembered that for the first time in over 50 years when the road is complete it will go back into the hands of the Birmingham City Council who will be able to ensure this road is correctly maintained and there will be a link between the Queslett Road and Sandy Lane.

I would like to thank those who came out in the pouring rain to attend the site meeting.

MISSING OSCOTT LITTER BINS ARE BEING REPLACED

Over the last few weeks I  been putting pressure on the Council to replace missing litter bins and I am pleased to say a number have now been replaced.
These bins are needed as you can see by how full they often get. There are still more to be replaced and I will be pushing for them to be too.

If you are aware of any missing litter bins in Oscott  please let me know please ring 303 2039

OSCOTT'S GROT SQUAD IN ACTION AGAIN

The Friends of the Queslett Nature Reserve grot spot liitter picking squad were out and about today. In the Old Oscott School Lane area. We managed to fill a few bags with litter.
The team look at off road sites which gather litter.

If you would like to help keep the Oscott area free of litter and would like to join the team leave me your details on 303 2039

DOG FOULING IS STILL A PROBLEM IN OSCOTT

Sadly despite warnings and requests there is still a minority of dog owners who do not pick up their dogs mess. These do not realise the effects this mess can have on residents. Mothers having to clean the mess off their children's shoes or the house carpet, residents playing football on sports pitches with dog mess on them for example. There is of course deceases spread by contact with dog mess.
many of the pound shops in the area sell doggy bags so there is no real excuse these days for not picking up dog waste. There is a heft fine for those spotted by a dog warden not picking up their dogs mess.
It is a shame a fairly small number of dog owners can bring criticism to the majority of dog owners who do the right thing.
I am continuing to call on the Dog Warden Service to monitor the Oscott area as a deterrent against dog fouling. If you are awre of a problem please let me know. Email Keith.Linnecor@birmingham.gov.uk or leave a message on 303 2039

MY NEXT COUNCILLORS SURGERY WILL BE ON THE 23RD OF FEBRUARY

My next Councillors Surgery will take place at the 610 Community Centre Kingstanding Road.
It will take place on Tuesday 23rd February at 9.30am. All Oscott residents are welcome.

This centre is disabled friendly however I do home visits for those with genuine mobility problems.

Alternatively you can email me on Keith.Linnecor@birmingham.gov.uk or leave a message (don't forget your contact details) on 303 2019.

OSCOTT STREET LIGHTS

I am continuing to carry out my Street light patrols (on occasions with Oscott Neighbourhood Police Initiative representatives) and have reported a number of fualty street lamps.

I am always on the look out for street lights in Oscott that are faulty but can not spot them all. If you are aware of a fault street light please contact me. phone  303 2039 or Em Keith.Linnecor@birmingham.gov.uk.

Sadly some street light faults take longer to deal with than others but the sooner they are reported the better.

AMEY AGREE TO REMOVE AND REPLACE EXTRA STREET TREES

At yesterdays Oscott Ward Committee Chaired by Cllr Barbara Dring) Amey Highways announced they would be removing and at least 20 large street trees from streets in Oscott. The trees in  Oscott will be removed from streets where with the help of residents I collected names for petitions which  I then presented to the Birmingham City Council
Along with my Ward Councillor Colleagues I have made numerous requests to have trees removed and replaced.
I have called for many years for large trees which are overgrown and past their sell by dates to be removed and replaced in a phased and controlled way and now at last this is being done. There will be more trees removed and replaced over the coming years in order to thin out the trees in some roads in Oscott.
Some of the roads in Oscott which will have 2 or 3 extra trees removed will be. Birdbrook Road, Anstey Road, Harleston Road, Goodway Road.

A GOOD TURN OUT AT THE FIRST OSCOTT SCHOOL PARKING AND ROAD SAFETY MEETING

It was pleasing to see such a large turn out at the Oscott Schools Parking and Road Safety meeting yesterday. Most of the schools in Oscott sent a representative to discuss problems connected with parking nears schools and the associated road safety problems.

At this meeting which was very much an introductory meeting to air across the board concerns of those attending we  heard the concerns of not just the schools involved but also the Police and Fire brigade.
The Council sent officers to discuss new ideas concerning safer travel, youth activity and support for getting children and parents to use means other than cars to get to school.

A small working party of interested schools and other agencies is to be set up to look at possible ideas for a way to help solve the long term problem of parking around schools, which were put forward and it is hoped this will be input at the next full meeting (which is likely to happen after the Summer holidays.)

Also in the meantime the Police will be taking on board some of the comments made and the Transportation department will be pushing for the introduction of double curbing and yellow lines for Greenholm Road as well as looking further into what can be done to help in other areas.
 Clearly given the huge cuts in Council and Police funding by the Central Government there will be no easy quick fit solutions but at least a start has been made to try and ease the problems in the medium and long term. What little money that is still available to the various agencies will also be spent in a more coordinated way to try and reduce any duplication.

Those schools who could not get to the meeting will be given further opportunities to get involved and residents will be given an opportunity to give their views on the subject at a  Oscott Ward Committee (to be Chaired by Councillor Barbara Dring). The date of this meeting will be announced near the time (early spring?)

Once again I would like to thank all those who took the trouble to attend and for their contribution to an interesting meeting

THE LITTER IN OSCOTT MUST BE REDUCED

It was disappointing to read in a recent survey that the litter in Oscott ward was above the target set for the city. Although it was much better than the neighbouring Kingstanding and Perry Barr Wards, this is not good enough. Our standards must not be allowed to slip.


With this in mind I have been reminding the street cleaning management for the area they must do better and for example ensure some of the missing litter bins I have reported are replaced.

Amey Highways should also automatically replace any bins they remove to do work.

There are higher fixed penalties for litter droppers and I would like to see these enforced more often to.

With litter in mind I would like to thank again those who join me on Grot spot patrols where we pick up litter and also the Friends of the Queslett Nature Reserve for the work they do,

I will be asking the street cleaning department to look again at their efforts and hope residents will take more pride in the area and bin their litter more.

DYAS ROAD CROSSING REQUEST UPDATE

Last year a number of residents asked me to present a petition to the Birmingham City Council request some form of crossing be placed on the Dyas Road near the Old Oscott Lane Junction.

I have been pushing for this ever since I presented the petition and have been pleased to receive information from the Transportation department saying they are now proposing a step over refuge. (I had a number of residents suggest this as there is one at the other end of the road.)

The Transportation department has found a limited amount of money which may cover the cost of installation and has drawn up a scheme and will send the proposal to Highways section for their initial approval before submitting the scheme to TDG on the 8th February 2016 and TSSG on the 22nd February 2016. Sadly this is a bit of a modern way of doing things which we have to go through.

This type of step over refuge has a further benefit in helping to slow down traffic as well as helping residents get from one side of the road to the other more safely. This section of Dyas Road is regally used by those going to the local shops and to bus stops at both sides of the road at this point.

I will post again when I have a further update