Access to Fox Hollies Leisure Centre - new access

The new gate allowing access from Fox Hollies Road and the No 11 bus route is now open and will be available as follows:

06:45-22:15 Monday-Friday

06:45-15:45 Saturday

07:45-20:45 Sunday

This has been funded by the Acocks Green Ward Community Chest and is a result of the work done by Cllr Stacey and myself since last year to get this access reopened and make it easier for people to use the leisure centre. 

Planning Applications to the 18 May 2013

Another quiet week:

2013/03195/PA - 73 Kilmorie Road, B27 6AY
Erection of two storey side and rear and single storey forward and rear extensions.

You can find the details by inputting the reference number into the Council online database here

If you have any comments, you can submit them online - feel free to pass your comments on to me.

Council - 1943

How things used to be - back in 1943.Lots of things have changed - particularly the range of services that the council used to operate. The counting process is reassuringly unchanged - although I can't recall ever having a public audience at a count. A wonderful historical document.

Objects in the rear view mirror ...

There has been a spate of thefts of BMW Mini wing mirrors across the West Midlands force area. Some neighbourhoods have been hit harder than others, but each of those still counts as a crime and our local coppers are being proactive. The mirrors are attractive to thieves as they are quite easy to remove very rapidly. A little while back, officers raided a house elsewhere in the force area and found a whole load of these mirrors, but as there is no way to tie the mirrors to a particular vehicle and thereby prove that they are stolen goods, no action can be taken.

To help tackle this, local officers have identified owners living in the ward - about 100 - and will be contacting them to offer some advice and a free visit to allow the officers to covertly mark the mirrors to ensure that if they do turn up in a haul of stolen goods, they can be tracked back to a theft.

If you own one of these cars, spending a few quid on some security screws may help (example here, but others are available) and an investment of £7 could save you more in lost excess.

Half term looms ahead and if you want to give your kids something to do, the House of Play and Education, a great little local charity that is going from strength to strength, is running some sessions at St Edmund's Church on Reddings Lane (just outside the border of the ward by about 100ft).

Rubbish cleared

This little lot was reported by a local resident to Stewart and me this week after they had been asking for months for it to be cleared. We had it gone within a few days.

Planning Applications to the 11 May 2013

Another quiet week:

2013/02836/PA - 18 Ryde Grove, B27 7SW
Erection of single storey rear extension to replace conservatory..

You can find the details by inputting the reference number into the Council online database here

If you have any comments, you can submit them online - feel free to pass your comments on to me.

Unemployment Update

Month on month, the number of unemployment benefit claimants in Acocks Green fell by 45 between February and March 2013. That leaves us with a claimant rate of 10.4%, compared to a Birmingham rate of 11.9%. That remains up 25 on the same month last year, however.

Overall, the number of people unemployed in the city fell by 143.

There is positive news in these numbers, but it is still tough out there. I'm aware of one part-time post advertised in Acocks Green that attracted over 300 applications.

Library Update

Just a quick paragraph about Acocks Green Library. Stewart and I attended a site meeting this morning with representatives of the contractors and the City Council. We've confirmed that the asbestos testing is to be carried out around the roof lights on Friday, with scaffolders on site to provide temporary towers around each of the areas so that the testing can be completed as quickly as possible. It is expected to be done within the day, but there is a possibility that it might run over into Saturday.

The testing is only usually done close to the start of work because it is destructive - physical samples have to be removed from the fabric of the building.

We'll have the results of that testing early next week and that should allow us to move forward reasonably rapidly to get the works properly underway.

Library Update - 9 May - Closure postponed

The closure planned for this Saturday has been postponed.

Last week's meeting identified some asbestos testing that needs to be carried out prior to the work starting and the advice then was that it needed to be done with the building closed and just in advance of work. Following a more detailed risk assessment, it has been clarified that we can carry this work out on a Friday when the library is closed as normal. Once we know the results, then we'll have a clearer idea of how to progress.

As our aim is to keep the library open as much as possible, it would be wrong to close the library and have it standing unused for any longer than we actually need to. Stewart and I are both anxious to avoid the mess that saw South Yardley out of action for a year and a half while problems were put right.

This is a reversal of an announcement earlier in the week, but as we are now able to keep the library open, this is the right decision to take. Sorry for any inconvenience caused and I will try to keep people up to date on progress.

Planning Applications to 4 May 2013

And back to a single application this week:

2013/02968/PA - 9 Woodford Green Road, B28 8PH
Erection of single storey extension and conservatory to rear.

You can find the details by inputting the reference number into the Council online database here

If you have any comments, you can submit them online - feel free to pass your comments on to me.

Library Update

After a site meeting on Friday, we now have a confirmed date for the start of the temporary closure. Acocks Green library will close this Saturday, the 11 May, to allow for preparations to hand over to the contractors on the 24 May, with work planned to start on the 28 May. Reopening is planned for early September. 

South Yardley library will pick up the strain and will open all day on Wednesdays to provide extra access:

Monday 9am-7pm

Tuesday 9am - 5pm

Wednesday 9am - 5pm

Thursday 9am - 7pm

Friday 9am - 5pm

Saturday 9am - 5pm

(Note that it will be closed on Monday 27 May for the Bank Holiday)

I will keep you updated on progress. 

Police update

This is the latest update from our local neighbourhood team.

April saw ten burglaries, two up on the previous month. Unusually, four have been forced entry through front doors and on two occasions, vehicles were also taken. Two were from empty properties where boilers and copper pipe were taken and there have been three burglaries on commercial properties. Two robberies and five thefts of motor vehicles have also been reported. Fifteen thefts from motor vehicles, five of which related to the theft of front and rear number plates. Four sets of Astra wing mirrors have been stolen - the successor to the theft of Mini Cooper wing mirrors. There have been two cases of theft of satnavs from vehicles and one incident of a theft of a bag from a car, which resulted in the arrest of the thieves. There has also been the theft of a catalytic converter from a van.

There have been a few incidents of anti-social behaviour on the Gospel Estate and two youngsters have been placed on anti-social behaviour contracts.

Just a reminder - no elections in Acocks Green this year!

I've had a couple of people ask me why they haven't received voting cards this year. There's no need to worry - in Birmingham, we elect our councillors 'by thirds' so in three out of four years, one council seat in each electoral ward is up for election for a four year term. The fourth year is 'fallow' and we don't have elections. 2013 is our fallow year.

The next election planned in Birmingham will be in late May 2014, when the local elections will be shifted back a few weeks to bring them into line with elections to the European parliament.

Planning Applications to the 27 April 2013

Another flurry of applications as spring arrives.

2013/02796/PA - 12 Grayland Close, B27 7NE
Erection of two storey side, first floor rear, single storey side/rear extension and rear conservatory

2013/02579/PA - 254 The Avenue, B27 6NU
Erection of single storey rear extension

2013/02836/PA - 15 Ryde Grove, B27 7SW
Erection of single storey rear extension

2013/02811/PA - Archbishop Ilsley Catholic School, Victoria Road, B27 7XY
Installation of synthetic turf sports facility creating two multi use tennis and netball courts

2013/02275/PA - 79 Woodford Green Road, B28 8PH
Erection of two storey side and single storey forward extensions

You can find the details by inputting the reference number into the Council online database here

If you have any comments, you can submit them online - feel free to pass your comments on to me.

Tunnels

If you are driving into the city centre over the next week or so, don't forget that the Lancaster Circus tunnel on the A34 will be closed until 6am on Monday 6 May 2013 for essential refurbishment. 

With changes in usage, this isn't a very busy route, so the disruption should be relatively minimal. Diversions will be signposted around Lancaster Circus.

Later in the year, there will be a more significant closure, as the St Chad's and Queensway tunnels will both be completely closed from the 19 July to the 2 September 2013 to allow for essential in depth repairs to the conditions of these 40 year old structures (preceded by about 4 weeks of overnight closures and followed by another two weeks of overnight closures as well). The work is unavoidable and the decision was taken to do it with a total closure for about six weeks rather than six months of total closures at weekends. This method is also substantially cheaper. Either way was going to cause significant inconvenience to drivers in the city, but a total closure for six weeks over the summer means that retailers aren't inconvenienced in the run up to Christmas.

If you drive into the city regularly, it might be worth thinking about how you'll do the journey during the closure period - can you replan your route, avoid the journey temporarily or could you consider taking the train or the bus?

To keep up to date on all things tunnel related, there's a website.

Planning Applications to 20 April 2013

Just a single application:

2013/00789/PA - 42 Victoria Road, B27 7YA
Erection of detached garage/storage building to side and erection of 2m high boundary wall to side.

You can find the details by inputting the reference number into the Council online database here

If you have any comments, you can submit them online - feel free to pass your comments on to me.

Millennium Green Spring Clean

Cllr Stewart Stacey, Cllr John O'Shea and Dee Smyth

Saturday saw bright sunshine as spring finally sprung in Acocks Green and there was a good community turnout to help clean up a hidden little piece of green in the shape of Millennium Green. Litter was picked, soil turned for planting and ivy cut back to stop it choking trees. Cllr Stacey and myself were joined by a colleague, Dee Smyth, to help out the local residents who have done a sterling job in developing and maintaining the site for years.

Forced entry

Picture from @bhameastpolice

The picture on the left shows the small arsenal of weapons found when the Yardley priority team executed one of two drugs warrants over the weekend in Acocks Green. It includes a range of bladed weapons and an extendible baton. The knowledge that this can lurk behind the doors of a few homes is why the police force entry to properties - a few seconds of surprise can save injury.
A large quantity of cash was recovered under the Proceeds of Crime Act and two people are in custody, helping with inquiries into robbery and assault.
These raids were the direct result of information received through Crimestoppers, which allows you to anonymously help the fight to keep our community safe.

Elsewhere, inquiries continue into the fire on Cateswell Road - just outside the ward. A 56 year old man was arrested in relation to the fire, which has now been confirmed as arson. A woman died in the fire and her daughter suffered severe burns and remains very ill in hospital. If you were in the area around 5am on Wednesday, the police need to hear from you. You can call them on 101 or contact them through Crimestoppers.

Spare an hour or two on Saturday? Join the Millennium Green clear up.

If you are feeling inspired to lend a hand clearing up a great community project, you could do worse than pop along to the Millennium Green on Saturday. Kicking off at 10am, volunteers will be helping to clear up the park which provides a welcome green space on the north side of the Warwick Road. There's lots to do, so please come along if you can.