W.c.9th February 2009

Monday

First thing I opened the planning website at Birmingham Council to view what plans had been submitted and found nothing to worry about in my ward, as can be seen from the link below.

http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/Media?MEDIA_ID=280744

After taking a phone call from a very irate resident in Brandwood Park Road, over the way Severn Trent contractors had parked up a shed and several service vehicles, whilst installing new water mains pipes. I quickly arranged a site meeting with Highway Officers.

On arrival at the site, we found that my resident was right, valuable parking spaces had been taken up and the trench work was in excess of 100 yards contrary to good working practices, assurances were asked of and given by the sites contract manager that matter would be taken in hand and put right. The shed was moved while I was there, on to the frontage of a disused shop front, vans relocated too.

Tuesday

It's February so we had the second Druids Heath Festival meeting, we've planned for it to be on June 20th, so make sure you all put this down in your diaries. Came away with a few tasks, but no where as many as the others present. The only disappointed thing about the meeting was the lack of local residents, which will be remedied by our next meeting in March.

In to the Council House, had to read up on reports going to Cabinet on Monday and start putting a briefing paper together for Sir Albert to have at hand, for when Housing matters are being discussed. Normally I would have attended the meeting next Monday but I have something already planned.

More problems with Travel West Midlands using All Saints Road and Abbots Road. Had a really good telephone call with another irate resident in All Saints Road, she was informed by our local police, that parking her car outside her home was causing an obstruction, I asked her if there were yellow lines outside (knowing there were not)? Was there a fire hydrant? Had she parked across a foot-way crossing of any sort? which it wasn't to any of these questions. I went on to ask, was her car, road taxed, insured and did she need and/or have an MOT, which she answered affirmatively.

With this information I told her she could continue to park on the Queens Highway as she wasn't causing an obstruction and if she was harassed again by ANYONE to phone me immediately as I'll sort them out, no matter who they were. It does annoy me when people become heavy handed over issues which don't belong to them, whoever he is, this police officer needs taking to task.

Thursday

Routine day as a Councillor, with the exception that at tea-time I was invited to a house meeting, where along with a sizable number of Labour Party supporters we had a talk with David Blunkett MP about The Government and Labour Party policies and tactics for the next General Election.

What was very interesting was that we managed to sign up new members. Whoever said The Labour Government and Party was unpopular?

Friday

Attended Co-ordinating Overview & Scrutiny sub-finance Committee, where I was able to have a go at the Tory & Lib-Dem leadership about the extraordinary high levels of "Prudential borrowing" they have been embarking upon. Last year the level was at £2:18p per Council Tax household, next year it rises significantly until 2010/11 it will stand at £25, which is totally unacceptable.

Well it has just been announce that The Council later this month will be deciding how much we all need to pay in Council Tax, to keep our Council working. They are set to rise Council Tax by 1.9%.

In my opinion, such an increase is intolerable, particularly when The Government has increased the amount of money it has provided the Council with in "Rate Support Grant", 3.3% or around £60 million.

With so many households in Brandwood and Birmingham as a whole having to tighten their belts, due to the global economic downturn, The Council should be doing the same
I have been lobbying my colleagues in The Labour Group to go for a ZERO increase and claw back some of the unacceptable amounts of money currently being spent by this Council on Business Consultants, somewhere in excess of £67million this year alone.

Some opposition councillors will say this is being opportunistic, that could may well have been the case if there was elections this year, but there aren't any elections and someone needs to take a lead.

Saturday

After my morning advice centre session at The Maypole Library, I went along to give my support and a helping hand to local residents working in Jasmin Field, cleaning up Chinn Brook and the surrounding land. The number that turned up on a cold February day was quite pleasing and the amount of litter and dumped items unacceptable, the sooner we are able to fence off this area to prevent dumping the better.