Dog Poo

There is nothing more annoying than to see dog poo on out pavements and verges and I speak as a dog owner. I accept that its not always a pleasant job, but it is all part of wanting a dog and a task that needs to be done and I would rather clean up the mess my dog makes than end up paying the £1,000 fine.
Not only does dog poo look and often smell terrible, people and I know from past experience children nearly always find a way to tread in it, so it should, no must me cleared up by the dog owner.
Those dog owners who don’t clear up are lazy and think they can get away with it. Unfortunately, it is the rest of us who suffer.

20 is Plenty

I spent the end of last week and a fair amount of this week, talking to and collecting signatures for a petition from parents of children outside both of the Colmore Schools’. Both Steve McCabe and I wanted to know the views of the parents on the speed of vehicles using Tenbury Road, Grove Road and Colmore Road.

In the mornings it was very clear that Tenbury Road and Colmore Road was a rat run for motorists who didn’t like the traffic lights at the junction of Vicarage Road by the Red Lion, so speed outside the School main entrance. In addition a number of motorists who did drive down Grove Road, took little account of the young children on their way to school, hence our campaign of ’20 is Plenty’, where we will attempt to get a 20mph zone around school starting and finishing times introduced.

DEEP CLEAN FOR TOWER BLOCKS

For those of you who live in tower blocks, money has been found to carry out another ‘deep clean’ programme, for three more blocks. This coming spring, all being well, will make it six tower blocks in the past nine months which have had this treatment. Funding avenues are being looked for to get the remaining tower blocks cleared early in the next financial year, starting in April
A deep clean is where all of the public areas, from lobby to stairwells, have a real good clean, carried out by a specialist team, over and above that already done by the local caretaker.
One resident told me that this is the first time such work has been done in their block and she moved to her present home in 1969.

JOB LOSS FOR PARK RANGERS SERVICE

Another matter that most people haven’t been made aware of, are the Council cuts being made with Park Rangers and their teams. The council want to move them all to Cannon Hill Park and cut more than half the numbers. But who will provide us with support for the numerous ‘Friends of’ groups in our area, who volunteer and work in the Cemetery, at Brandwood Pool and Jasmin Field. Who will now be around to teach and advise us and our children about local wildlife, plants and the archaeological history in our area?

MILLPOOL COMMUNITY NURSERY THREATENED

Parents of children who attend Millpool Day Nursery have asked me and  Steve McCabe MP to help them, to stop Tory led Birmingham Council, from closing this very popular nursery. This community nursery isn't the only one under threat of closure, almost EVERY member of staff at community nurseries throughout Birmingham have been given notice of threatened redundancy.

What is wrong with their thinking? This popular nursery has a waiting list of over 60 children, plus there are over  45 places already filled up. It comes to something when health professionals and parents have to take on the might of Birmingham Council.
What will parents do if and when they close this popular nursery down?

NEW PELICAN ON BELLS LANE

At long last there is a new safer school crossing at Bells Farm School, after Steve McCabe MP and me highlighted the need for one, with the support of many concerned parents last year.

The new crossing will make getting across the road for the many children who attend the school and community centre much safer; not to mention the residents of Druids Heath.
One parent told me that her mother campaigned for one at this location more than thirty five years ago, when she was at school.

ANTI SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR FROM BIRMINGHAM COUNCIL

A public meeting organised by me and Steve McCabe, where we invited Alan Johnson MP, The Home Secretary, to give local residents an opportunity to tell him at first hand about the anti-social behaviour problems they had to put up with before a Labour Government brought in tougher laws.

What really annoys me most is that many local residents just want to get on with their life, without having to worry about noisy neighbours or unruly youngsters, who have been know to terrorise area. yet there are in my opinion too many incidents that are being ingored by officials of Birmingham Council, for one reason or another.
This was to good an opportunity to not give Alan Johnson a petition from local residents, complaining about the time taken and the way Birmingham Council deals with residents’ problems, in the first place.

Gardeners Weekend Kings Heath Park part2

It really pays to kick up a storm sometimes. Late last year, Birmingham’s Leisure Services Department sent out letters to the secretaries of all the local allotments, telling them that the annual ‘Gardeners Weekend’ event at Kings Heath Park, each September, won’t be happening this year. This well established NATIONAL show has had difficulties, which no one will deny, but it is, and remains popular. What annoyed many of us is the way the news got out. However, because of the adverse publicity, some of which I claim credit for, there has now been a change of heart and it will go ahead on 4th & 5th September, although, I have it from good sources, that  next years show could still be under threat.

Organising and Keeping Our Youngsters Busy

With so many young people having to hang around the streets, members of our local police team have been whisking them up and taking the youngsters to the Snooker Hall in Stirchley where they have been coached in playing the game properly and now run regular tournaments amongst themselves and with local police officers.
Well done to all of the Police Team who have worked with these youngsters in their own time, we all appreciate your work.

Council Tax Time

It’s that time of year again, when Councils begin to set the Council Tax figure for the coming year.
Here in Birmingham, where the Conservatives have been in control for the past six years, £2.5 BILLION of borrowing has taken place in six years and general revenue overspend of £50 Million, for this year alone. All of this adds up to EVERY household paying £30 to pay for Birmingham Council’s interest on the loans alone.
I mention this, so that you can watch out for serious cuts in Council services and major redundancies, already expected to be in excess of 2,000 front line workers this coming year, because some people can’t manage our money properly.
In addition they are expected to close almost ALL day-care nurseries, which will result in either one of the parents having to give up work to look after the child, as almost all of the places are taken by low paid workers children.