Acocks Green Ward Committee Weds 28th January

by Roger Harmer on 29 January, 2015

Discussion at last night’s Acocks Green Ward Committee centred on the following issues:

1) Fleet and Waste Management Update. Les Williams gave a report which focussed on the roll out of the new wheelie bins. This is seen as having gone well, but there are a number of residents suffering from repeated late or missed collections. The aim is to eliminate these in the next few weeks. Please keep reporting any such problems so that they can be dealt with.

2) Planning Department. Peter Barton gave a review which focussed on the issue of many of our larger properties being converted into care homes, hostels, and HMOs (Houses in Multiple Occupation) and bedsits. By their nature an excessive concentration of such properties can radically change the nature of a community and fears have been expressed that this is happening to parts of the Yardley Road and the roads off it. Peter promised that more work would be done to look into this and he also agreed to provide a complete list of the buildings which have planning permission for these uses. This allows us to make more informed comments on planning applications and also check any potential examples of failure to apply for the correct planning permission. I now have this and have forwarded it to the Acocks Green Neighbourhood Forum and the Acocks Green Focus Group. If you would like a copy please let me know.

3) We looked at the current planning applications and agreed to oppose the following:

  • 2015/00107/PA 1105 Warwick Road. Change of use to allow its use as a bookmaker (by Corals). We believe there are already plenty of bookmakers in the Village.
  • 2014/09660/PA 75 Shirley Road. Erection of a single storey rear extension. We believe this damages a rare and distinctive ‘arts and craft’ style property.

4) Are Ward Committees fit for purpose? I gave a summary of the findings of this scrutiny report. There are some useful pointers for how we can improve the accessibility of our Ward Committee. It also sits firmly in the debate about the Kerslake review of Birmingham City Council and the developing Action Plan to respond to this. In particular it has been decided there will be all up elections for Birmingham City Council in 2017, followed by 4 year terms for all Councillors. This marks an end to the (near) annual elections we are used to. The Boundary Commission will shortly look at the ward structure (with their proposals subject to public consultation). There are proposals to reduce the number of Councillors and also to move to largely single member wards. This last move would make ward committees redundant and is something I strongly oppose.

5) Environmental Health Update. Kate Careford was absent – and is shortly to go on maternity leave. In her absence Mark Coxford gave an update. He agree to pick up the ongoing concern about rubbish dumped on privately owned land beside the railway between Yardley Road and Stockfield Road.

The date of the next meeting will be moved back from 18th February to a date in March, to be confirmed.

   2 Comments

2 Responses

  1. Jonathan parkes says:

    Constantly phoning the council about our waste bins always getting told it will be collected it two days so why am I still waiting 3 weeks later?.. Every time we phone they say it will be collected, then to phone again and be told the same thing am I being ignored here?. Why am I paying my council tax to be ignored? Disgrace!.. And why do they never have a manager available ?… Could I please have some help with this as am at the end of my tether!

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