There was some good news at the lastest monthly Acocks Green Police tasking meeting with crime down by 15% in Acocks Green over the past year (compared to a much more modest fall of 2% in the West Midlands as a whole in the same time). Calls to the Police about Anti Social Behaviour (ASB) have fallen even more, though it remains a major problem in particular streets within our community. The very lastest news was that two burglars had been arrested in the Gospel Estate in the morning of the meeting.

Issues raised by residents at the meeting for prioritisation over the coming month were:

• ASB in Francis Road
• Need to keep a close eye on the Travellers who have been staying in various locations in Acocks Green in recent months – it is hoped that they will move on after the Pope’s visit, which is apparently the reason why numbers of Travellers have increased in Birmingham recently.
• A number of issues concerning Beeches Avenue
• ASB at a specific location in Tavistock Road
• Parking problems at the junction of Arden Road and Greswolde Park Road
• Communication problems with the Neighbourhood Watch Group in Edenbridge Road following the change in policing boundaries
• Illegal parking in Dudley Park Road.

These, together with many of the issues raised at previous meetings, will be prioritised over the coming month and reported back to residents at the next meeting which takes place at 7pm on Thursday 7th October in Archbishop Ilsley School.