Ward Committee met on Wednesday 2nd November. The following items were discussed:

1) Supermarket Proposals: The proposed Morrisons development on the former Lucas site off Spring Road and Shaftmoor Lane. There was as presentation given by several members of the team promoting the development including representatives of both the supermarket and Extra Care who plan to build a retirement village on the same site. The planning application for both sites are in and can be viewed via planning online using the application references 2011/06775/PA and 2011/06776/PA and are live for comments until 30 November 2011. Meanwhile the team running the rival Asda bid are running another public consultation event at St Edmund’s Church, Reddings Lane this coming Friday (3pm to 8pm) and Saturday (10am to 1pm).

2) Street Lighting: A representative from Amey explained how they were renewing the street lighting network in Birmingham, leading to brighter, more energy efficient lights. There will be a reduction in the number of lights from around 92,000 to around 80,000 once the renewal programme is complete and individual residents may well end up with the street light nearest to them moving closer or further away. Generally lamposts will be moved away from the side of the road to the back of the pavement – or where there is a verge, to the back of the verge – to reduce damage (to motorists and lamposts alike), when there is an accident.

3) Planning Applications: We went through the latest list of planning applications and objected to two: 2011/06797/PA; a proposal to build 10 x 2 bed houses at the bottom of Francis Road. The committee agreed that this represented overdevelopment of the site with some of the houses having no garden to speak of at all. The second was 2011/06865/PA a proposal to build 12 semi detached houses on land to the rear of 75-79 Hazelwood Road. Again the committee felt that the proposal represented an overdevelopment of the site (with 10 houses being more appropriate).

4) Community Chest: The following funding bids were approved:

• Environmental Trainees £2,500
• Keep Birmingham Working £500
• Alcohol Restricted Signage £954
• Additional Special Street Collections £6,665
• 260th Scout Group £1,800
• John Gayle Soccer Coaching £3,192
• Acocks Green Christmas Lights £1,500
• CCTV Repair £1,244
• Fox Hollies Christmas Lights £3,000
• Additional Grit Bins £692.80

This means virtually all the 2011/12 Acocks Green ward Community Chest allocation of £100,000 has been spent, with only around £3,500 left to spend.