Last Wednesday’s meeting of the Acocks Green Ward Committee saw a number of important local issues discussed:

There was an update on Environmental Issues with a focus on the Yardley Road. 34 Duty of Care visits were made on businesses in this area to check they have proper commercial waste contracts. While it would not have been surprising to hear that some didn’t, we were amazed to hear that 13 were in this situation. There will also be a litter pick in the area on Monday (3rd March) at 2pm (meet by the Great Western Pub). I asked that other businesses in Acocks Green (especially in known areas of dumping such as the Fox Hollies shops) be checked for proper contracts too. Local residents also complained about litter in the park by Pemberley Road (Curtis Gardens).

While this year’s Community Chest has been spent, some underspend on funded projects allowed for a grant of £754 for a gating project in Tynedale Road.

There was a long discussion about the proposed savings in the Yardley District Budget for 2014/15 and 2015/16. These are still in consultation, but proposals currently on the table would generate a significant proportion of the savings by closing the Neighbourhood Offices at Stechford and Acocks Green. Residents and a member of staff at Stechford spoke with great passion against these closures, while recognising that if cuts are scaled back in this service, more will be needed elsewhere.

Phil Santos, from the Transportation Department, gave a short presentation on the proposed Smart Route plans for the Warwick Road in Acocks Green. Concern has been expressed (which I share) that the plans now generate little extra (or even a reduction, depending how you look at it) on-street parking (important to generate extra passing trade for the shops in the Village). There was also concern about the design of the new streetlights for the Village, which has changed at the last minute from a heritage design to a very modern design, without public consultation. This again is disappointing given the very long time these plans have been in gestation. While we should be taking advantage of the environmental and cost savings the new LED streetlights bring, it should not be beyond the wit of the designers to come up with a traditional looking LED streetlight – we can hardly be the only area that has asked for them.

The next meeting will take place in the (reopened) Library  on Wednesday 2nd April.