Public meeting for BBC2 air pollution documentary

Achim JungLeave a comment

Amazing Productions, a production company from London, are making a documentary for BBC2 about air pollution in the UK. Part of their enquiry focuses on Kings Heath, and considers what can be done to reduce traffic and emissions causing air pollution on the High Street.

A public meeting to gather views from residents and business owners on how to tackle air quality and traffic on Kings Heath High Street takes place on:

Tuesday, 24 October 2017
6pm to 8.30pm
All Saints Centre, 2 Vicarage Road, Kings Heath, B14 7RA

The meeting will be filmed.

BBC2 documentary flyer

Parking – Day of Action 21 October

Tom TierneyLeave a comment

Councillor Claire Spencer has launched a day of action on Saturday 21 October about parking locally. She has asked us to inform residents and is requesting that people actively support it by printing off a petition sheet and getting signatures on or around their own street. The petition says:

“We, the undersigned, would like Birmingham City Council to explore the possibility of a Kings Heath-wide residents’ parking scheme, to include Newport Road, as part of a collection of measures (including improved public transport and cycling routes) to reduce parking pressure on our streets.”

Claire says:

“Our parking issues in Moseley, Kings Heath and beyond stem from having more cars than there is space for cars. And while I think we all understand that public transport needs to improve for this to happen, there is no solution to these issues that does not involve people giving up (some of) their cars.

“However, streets without driveways near to the centres of both Moseley and Kings Heath are finding it harder to park anywhere near their homes, and I understand (living as I do on Addison Road) the frustration that that brings. People are increasingly telling me that they would like residents parking, and I would like to make a case to Birmingham City Council’s Highways Department that they should start to work out how that could work.

“So, on Saturday October 21st, I would like people to volunteer to collect signatures from their street to make the case for a residents parking scheme in Moseley, and another in Kings Heath.

“It will work like this:

  1. Email me on claire.spencer@birmingham.gov.uk to let me know which street (or part of a street) you plan to do, and with whom;
  2. I will let you know if anyone else has already signed up to do that street so that you can work together in such a case, and direct you to the petition sheets;
  3. On Saturday October 21st, you take your sheets and gather as many signatures as possible;
  4. Make arrangements to return them to me — either by dropping them at my house or at Moseley Exchange;
  5. I will present the petitions to Full Council in November, for the attention of the Cabinet Member and the Highways Department.”

Full information is on Claire’s blog.

Feel free to leave comments here but it might be best also to send them directly to Claire Spencer at the email address above.

Full lineup of community groups for networking day 7 October 2017

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Kings Heath Residents’ Forum is organising a networking day on Saturday 7 October 2017. The purpose is to give residents a chance to meet local organisations and individuals who can provide advice, help and support in the area. The full list of participating groups is:

For more information about each group or individual, click on the name.

There is no charge for the networking day – all you need to do is to walk in, join in and benefit from all the information that will be available.

Event information:

Date: 7 October 2017

Opening hours: 10am to 2pm

Location: Kings Heath Community Centre, 8 Heathfield Road, Kings Heath, B14 7DB

Travellers banned from Swanshurst Park

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Birmingham City Council has been granted an injunction banning travellers from pitching camp in Swanshurst Park. Travellers who park their caravans on the park in future could be found guilty of contempt of court. This could lead to them having assets seized or even to them being sent to prison.

The action follows a number of occasions on which travellers set up camp in the park. Local residents found their presence intimidating and the travellers usually left large quantities of fly-tipped rubbish behind when they were moved on. The cost of cleaning up after these camps had to be met by the city council.

Councillor Karen McCarthy was quoted in the Birmingham Mail, saying “The court order was only made possible because residents were prepared to make statements, provide the evidence so the council officers could make the case.”

New way to gather evidence of anti-social activities in Kings Heath

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A new public shared drive on Google Drive has been started to enable local people to gather evidence of anti-social activities. It covers all areas of Kings Heath. The shared drive “is a way for the people of Kings Heath to collectively gather evidence for change, particularly relating to bad driving and parking, but also on fly-tipping, anti-social behaviour, and other issues.”  No doubt other issues could include anything to do with street design, pavements etc

Residents are invited to take a photograph, if possible, and to add it and other information to the relevant street’s folder in the shared drive. If you haven’t used this before please don’t be put off it is very easy to post  pictures and comments.

Given the volume of recent comments about inconsiderate parking and reckless moped drivers, it seems likely that the site will become very busy very quickly.

To access the shared drive please visit:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0BwBQKk7uJaXQcEQ3NXJqRk4wdlE

There are also notes on etiquette when using the shared drive.

Full house for networking day 7 October 2017

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20171007_networking_event_posterAll spaces for organisations at the networking day being organised by Kings Heath Residents’ Forum are now taken. As a result, local residents will be able to talk to a wide range of organisations that provide help, advice and support.

Among those present will be local councillors and representatives from the Moseley and Kings Heath Neighbourhood Team of West Midlands Police. Others such as Friends of Kings Heath Park, Highbury Community Orchard and Lifford Lane Community Project will be explaining their work as well as recruiting members. In addition, organisations such as All Saints Centre and Friends of Kings Heath Community Centre will be offering activities for a variety of age groups.

A full list of participating groups will be published next week.

There is no charge for the networking day – all residents need to do is to walk in, join in and benefit from all the information that will be available.

Event information:

Date: 7 October 2017

Opening hours: 10am to 2pm

Location: Kings Heath Community Centre, 8 Heathfield Road, Kings Heath, B14 7DB