Author: techforevents

Ken has been around the meetings and exhibition industries for more than 30 years so remembers the introduction of computers, the arrival of PowerPoint, even the dawn of video conferencing. These days he tries to bring a breath of realism to discussions about technology in the worlds of meeting and exhibition organisation. He is a director of RefTech Services, a UK based badging and registration company.

Who’s checking on Amey?

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Members of the Moseley and Kings Heath Greener, Cleaner, Safer Environment group were surprised to be told that Amey is ‘moving towards one hundred per cent monitoring’ of highways repair work. The news was delivered by an Amey representative at a recent meeting. Amey currently carries out all highway maintenance work for Birmingham City Council (BCC).

This leads to an extraordinary conclusion: that nobody is currently checking all the work that Amey is doing for BCC to make sure that it’s up to standard.

There should be a considerable amount of work to be checked. The contract with Amey started in 2010, runs for 25 years and is worth £2.7 billion.

However, it seems that BCC has taken action by imposing financial penalties on Amey following complaints from residents that work was not being done or was not up to standard. Amey has disputed the allegations, claiming that all work meets the standards set out in the contract. The argument has been rolling since Autumn 2015. According to the Birmingham Post, it was still not resolved as recently as September 2016.

But why does BCC rely on local residents to monitor the work carried out by its biggest contractor? Given the value of the contract, it must surely be possible to have BCC staff checking every job completed by Amey?

And on a £2.7 billion contract, it should surely have been possible to make Amey pay for the BCC staff needed to check the work.

Kings Heath library

Library opening hours changing

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Cuts to the library services in Birmingham have resulted in reduced opening hours for Kings Heath library. From Monday 11 July 2016, the new hours will be:

  • Mondays: open from 9am to 1pm and from 2pm to 5pm
  • Tuesdays: open from 9am to 1pm and from 2pm to 5pm
  • Wednesdays: closed all day
  • Thursdays: closed in the morning and open from 12 noon to 7pm
  • Fridays: open from 9am to 1pm and from 2pm to 5pm
  • Saturdays: open from 9am to 1pm and from 2pm to 5pm
  • Sundays: closed all day

Apparently these new arrangements are temporary. There is to be a consultation ‘on a future model for the community library service’ although at present the members of the Residents’ Forum have not been told what shape this future model might take. Nor is there any indication of when the consultation will take place.

When more information is available, it will be posted on the website.

Photo: Kings Heath library by Tony Hisgett (CC BY 2.0)

24-hour alcohol sales licence application

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An application has been made for a licence to sell alcohol 24 hours a day, 7 days a week from a shop at 52 High Street, Kings Heath. The shop is located between Restaurant Veneziano and Bike Pro, opposite the derelict Kingsway cinema. The application also covers the sale of what are described as ‘late night refreshments’ from 11pm to 5am, again, 7 days a week.

If granted, the licence will be for drinking off the premises. In other words, it looks as if this will be a supermarket, selling alcohol in the way that supermarkets normally sell it. The difference in this case will be that it will be permitted round the clock, every day of the week.

This application comes just months after consultation on a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO). The relevant website claimed that, ‘in Moseley & Kings Heath ward, this is being introduced to address unlicenced street drinking related anti-social behaviour’.

Representations relating to this application must be made in writing by 19 July 2016 to Birmingham City Council, Licensing Section, P.O. Box 17013, Birmingham B6 9ES.

View the full details of the licence application (pdf)

The Residents’ Forum management committee discussed concerns at a meeting held 6 July 2016. The Forum will respond to Birmingham City Council Licensing specifically objecting to the sale of alcohol after 11pm. (More information to follow shortly.)

Other potential reasons for objecting to this application include:

  1. Anti-social behaviour.
  2. Litter and street cleanliness.
  3. There are already two 24-hour shops selling alcohol, and two other late-night closure shops; no need for any more.
  4. Noise at night.
  5. Traffic and road safety.
  6. This licence application will not help achieve the aims of the Public Space Protection Order.
  7. Lack of toilets.
  8. Unsocial hours.
  9. Close to residential housing in Bank Street, Grange Road and apartments in the future Kingsway development on the opposite side of the High Street.
  10. Risk of underage sales of alcohol to local school children.

Action on litter

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A recent meeting of the Greener, Cleaner, Safer Environment (GCSE) group discussed a number of problems relating to litter and rubbish in Kings Heath. Several ideas were reviewed that could help to reduce the amount of litter in the area.

The group covers both Moseley and Kings Heath and is supported by Birmingham City Council.

One of the problems with litter is that it comes from several sources. As a result, the group is working with different parts of the community to try to clean up our streets. Part of this effort is a Litter Strategy. The plan is to get residents and local forums involved in developing and introducing a strategy. This will involve the group making sure that residents’ groups are able to comment on the strategy.

The business community is already involved. Several local businesses have signed up to the voluntary litter agreement and more will follow. In one case, the owner of Costcutter in Institute Road, has offered to supply and empty a bin outside his shop. Although he has been told by the City Council that he can’t do this, the GCSE group is working with the city’s Fleet and Waste Management (F&WM) team to get the ban overturned.

The F&WM team is also looking at the positioning of existing City Council owned bins. The plan is to make sure they’re in the right places and, if they’re not, to reposition them.

Schools also have an important role in reducing the amount of litter and they are being approached in two ways. Councillor Straker Welds, who chaired the GCSE meeting, will write to schools in the area and ask them to get involved in the Litter Strategy. He will also ask them to involve their pupils and will offer to go to the schools with the principal operations manager of the F&WM team to talk about the litter problem.

There was also a suggestion that members of staff, such as canteen support staff and cleaners, could clear litter from school surroundings.

In one particular case, the city’s Waste Prevention team is to visit Bishop Challoner College in Institute Road to advise on what the College can do to help tackle the local litter problem. Leaflets will also be distributed to residents in the area.

Keeping pavements clear

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Obstructions on the pavements in Kings Heath High Street have been annoying residents for several years. Recently, the road safety group within the Kings Heath Forum took up the problem with local councillors and Birmingham Highways Maintenance and Management Service.

There are a number of issues covered by this subject but they all relate to one concern: whether there is enough space available for people with limited mobility, visual impairment or parents with push-chairs.

The restrictions usually have one of three causes:

  • parking on pavements
  • ‘A boards’ outside shops
  • work on pavements by the utility companies

It has been difficult to get any solid information so far but it seems that there is a standard that should be applied. In areas with few pedestrians such as the High Street near Sports Direct, there must be a 1.2 metre (almost 4 feet) width of pavement available free of obstructions. In areas with more people moving around, the minimum is 2 metres (about 6 feet 6 inches).

One of the difficulties is that there seems to be some confusion over who should be enforcing these standards. A statement from Birmingham Highways Maintenance and Management Service seems to suggest that enforcement is a matter for the Police although the highway authority can remove ‘A boards’.

However, the statement also said that local traders agreed at a meeting ‘several years ago’ to self-police the ‘A board’ problem. Since then, it has been suggested that Amey, which is the highways maintenance contractor for Birmingham, has a contractual responsibility for making sure that pavements are kept clear. This has yet to be absolutely confirmed.

The difficulty now seems to be that the traders’ agreement is being overlooked and ‘A boards’ are being positioned in such a way as to obstruct pavements. As a result, the available width of pavement is narrower than it should be.

In February the Residents’ Forum asked Birmingham Highways Maintenance and Management Service a number of questions in relation to this issue and suggested that clear guidance should be produced for local businesses.

As yet, no further information has been provided. When it is, an update will be posted.

Excellent attendance at Forum AGM

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More than 50 local residents gathered at the annual general meeting (AGM) of the Kings Heath Residents’ Forum on 2 March 2016 to hear about the work of the Forum and to make their own views known. They heard that progress has been made on controlling litter, on road safety and on initiatives to help young people in the area. Residents raised concerns over several issues including parking, anti-social behaviour and speed limits.

The chair of the Forum, Jon Jaffa, emphasised that the group represents all residents within the area it was set up to cover. It works with similar groups in other electoral wards and helps residents to get in touch with their local councillors.

On road safety, the Kings Heath strategy has been so effective that it is being extended across the whole of Birmingham. The most recent development is the ’20 is plenty’ programme. This involves the introduction of a 20 mile an hour speed limit on Kings Heath High Street. New roadside signs have begun to appear and drivers will be reminded of the limit by signs painted on the road surfaces.

In addition, a safer cycle network is being developed.

Members of the Forum have also lobbied councillors for the return of a railway station for Kings Heath. Network Rail has been considering this proposal for some time and now the necessary development work it is included in the financial plan for the period 2019 to 2024.

Residents at the meeting raised a number of issues including the congestion caused by inconsiderate parking. This was said to cause safety issues and traffic congestion. The problem was reported to be worst in Howard Road East, outside the Royal Mail sorting office, and Addison Road.

Councillor Straker Welds (Lab) agreed to arrange a meeting with the manager at the sorting office. He will ask that staff park their cars away from Howard Road East. This will mean there is more space for people collecting post from the sorting office.

On the question of road and pavement maintenance, Councillor Claire Spencer (Lab) is working to make it easier for residents to report problems. She also suggested that it is better if residents use the City Council website to report problems with roads and pavements.

Councillor Spencer also emphasised the need for anti-social behaviour to be reported as soon as possible. If it is not reported and acted on, bad behaviour is likely to become normal. It should be reported by making a telephone call to 101. See the information on Moseley and Kings Heath Police neighbourhood meetings.

Progress is being made in dealing with litter in the area. The Greener, Cleaner, Safer Environment group is setting up agreements with schools, catering outlets and other businesses. As part of the agreements, these organisations are taking responsibility for litter in their local areas.

The efficiency of the waste collection and street cleaning services is being improved. Part of the programme is aimed at making sure that there are enough on-street litter bins and that they are emptied often enough. In addition, shopkeepers are being encouraged to use waste bins that are big enough for their needs and have lids. If they use the right type of waste bins there will be less litter blowing around the streets.

That still leaves the problem of litter dropped by people. Although Birmingham has litter wardens, there is no money available for one dedicated to Kings Heath. It was suggested that there could be random, targeted swoops during the year. Any litter louts caught could then be fined.

Dog mess is a separate problem, especially on roads leading to public parks. Residents were asked to report dog fouling, particularly if it happens at regular times. Again, there is a page on the city council website for reporting dog fouling problems.

In addition to all of that, the Cleaner Streets plan calls for targeted action. In one example, early morning street cleaning is being called for to clear away rubbish after Friday and Saturday nights.

One of the problems brought up by residents was that Amey (Birmingham’s street maintenance contractor) has been accused of leaving barriers and temporary road signs in place after work has finished. Sometimes it takes several weeks before these objects are cleared away. The city council is reported to be working with Amey to stop this practice.

The meeting was also told about two initiatives aimed at helping local young people. In one, the All Saints Youth Project helps young people to develop their confidence and to take on leadership roles in the community. In addition, Luke Holland has been working with young people from the All Saints Youth Project and from the Kings Heath Mosque. He brings the groups together to work collaboratively on community projects.

Summing up the meeting, the chair of the Forum, Jon Jaffa, said:

“It was enormously encouraging to see so many people at the meeting. Even more pleasing was that we were able to report so much positive news. The members of the Forum have worked very hard over the past year in conjunction with local councillors from all the political parties. I think the results show what can be achieved when we all pull together.”