22 Thursday Sep 2011
Posted in local politics, Trinity Ward
Image from Wikipedia
Sutton Trinity Ward Committee meets at 7.30 p.m. tonight, in the Crush Hall, Sutton Coldfield Town Hall.
Items on the agenda include:
21 Wednesday Sep 2011
Posted in birmingham
Just received the following update, outlining support for Birmingham businesses affected by the riots:
(Apologies for the formatting)
“20th September 2011
BULLETIN 5 – SUPPORT FOR BIRMINGHAM BUSINESSES AFFECTED BY THE DISTURBANCES
Please note that time is now running out for applications for support via the High street Support Scheme. Please act quickly.
We can now announce some further assistance that businesses can apply for through the High Street Support Scheme:
Security Improvement Scheme (SIS) Grant
The Security improvement Scheme (SIS) is open to any small medium sized enterprise (SME) business based within the areas that were affected by civil disorder after 6th August 2011: City Centre, Aston, Newtown, Handsworth, Lozells, Perry Barr and Winson Green
The criteria to meet to be classed as an SME are:
The SIS grant is specifically to assist towards project costs for new or upgraded:
- CCTV
- Shutters
- Alarm Systems
- Other relevant security measures
The level of grant funding awarded is 75% of eligible project expenditure up to a maximum of £5,000. To receive the maximum allowable grant, therefore, project costs should total at least £6,125.
Grant payments are issued as a reimbursement of eligible expenditure by the business and will only be paid on production of relevant evidence. Therefore all approved grants MUST be spent and claimed by the 28th October 2011.
Application forms for this scheme can be found on our website via www.birmingham.gov.uk/businessrecovery and applications must be submitted by 14th October 2011.
Business Recovery Advice Initiative
Again, this initiative is open to any SME businesses in the areas listed above for the SIS grant.
The drop-in sessions are as follows:
Monday 3rd October Handsworth Community Fire Station 2pm-7pm
41 Rookery Road, Handsworth, Birmingham,
B21 9QU
Tuesday 4th October ACRC 2pm-7pm
339 Dudley Road, Winson Green,
B18 4HB
Wednesday 5th October Venue in Aston to be confirmed* 2pm-7pm
Thursday 6th October Ibis Arcadian Hotel, Ladywell Walk 2pm-7pm
We are still accepting applications for the Financial Recovery Fund, which now has a new element to it.
To be eligible for this grant, businesses must carry insurance. Losses relating to damage & looting which are not covered by insurance (including insurance excess) can be claimed, along with exceptional business costs directly related to the disturbances.
New element: where a business is experiencing delays in receiving payment from insurers and is struggling to manage its cash flow, consideration will be given to offering a one-off grant to help the business to continue trading whilst waiting for a settlement. The business case for this request will need to be set out in the application form and related evidence (e.g. recent bank account showing cash position & overdraft facility). Those who have already applied for support under this scheme do not need to re-apply, but will need to submit the business case and supporting evidence to apply for this grant.”
15 Thursday Sep 2011
Posted in birmingham, music
The Home of Metal exhibition has done a brilliant job in helping improve people’s perceptions of Birmingham. Running since June the exhibition has been reported everywhere from The Sun to the FT, broadcast on Sky, CNN and everywhere in between.
I can’t remember a museum exhibition that’s been the subject of so much diverse media coverage.
And it’s firmly cemented our reputation as a city with a rich musical heritage.
One of the best articles was in The Sunday Times. Despairing at our previous failure to shout about the role we played in creating heavy metal the journalist summed it up thus:
‘This is Birmingham. They do things indifferently here’.
There’s a lot of truth in that. We’re far too humble about our history, far too reticent in shouting about what makes this city great. The people behind the Home of Metal exhibition have made significant progress in helping us shake off that indifference.
Sadly in ten days time the exhibition comes to an end. It would be fantastic if it had a permanent home, somewhere in the city centre. We don’t stop being the ‘home of metal’ at the end of September and we shouldn’t stop shouting about it then, either.
14 Wednesday Sep 2011
Posted in Trinity Ward
The Leisure, Sport and Culture Committee heard an update this morning on the plans to reopen Sutton Coldfield Library. (suttonlibraryosreport)
The building was closed in April 2010, when asbestos was discovered during the course of a ‘modernisation and refurbishment’ programme and a huge amount of work needs to be done to get it up and running again. The cost of this work is likely to be in region of £1.8m.
At a time when libraries are being closed all over the country, my colleagues and I are determined to get the one in Sutton town centre reopened. Up until its closure last year, Sutton Library was the second busiest in the city and however much other libraries in the constituency are ‘taking up the strain’ it’s vital that we get the one at the centre of the town open again.
And although we’re going to need to ensure that we make more efficient use of the space, with other services likely to be occupying the building, I’m really keen that we have as much of a library facility as possible. It was confirmed to the committee this morning that councillors and ‘service users’ will be consulted once the detailed design is complete and I’m hopeful that the plans will be unveiled at the next Trinity Ward Committee meeting (Thursday 22nd September, 7.30pm at Sutton Town Hall).
The original money set aside for the ‘modernisation and refurbishment’ programme (£236,000) was clawed back into the central city council pot in 2010, when the building was closed. (see page 11: cabinetsuttonlibrary)
Now that the plans are coming together, I’ve asked for it back.
08 Thursday Sep 2011
Posted in birmingham, music
There are some great festivals held in Birmingham every year but the two big events put on in Moseley Park are amongst the very best. Mostly Jazz, held in July and now in its second year, and last weekend’s Moseley Folk Festival, which has been going since 2006, are brilliant examples of how it’s possible to hold a ‘get away from it all’ festival in the middle of a big city. So you get the feel of a big festival (multiple stages, pirates, stalls selling ‘wacky’ hats) without the potential for its attendant misery (long treks from the car with all your stuff, a relentless flow of people, mud that you remain caked in for the weekend). Apart from the programming, the friendly atmosphere, and all the other factors that make the Moseley festivals so good, there’s the setting: a small, secluded park with a natural amphitheatre, just off a busy high street.
This ought to be a model that can be transferred to other parks across the city, though of course if you’re going to hold a festival near to where people live, you’ve got to keep the neighbours on side. I get the impression that they get round this at Moseley primarily because the organisers are wise to it and approach the issue sensitively, but also because the event is professionally run, with adequate levels of security and a sensible 10.30 p.m. curfew. And, crucially, because the park is privately owned, any money raised by hiring it out is ploughed right back in to making improvements. If we want more events like this to be held across the city in our public parks (and I believe we do) then at the very least we need to ensure that money raised locally is invested locally, and not diverted into a central council pot. After all, people are much more likely to put up with some inconvenience if they know that events such as these will help fund improvements in their local neighbourhoods. And at time when the council doesn’t have a huge amount of cash to spread around, changing the way it does things (as well as providing help with publicity) is an inexpensive and effective way of showing its support.
06 Tuesday Sep 2011
Posted in birmingham
Up to date ‘child measurement’ figures have been released today, showing levels of obesity amongst Birmingham children at ward and constituency level. There’s a huge amount of data but I’ve put links to what I think are the most pertinent graphs below. There’s a clear link between obesity and deprivation with the figures showing that:
obesityward (where a category has a significantly higher obesity prevalence than the Birmingham average it is shaded in red, if it is significantly lower than it is shaded in green)
05 Monday Sep 2011
Posted in birmingham
Just received the following from BCC:
1st September 2011
BULLETIN 4 – SUPPORT FOR BIRMINGHAM BUSINESSES AFFECTED BY THE DISTURBANCES
The Business Recovery page on the Birmingham City Council Website is now fully live, so information about the support available together with grant application forms, can now be obtained from www.birmingham.gov.uk/businessrecovery
As previously stated, the deadline for submission of applications is 9th September 2011. These applications will be assessed shortly after the deadline and businesses will be informed as quickly as possible of the outcome of their application. A second phase of applications will now be accepted if submitted by 16th September 2011. Again, these applications will be processed and a decision made as soon as possible.
Following on from the session we organised for businesses on Wednesday 24th August, we can now give details of 4 further drop-in sessions. These sessions are taking place in Local Centres, but are open to businesses from all over the city which were directly affected by the disturbances. The sessions are:
| Monday 5th September 10am – 12pm | Handsworth Community Fire Station
41 Rookery Road, Handsworth, Birmingham, B21 9QU |
| Monday 5th September 2pm – 4pm | Perry Barr Methodist Church
Aston Lane Handsworth, B20 3BP |
| Tuesday 6th September 10am – 12pm | New Testament Church
240-244 Lozells Road, Birmingham, B19 1NP |
| Tuesday 6th September 2pm – 4pm | ACMC – 339 Dudley Road
Winson Green, B18 4HB |
The Chief Constable of West Midlands Police has still not made any announcements regarding the declaration of a riot which would activate the Riot Damages Act. We would advise that businesses go to the West Midlands Police Authority website via the following link. This will give access to further details about eligibility and claim process as well as a link to the claim form.
http://www.west-midlands-pa.gov.uk/riotdamagesact.asp
Please note that claims must be submitted no more than 42 days after the incident in order to qualify (ie.19th/20th September). Claims can only be made for direct costs resulting from damage or looting during the disturbances – loss of earnings is not covered. This funding will only cover costs which cannot be claimed through an insurance policy.
West Midlands Police Authority will be holding a public meeting at the Midlands Arts Centre at 9am on Thursday 8 September 2011 to consider the recent disturbances in the West Midlands.
Support |
Criteria |
| Recovery Fund | SMEs only. Businesses must carry insurance. Losses relating to damage & looting which are not covered by insurance can be claimed, along with exceptional business costs directly related to the disturbances. |
| Business Rates Hardship Relief Fund | Open to all businesses, insured or not, who have suffered or are likely to suffer hardship as a result of the disorder. |
| Riot Damages Act | All businesses damaged/looted during the unrest. Claims can only be made for uninsured losses due to damage & theft. |
| Crisis Support Team | 0800 073 0440 between 8am and 8pm Monday to Friday. |
We now have information about 3 further financial support schemes available to businesses.
Please note that these schemes are not being administered by Birmingham City Council, and we have no influence over how funds are distributed. Please direct any questions you have about these schemes directly to the providers.
The High Street Fund:
The High Street Fund is aimed at helping businesses carry out repairs, replace stock, and return to trading.
http://www.thehighstreetfund.co.uk/index.htm
Reclaim Our Streets:
The Daily and Sunday Express has launched a major new crusade to Reclaim Our Streets and help raise funds for the hard-working people and businesses hit by the devastating outbreak of rioting.
http://www.express.co.uk/reclaimourstreets
Birmingham Mail Fightback Fund:
Small businesses directly affected by the can apply for a grant of up to £1000 from this fund.
http://www.birminghammail.net/news/top-stories/2011/08/24/no-headline-97319-29293167/
05 Monday Sep 2011
Posted in Trinity Ward, Uncategorized
Friday saw the official opening of the Our Place Community Hub in Farthing Lane, Sutton Coldfield and I was delighted to have had the chance to see the huge progress that has been made on what were, until recently, two derelict buildings. Established by the Sutton Central Group of the extended schools ‘cluster’, the self sustaining hub will deliver a wide range of services for the whole of the local community but will be particularly focused on children, young people and families. The centre will offer youth sessions, coffee mornings and parenting drop in sessions as well as counselling and support for carers. Organisations such as Relate, Carers UK and Mind have already signed up but the hub is open to suggestions of future services that could be provided.
01 Thursday Sep 2011
Posted in birmingham, Trinity Ward
Just received an update on the potentially toxic algae in Sutton Park:
The blue-green algae is a naturally occurring widespread phenomenon that declines with the autumn weather and is not uniquely linked to Sutton Park. BCC is following the advice of the Environment Agency and advising park owners to keep themselves and their animals out of affected water as a matter of good practice. Technically the hazard lies in ingesting considerable amounts of a scum that can develop in the presence of the algae. This hasn’t yet developed at Sutton Park.
Advisory notices have been placed at the two affected areas, Keepers Pool and Blackroot Pool, and ongoing observation and monitoring of the outbreak will continue.
Keeping out of any water is good practice for most people, but doesn’t extend to pool users for sailing, kayaking and angling. Those involved in such activities are generally familiar with these kind of risks and can manage the situation by following routine good practice. This often requires no more than simple soap and water washing after contact with water.
Expert advice can be sourced via the Environment Agency website or contact helpline 0870 850 6506.
01 Thursday Sep 2011
Posted in Uncategorized
Espirito Mundo is a ‘cross cultural’ exchange project, set up to build links between artists in the Espirito Santo region of Brazil and creative talent around the world. Brazilian artists and musicians fly out to a host city, put on a collaborative festival with local artists and then return the favour 12 months later with an event hosted in their home country, attended by representatives from all those cities they have built links with. It’s an ongoing ‘cultural exchange’ and European partners include Celles Sur Belle and Aix en Provence in France and the Spanish capital, Madrid.
They’re only interested in cities where there’s a wealth of creative talent and where they’re guaranteed a warm welcome and, to the immense credit of everyone involved in this festival, between 16 and 18th September the project is coming Birmingham, the first and only UK city that they’ve partnered with.
It’s a real vote of confidence in this city and given the ‘popular music’ review that we’re conducting at the city council, I particularly enjoyed this, from the Espirito Mundo website:
Birmingham is a hub for British culture, birthplace of groups such as Led Zeppelin, UB40, Duran Duran, The Beat, Steel Pulse, Judas Priest and Black Sabbath. A strong underground culture around drum and bass, punk, reggae and dub, hip hop, graffiti, jazz, folk music, cinema and visual arts exists within the city.
