Councillor Mary Locke’s ward forum meeting agenda has been released. The meeting, which takes place on Tuesday 20th June, will include updates from Stuart Cross from Kier Highways and Councillor Majid Mahmood, Cabinet Member for the Environment to talk about his role and responsibilities.
The meeting takes place at 6.30pm at Stirchley Community Baths on the corner of Hazelwell Street and Bournville Lane. All those with an interest in Stirchley are welcome. Please note this is NOT a Neighbourhood Forum meeting, and the July meeting will take place as normal on Monday 10th July.
Birmingham City Council are looking to extend the Places for People scheme across more of Bournville & Cotteridge Ward. This will make further changes to keep through traffic on the more main roads.
The proposed changes are aimed to complement the temporary measures introduced to Bournville in 2020. This was where large planters and bollards were placed on Oak Tree Lane and Franklin Road to prevent motorised vehicles from using these side streets to cut through and avoid main roads.
Whilst these proposed changes are not in Stirchley, there are several changes that may have an impact on residents, notably the one way system on Bournville side of Mary Vale Road and a shared-use path along Bournville Lane.
For more information or to view the documents relating to the proposed changes, visit the Bournville and Cotteridge Places for People page of Birmingham Be Heard. The council will also be holding drop in sessions and an online briefing, if you would like to know more / ask questions. Information on these events are also on that link.
You have until the 2nd July to make comments via the Council’s website.
Over the last few days there has been reports about a planned ‘Bournville Eco Village’ on the site of the woodlands on Sparrey Drive and behind houses on Oxford Street.
Although this site is not in Stirchley ward, it boarders it and backs on to houses in the ward. So, it felt appropriate to inform Stirchley residents of additional information to clear up some confusion. Most of the information from the article has come from the developers’ website bournvilleecovillage.co.uk and as yet there have been no plans submitted to the council for approval, meaning that this is still very much in the pre-planning stages.
Ian MacLeod, director of planning, transport & sustainability for Birmingham City Council, wrote that he discussed these proposals with the developer in early February. He has also clarified “The site is of local importance to nature conservation and is also subject to a Tree Protection Order. Development on the site would not be supported.”
The article from the Daily Mail quotes the councillor for Stirchley, Councillor Mary Locke, but the woodlands are in fact in the Bournbrook & Selly Park ward.
A petition to save the Bournbrook Historic Woodlands has been set up by local residents who are concerned about the ecological and environmental impact of removing trees and disruption an eco community centre would have on residents, especially with an existing community centre a few meters away.
Since the national interest in the development, Bournville Eco Village’s website has a new notice that reads, in part; “We have not yet decided on the best way to move forward, as we are waiting on various assessments focused on the ecological impact on the woods. We hope you can see that we care about the environment from the people that we have chosen to work with on this project.” They have also said they intend to hold a public meeting to discuss their ideas with local residents in a few months’ time.
There are currently no scheduled election in Birmingham in 2023. However, from Thursday 4th May 2023 the process of voting in person will change.
Those eligible to vote will be required to show photographic ID in order to receive their ballot paper. ID that will be accepted includes a UK passport, driving licence (or provisional), older / disabled person’s bus pass funded by the UK government and others, which can be found on the Electoral Commission website.
If you don’t have the required ID you can apply for a Voter Authority Certificate on the Electoral Commission website.
The next scheduled elections in Birmingham are the Combined Authority Mayoral Election and Police and Crime Commissioner Elections, both due to be held on Thursday 2nd May 2024.
Transport for West Midlands are updating their Local Transport Plan and want to hear the views of Stirchley residents.
The Local Transport Plan is a document that sets out how they are reimagining transport in the West Midlands. The plan includes a core strategy that sets out the aims, vision and overarching approach to build a transport system that will help everyone thrive in a 45 minute region of 15 minute neighbourhoods.
From this, Transport for West Midlands have created six Big Moves with each move laying out key principles, policies and in some cases the specific interventions that will help achieve goals under a key area of action.
Transport for West Midlands want to make sure that their plans work for Birmingham residents. so they will be running a public consultation until 17 April 2023.
To let TfWM know your thoughts on the six Big Moves and for more information, please visit www.tfwm.org.uk/bigmoves
