BIRMINGHAM CITY COUNCIL LADYWOOD WARD COMMITTEE 10 DECEMBER 2013
MINUTES OF A MEETING OF THE LADYWOOD WARD COMMITTEE HELD ON TUESDAY 10 DECEMBER 2013 AT 1900 HOURS AT THE ORATORY RC PRIMARY SCHOOL, OLIVER ROAD PRESENT:- Councillor Kath Hartley in the Chair Councillor Carl Rice ALSO PRESENT:Pat Whyte, District Support Officer Andy Chidgey, Transportation Simon Hodge, Area Planning Manager Inspector Warren Little, West Midlands Police Sergeant Bryan, West Midlands Police Kay Thomas, Area Democratic Services Officer (There were approximately 25 members of the public present). ___________________________________________________________________ APOLOGY Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillor Sir Albert Bore, Clive Skidmore and Bob Churn ___________________________________________________________________ MINUTES 1122
The Minutes of the meeting held on 28 October 2013 having been previously circulated were approved and signed by the Chairman. The Chair advised on the budget consultation – ‘Have Your Say’ - currently being undertaken by Centro in respect of its controllable budget and residents were advised that a booklet explaining the budget position and a questionnaire was available for residents to complete and return to Centro.
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CODE OF CONDUCT 1123
The Code of Conduct for meetings of the Ladywood Ward Committee was received and noted. (See document No. 1) _________________________________________________________________ PETITONS
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No petitions were submitted. _________________________________________________________________ LADYWOOD TV NEWS The TNT News team showed a film from the young people’s reporting team based in the Ward. The recording of ‘Tonight in Ladywood’ showed news items and events from around the Ward since the last Committee meeting. Topics covered included:- An update on the Metro line - The founder of the Football League, William McGregor - Coffin Works, Jewellery Quarter Museum - The opening of the Library of Birmingham - The opening of the 13th Christmas German Market - Chamberlain Gardens Consultation ___________________________________________________________________ 20MPH IS PLENTY – SPEED LIMIT CONSULTATION
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The Chair explained that there had been a City wide consultation in respect of the introduction of a 20mph speed limit and that although the closing date had passed she had requested that information be provided to the Ward Committee as it was likely that Ladywood would be among the first Wards to be affected by the speed limit if it was introduced. Andy Chidgey made available copies of the consultation document and said that comments would be included in the consultation if submitted. The City Council had agreed a policy to look at 20mph speed limits on residential roads across the City and adjacent to schools, shopping centres etc. 3,000 responses to the consultation had been received and they were being analysed. A report would be submitted to Cabinet after Christmas and the way forward considered. Currently the priority for introduction of the speed limit was the City Centre and the areas of the Ladywood Ward that fell within the Ring Road, then the inner city areas from Nechells to Bordesley Green and then the outer areas. Information was available on the Council’s website, including information from other cities that had introduced 20mph limits. In response to a question the Committee was advised that enforcement would be a matter for the police but the concept of the introduction of a 20mph speed limit was 284
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to change motorist’s culture towards speeding in a similar way to that of seat belt wearing and drink/driving. The roads considered for the speed limit would be roads with an existing low limit and traffic calming would be introduced in areas where there were accident issues. A local resident said that main roads were also unsafe for pedestrians and cyclists and that there were many accidents and therefore those roads also needed measures to prevent vehicles from speeding. A local resident said that with regard to the safety of local communities this was to be welcomed but queried whether local housing managers had been involved in the consultation and whether this scheme was linked with the introduction of residents parking schemes. Andy Chidgey said that he would look at working with housing as some of the roads on housing estates in the area were housing controlled. The Chair said that when considering the Ladywood Ward, attention needed to be taken of the controlled parking consultation and that if 20mph limits were introduced they should be done in conjunction with the parking zones. The Committee was advised that a more detailed consultation would be undertaken if approval was granted for the scheme and the details would be reported to the Ward Committee in the New Year. ___________________________________________________________________ CHAMBERLAIN GARDENS PARK The Chair reported that improvements to Chamberlain Gardens were to be made but that various pots of money needed to accessed to fund the works. The concept behind the improvements was to bring the community together and leave a legacy. The first step towards this was to develop a Friends of Chamberlain Park group to design a master plan and continue to look after the Park. A consultation day had been arranged and replies had been received which helped create an idea for a plan of the Park. There was currently £50k from Community Chest capital funding that had to be allocated before the end of March 2014 to improve the recreation facilities and having analysed the responses to the consultation there was a desire for an adult outdoor gym. Details of other outdoor gyms across the City were shown to the Committee and the Chair explained that the site in Chamberlain Gardens for the gym had been identified as the area where the former paddling pool had been situated. It was also intended to use part of the £50k to fund a study into the restoration of the pagoda and its future uses. The proposal for the outdoor gym and study into the use of the pagoda would not impact on any proposals put forward by the Friends of Chamberlain Gardens Park. Councillor Rice expressed his reservations regarding spending money on a survey of the pagoda. The Chair referred to the condition of the pagoda and said that a survey would be required to assess the condition and ascertain the cost of refurbishment.
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A local resident said that the Park was a safe and valuable facility for the local community that could be improved and therefore the proposals were to be welcomed. A local resident referred to the number of ‘Friends of Groups’ that existed in Ladywood and queried whether it would be preferable to amalgamate into one Group for all outdoor spaces in the Ward. The Chair explained that it was important that a Friends of Chamberlain Gardens Park existed to enable trust and charity money to be accessed. A resident of Chamberlain Gardens referred to responsibility that the Friends of Group had to ensure that the legacy of Chamberlain Gardens continued for the local community by raising money to secure improvements but involvement from other groups would be welcomed. The City Council was looking to local communities to take ownership of local facilities and this was an excellent example of where the community could be involved and thanks were extended to Councillor Hartley for chairing the group. A local resident said that the consultation had suggested that a community café be operated from the pagoda and that a number of residents had indicated as part of the consultation process that they wished to be part of the Friends Of group but had not heard how they could be involved. The Chair said that the Open Space Officer would contact residents and that the Group should consider the café suggestion. After some further discussion it was; RESOLVED:1126
That the £50,000 Community Chest capital funding be allocated for the provision of an outdoor adult gym in the area of the former paddling pool and a study into the condition of the pagoda. ___________________________________________________________________ LADYWOOD DEVELOPMENT TRUST
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Councillor Rice explained that the Ladywood Development Trust would shortly become a company limited by guarantee which would enable it to acquire charitable status. The aim of the Trust was to bring groups and individuals together who represented the community but not to create duplication. Business in the Community had expressed an interest and given that the City Centre was within the Ward involvement by larger businesses would be welcomed. The Trust would aim to bring the local community together to develop networking and create a sense of belonging. It would also organise action days, clean ups and joint initiatives with partners. An allocation of £5k had been made to the Trust from the Wards Community Chest and clear guidance was required regarding the way this money should be spent. A local resident said that he had been struggling to find any information about the Trust and now found that it had been established and was therefore concerned about it inclusivity. Councillor Rice said that the Trust had started with a small group 286
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of people but was developing and new members were welcomed. Representatives from North Summerfield, Central Ladywood and St Marks were involved with the Trust and involvement from the Jewellery Quarter and the City Centre was being encouraged. There was no intention to be secretive and an AGM would be held in February to which all would be welcome as a public event. ___________________________________________________________________ SUMMERFIELD AREA OF RESTRIANT 1128
The following briefing note was submitted; (See Document No 2) Simon Hodge outlined the main points of the report and highlighted the age of the policy, the boundaries covered and explained that he issue had arisen due to the number of large, converted properties in the area. The factors that had been taken into account prior to a policy being considered were the number of similar properties and the erosion of the residential nature of the area. Due to the age of the policy it did carry less weight however applications for conversions had been refused on other planning grounds although it was noted that that changes to planning law meant that conversions into houses of multiple occupation for up to 6 people no longer required planning permission. Reference was made to the Greater Icknield framework which would be out for consultation early next year and identified substantial areas for development and the aim was to have mainly residential, family homes as part of that scheme. The Committee was advised that the issue was not one that could be tackled by the Planning Authority alone especially as the current Government was seeking to reduce planning control. A resident from Summerfield stated that the area had been regenerated with SRB6 and Pathway funding to become a regeneration area and Birmingham’s first eco village. The aim had been to make Summerfield a sustainable community and people had moved into the area, started families and the community had grown. However due to failures by the Planning Authority to maintain the residential nature of the area that community could not be sustained and there was now a demographic imbalance in the local population. The Area of Restraint had been put in place so that family housing could not be converted but this had not prevented many properties being changed into HMO’s, student accommodation and hostels. Councillor Rice said that the Summerfield community had been let down and residents had tried hard to sustain a community. Every effort needed to be made to assist residents in this rather than blame Government and he urged that the Area of Restraint be refreshed and improved. Simon Hodge expressed his sympathy for the situation and said that the Birmingham Unitary Development Plan included policies on this issue and this would hold more weight than the Areas of Restraint policies. Councillor Rice said therefore that officers needed to ensure that the necessary details were written into the UDP to ensure that balanced communities were sustained. 287
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The Committee was advised that issues around HMO’s were constantly being discussed at Planning Committee but enforcement was another problem and this was also challenged by Members at Planning Committee and efforts were being made to deal with the issue of student accommodation in Selly Park. A local resident said that Selly Park had been excluded from the Areas of Restraint and therefore officers were tackling the issue through an Article 4 direction and it was suggested that a request to extend the Article 4 into Ladywood be made as an enhancement of the Area of Restraint. Councillor Rice suggested that Councillors arrange a meeting with the Planning Officer to discuss the best way forward and report back to the Committee in due course ___________________________________________________________________ LADYWOOD WARD COMMUNITY CHEST 2013/14 The following report of the Head of Ladywood District was submitted; (See Document No 3) RESOLVED:1129
a) That the remaining Community Chest fund allocation for 2013/14 be noted. b) That £2,000 be allocated from the Ladywood Ward Community Chest fund for 2013/14 to Ladywood Health and Community Centre, as detailed in paragraph 5.2 of the report submitted. c) That the Head of Ladywood District be authorised to progress the project in line with the City Council Financial Regulations. ___________________________________________________________________ MATTERS OF URGENT LOCAL CONCERN Huntley Road Properties
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A local resident referred to the condition of a number of properties in Huntley Road and Councillor Rice undertook to discuss the details at the conclusion of the meeting. __________________________________________________________________ ITEMS FOR FUTURE AGENDAS
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The Chair reported that the Icknield Port Loop development and the Dudley Road/ Spring Hill planning application would be included on the agenda for the next meeting which had been arranged for 20 January 2014. In response to a question Councillor Rice requested that a briefing note be produced for a future meeting to update the meeting on the Cawdor Crescent development.
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OUTSTANDING MINUTES LIST 1132
Consideration was given to the schedule of Outstanding Minutes and all minutes were continued (See document No.4) The Chair advised that the Neighbourhood Tasking Group which involved the police and residents was developing a relationship with the NIA and was taking up the issue of coach parking with the NIA. ________________________________________________________________ AUTHORITY TO CHAIRPERSON AND OFFICERS RESOLVED:-
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That the Chairperson is hereby authorised to act until the next meeting of the Committee except that, in respect of the exercise of the Council’s Executive functions delegated to it by the Cabinet, the appropriate Chief Officers are hereby authorised to act in consultation with the Chairman and that the Corporate Director of Governance is authorised to affix the Corporate Seal to any document necessary to give effect to a decision of the said officers acting in pursuance of the power hereby delegated to them; further that a report of all action taken under this authority be submitted to the next meeting and that such report shall explain why this authority was used. ___________________________________________________________________ The meeting ended at 2105 hours.
……..……………………………. CHAIR
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