BIRMINGHAM CITY COUNCIL HODGE HILL DISTRICT COMMITTEE 23 NOVEMBER 2017 MINUTES OF A MEETING OF THE HODGE HILL DISTRICT COMMITTEE HELD ON THURSDAY 23 NOVEMBER 2017 AT 1400 HOURS IN COMMITTEE ROOM 2, COUNCIL HOUSE, VICTORIA SQUARE, BIRMINGHAM PRESENT : - Councillors Uzma Ahmed, John Cotton, Mohammed Aikhlaq, Mohammed Idrees, Majid Mahmood and Fiona Williams ALSO PRESENT :- Mike Davis - Hodge Hill/Erdington District Head Danny Kilbride - Place Manager, Bordesley Green/Hodge Hill Mushtaq Hussain - Place Manager, Washwood Heath Jonathan Davies - Compass Support Mike Hinton - District Parks Manager Helen Bailey - West Midlands Police David Bromley - West Midlands Fire Service Marie Reynolds - Legal and Democratic Services ************************************* NOTICE OF RECORDING 434 The District Committee were advised that the meeting would be webcast for live or subsequent broadcast via the Council’s Internet site and members of the press/public may record and take photographs except where there were confidential or exempt items. _______________________________________________________________ APOLOGIES 435 Apologies were submitted on behalf of Councillors Marje Bridle, Diane Donaldson, Ansar Ali Khan, Mariam Khan, Shafique Shah and Ian Ward for their inability to attend the meeting. ______________________________________________________________________ MINUTES 574 Hodge Hill District Committee – 23 November 2017 436 That the Minutes of the meeting held on 21 September 2017, having been circulated to Members were confirmed as a true and correct record. _____________________________________________________________________ MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES Camera located on the Corner of St Margaret’s Road Junction and Washwood Heath Road 437 Councillor Mahmood referred to the above-mentioned location and highlighted that rubbish was still being deposited there and although it was being removed fairly swiftly, there was an urgent need to find the offenders and for some firm action taken in addressing this issue. Transit Site for Travellers – Bromford Recycling Site 438 Councillor Mahmood confirmed that the above-mentioned location was no longer to be considered as a transit site for travellers, highlighting that there were 2 sites within the city that could be used for this purpose. Hodge Hill Ward Local Innovation Fund (LIF) Proposals 439 Councillor Mahmood confirmed that Hodge Hill Ward now had their proposals in place for the above-mentioned funding and at the next Ward meeting they would be discussing the applications. He anticipated that all applications would be processed within the time period. Street Patrol – Ward End Park 440 Councillor Mahmood referred to the issue raised at the last meeting relating to sex workers located around Ward End Park, he confirmed that residents had formed a street patrol working in conjunction with the police. He stated that it had alleviated some activity however had witnessed a street worker on 2 separate occasions and therefore believed that they had now rearranged their hours of work. He suggested that it was something the police could look into. Light made available to the community organisation 441 Councillor Mahmood requested to the police as to whether the light (which licensing enforcement officers used) could be made available to the community organisation that were carrying out street patrols within the ward. ______________________________________________________________________ PLACE MANAGERS’ UPDATE 442 Danny Kilbride provided a brief update. He reported on the new residents group located on Bromford Estate which comprised of 106 residents. Reference was made to the work undertaken by active residents around Ambridge House and the open green space. 575 Hodge Hill District Committee – 23 November 2017 Danny referred to the work carried out by the Bromford shops which included raised beds and street lighting and the refurbishment work that would be carried out once the towers had been demolished. Danny referred to Collingbourne Avenue and confirmed that all the properties had been refurbished since the fire. He highlighted that there were now less ‘grot spots’ in the ward although there was still issues with St Margaret’s Road and Washwood Heath Road and at the rear of the shops off Bromford Drive. He referred to the investigatory work and the need for more joined up working with other wards in tackling this issue. He reported on the work carried out with regard to the public protection orders and the need for the signs to be put up and detailed the areas that they covered which included Ward End Park, and the shops located on Washwood Heath Road. Councillor Mahmood thanked Danny for all his efforts and hard work in carrying out his role as a Place Manager In response to comments from Councillor Aikhlaq relating to rubbish dumping in Leigh Road and Warren Road, Danny agreed to investigate. Councillor Williams provided an update on the old DSS office highlighting that the lease on the property was not long enough for investment to be attractive. She stated that enforcement were at the moment progressing the matter. She stressed the importance of the building not to remain empty as it encouraged fly-tipping which Danny fully endorsed. Danny referred to the consultation relating to the hard standing bin areas and fences on Hobmoor Road which he highlighted would help to tackle fly-tipping issues. He further referred to the residents meeting held at Blakeland Street which he highlighted was gathering momentum. He confirmed that there had been a number of issues discussed there which in turn would be resolved. He referred to the issue relating to sex workers on the corner of Coventry Road and Aubrey Road and detailed how this had been tackled. He highlighted that during the summer months they had worked with schools in undertaking litter picks which had resulted in a positive outcome. Councillor Aikhlaq and the Chair thanked Danny for all his hard work. Phil Grainger, Shard End Ward provided a written update which disclosed that Shard End Ward team had removed 95.10 tonnes of rubbish from housing land, including access ways and confused spaces. They had recycled 7 tonnes of wood chippings from green waste works and 6.5 tonnes of leaf mulch from green waste and leaf collections. They had also recycled one tonne of furniture that had been donated to the ‘Welcome Change’ charity. It was reported that work had been undertaken utilising the Shard End Ward tipper, wood chipper and leaf collecting/mulching machine. It was noted that the work had been undertaken by the Neighbourhood Caretakers, Place team supported by elected members, partners and local residents. 576 Hodge Hill District Committee – 23 November 2017 Councillor Cotton reported that Phil had now retired from the City Council after many years of service. He stated that Phil was very much a person of action who had worked closely with members and local resident groups. He concluded that Phil would be very much missed by all and on behalf of members and residents wished him every success in the future. Mushtaq Hussain, Washwood Heath Ward reported on the work that had been undertaken. He stated that the environmental budget 2017/18 had been used to support the Cotterills Lane project which provided additional parking and ground works. He highlighted that there had been a substantial amount of work carried out on the Cottsmeadow Estate, adding that repair work had been undertaken on the bin shutes at Barn House with similar work to be carried out at Essington and Mill House. He reported on the individual fire visits that had been undertaken and as a result of this they had located a number of abandoned properties. He further reported on the fly-tipping at Cottsmeadow Estate which was being progressed by waste enforcement and the amount of work undertaken by elected members and residents in educating local communities in getting rid of their household waste. He confirmed that since the bin strike there tended to be more fly tipping in the ‘hot spot’ areas. He referred to the incidents of fly-tipping in Phillimore Road and the need to continue monitoring. He confirmed that they would continue to provide support in educating residents in the local area with regard to fly-tipping. He confirmed that they had had some success with public space protection orders (PSPO’s) and that they were looking to extend them. He further confirmed that they would continue working with the police and referred to the several undercover operations that had been carried out involving the local community. Councillor Idrees expressed thanks to the Alum Rock Community Forum for their assistance in patrolling Washwood Heath Road in tackling the issue relating to sex workers. He added that the sex workers had changed their working hours and were now operating later on in the day, and therefore, it was important that a permanent solution was needed to be found in resolving this issue. Further reference was made to the need for the cameras to be re-located in other areas of the ward to combat the fly-tipping. In response to comments from Councillor Majid Mahmood, Mushtaq referred to 14- 21 Adderley Road which was owned by a private developer and was currently under construction providing retail properties. He confirmed that with regard to the Hal Hal Supermarket, now that the appropriate drainage work had been completed, the necessary works would continue in order to provide a car park. With regard to Jephcott Road, Mushtaq confirmed that although a car park had been discussed with local residents and Alan Porter, District Engineer, the costing to provide car parking space was in the region of £70,000. He added however that this could be looked into again. The Chairman concluded by thanking Danny and Mushtaq for attending the meeting and providing an update. 577 Hodge Hill District Committee – 23 November 2017 _____________________________________________________________ EMERGING EAST BIRMINGHAM EMPLOYMENT BOARD AND YPP CONTRACT 443 Jonathan Davies, Head of Operations provided a brief update on the East Birmingham Employment and Skills Board.