FINHAM NEWSLETTER 6Th Edition October 2020

FINHAM NEWSLETTER 6th Edition October 2020

Your joint newsletter with updates from: Finham Parish Council Finham Community Library Finham Residents Association Finham Neighbourhood Watch

Chairman’s Welcome I hope everyone is coping reasonably well with the coronavirus/covid 19. It cannot be easy for those who have/are housebound as a result and it would be pleasing if some of the younger residents and school children of Finham took the situation a little more seriously than some of them have done so far. What they do not seem to realise is that their health may not be affected but they could still become carriers if care is not taken in which case they may become responsible for infecting their older relatives who might becoming very ill or worse.

Coventry City Council Local Plan 2014-2031 I think it was Harold Wilson who coined the phrase “a week is a long time in politics”. Well since our last newsletter a great deal has happened and as I am becoming accustomed to expect, it is generally bad news.

As far as the Kings Hill situation is concerned, there is a detailed account later in this newsletter. If anyone wishes to know more or seeks clarity on any points, please email me and I shall try to provide any extra detail and/or clarity needed – [email protected]

Andy Street, The Mayor of the West Midlands, along with the Coventry City Conservative Councillors started a petition to encourage Coventry City Council (CCC) to review its Local Plan which as we all know is deeply flawed.

This petition, with 6,500 signatures was presented to the CCC at their monthly meeting on Tuesday 8th September, held via Zoom by Gary Ridley leader of the Conservatives who are also vehemently opposed to the 2014 Local Plan which is based on a 32% population explosion up to the year 2031.

Before he presented the petition Gary addressed the crowd that had gathered outside the Council House and stated his belief that the best way to rectify a clear mistake by the Office for National Statistics, was to push for a reassessment of the CCC Local Plan which has been indicated for March 2021. Only then can we hope for realistic projections – hopefully!

The CCC will only reconsider the Local Plan if they believe there has been considerable change from the current Local Plan. Since the current Local Plan is based on a 32% population explosion, a change to this plan is essential and will only happen if this council is persuaded to do so.

Such a review will only happen if CCC is persuaded to do so. If it believes 32% increase it is likely to see there is no need to update and make more realistic, the plan they are working to now. If you believe in the preservation of the greenbelt/greenfield which is likely to disappear as a result of the ONS projections, then get involved. Do not complain later when it is all too late.

My only hope is that Kings Hill and the many other greenbelt, ex-greenbelt and greenfield sites can hold out until next year when the CCC might reconsider!

It is doubtful the CCC has considered all available brownfield sites which should be the first consideration when representing the electorate in Coventry. Certainly, it is unlikely a developer would favour such a concept. It is cheaper, easier and more profitable to build on greenfield and greenbelt. The greenbelt being created in the mid-1950s to prevent urban sprawl. How long will it be before Kenilworth becomes a suburb now that Kings Hill appears to have been condemned.

Zoom Since our first Zoom meeting held on 21st May we have held one each month, except for August when we all took a break. Our next meeting is on Thursday 17th September starting at 7.00pm. Details of how you can access the meeting will be shown on the Finham Parish Council website. Our meetings are often lively, there’s nothing dry about them and if you want to keep abreast of what is happening in Finham and maybe become an influence for what is about to happen. Login and contribute, we would love to hear from you.

Our meetings are often lively, there’s nothing dry about them and if you want to keep abreast of what is happening in Finham and maybe become an influence for what is about to happen.

If you would like the meeting login, please email the Clerk at [email protected]

Councillor Paul Davies Chairman FPC

Who are we? Meeting dates Task Groups & Leads Councillor Mrs Ann Bush The Parish Council meets the • Highways (Cllr James Councillor Anthony Dalton (Vice Chairman) third Thursday of the month at Morshead) Councillor Paul Davies (Chairman) Finham Park School, Green Lane • Kings Hill (Cllr Paul Davies) Councillor Mrs Angela Fryer Meetings start at 7pm and all • Police & Crime (Cllr Angela Councillor Mansoor Ahmed parishioners are welcome to Fryer) Councillor James Morshead attend • Schools (Cllr Ann Bush) Councillor Ms Kate Taylor Meetings for 2020 • NHP (Cllr Paul Davies) Councillor Stan McCarthy • City of Culture (Cllr Kate Taylor) th Vacancy 15 October • Finham Festival (Cllr Anthony th Vacancy 19 November Dalton) Clerk: Jane Chatterton No Meeting in December

Vacancy – Parish Council Councillor We have a vacancy on the Parish Council for a new member. Do you have an interest in making Finham a better place for all to live? do you have a passion for making a difference? Have ideas for improvements, additions, getting problems sorted? Then we would like to hear from you.

If you would like further information or an informal chat, please contact the Clerk on [email protected] or the Chairman on [email protected]

FPC Task Group Updates • Coventry City of Culture – Councillor Ms Taylor On July 16th Ellen Booth, the City of Culture Producer for South West Coventry, spoke at our Parish Council meeting. She talked about the plans for next year’s City of Culture. Although things have obviously been affected by Corona Virus, preparations are being made and support given to the arts sector in Coventry and the wider area. The intention is to involve a wide range of Coventry residents in planning and taking part in the diverse events taking place .

Further information can be found at https://coventry2021.co.uk/contact-us/

Police & Crime – Councillor Mrs Angela Fryer The latest crime figures for July 2020 are as follows

There have been cars stolen from the drive in the Stivichall area and we would urge residents to make sure that cars are secure, and nothing left in the vehicles overnight.

The Neighbourhood Watch in our area continues to be very successful and the rapid sharing of information and CCTV footage plays an important role. If you have CCTV and have not registered it on the database, we would encourage you to do so. If you email [email protected] you will be given all of the information that you need.

Thanks as always to Tony Swann who works tirelessly for our Community.

In Finham we have a well-established Street Watch which was set up by Ruth Khan. Unfortunately Ruth is unable to continue her role at present but has asked me to pass on this message:-

Due to a sudden period of ill health mixed with what’s been a tough time as a health care worker, I have made the decision to step down as SW coordinator for the Wainbody ward. The decision was not easy and one I battled over for a couple of months however it is the right decision in order for me to get my health back to where it needs to be physically. I appreciate the support from all who supported SW and I know the local PCSO will be arranging for a new coordinator asap. I also know there remain open positions as a volunteer too. If anyone is interested in joining, the email to do so is: [email protected]

I think all Residents will join with me in thanking Ruth for the untiring support she has given us and we wish her a speedy recovery.

During this difficult time of the COVID pandemic it is good to see the Community spirit in Finham and to know that people look out for each other.

• Kings Hill Development – Councillor Davies As everyone knows by now, the Rt. Hon. Robert Jenrick, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government (SoS) has refused to ‘call in’ the planning permissions produced by both Warwick District Council (WDC) and Coventry City Council (CCC) for Kings Hill as it is considered important and necessary that local decisions should be taken at local level which puts us all in the hands of WDC and CCC.

The assistants to the SoS (the Finham Parish Council having not received the curtesy of a professional and direct response to our 4 letters) state that the SoS would only intervene if there were extenuating and unusual circumstances appertaining to the Kings Hill development. So, we can only conclude that he agrees with the Office for National Statistics projection of a 32% population increase between the years 2014 and 2031. Presumably, this now makes just the four organisations, WDC, CCC, Office for National Statistics (ONS) and the SoS that believe such an incredible projection. All the local organisations in the Coventry, Warwickshire, West Midlands and our local Members of Parliament, that have objected to the SoS in writing have been overruled.

There appears to be no common sense nor social responsibility being applied.

It has been stated by this lady in Birmingham that intervention is something that is resisted by the SoS to allow local authorities to make their own decisions which makes it all the more unbelievable that this policy appears to have been ignored by the SoS when he did intervene earlier this year in London.

Nowhere in the whole of the Midlands is there a population projection increase anywhere near 32% so it is perplexing to residents, Resident Associations and Parish Councils, why those in our local councils stubbornly refuse to listen and understand the protestations of so many of the local people and organisations most affected by the developments all around Coventry, including Kings Hill.

Out of interest, since 2014 the population of Coventry has grown by just over 6% and therefore we face the prospect of a further increase of 26% in the next 10 years! This of course assumes that WDC, CCC and the SoS know what they are talking about when deciding issues surrounding population increases which is the sole reason stated for the demise of Kings Hill.

A team of residents from Coventry met with the ONS twice in the past few months. During these meetings the ONS made strenuous attempts to explain their projections which they stood by and pointed out that projections are different from forecasts. No one understood their explanation for the difference!

Nevertheless, these projections have been used by CCC as forecasts regardless of how ridiculous they appear to any reasonable person.

On Saturday 22nd August, there was an article in The Times about Kings Hill. CCC is shown in a bad light and so is the ONS. In this article - “A spokes woman for the ONS said that ministers had given no sign of doubting the projections. ‘All of our methods have been explained to be fully transparent and helpful’ she said”. These are the experts we pay to carry out a thorough job especially when standards of living are threatened.

I think it fair to say that The Times is still considered to be the fairest and most even handed of all our national newspapers. As they say - There's none so blind as those who will not see.

We live in an age where “experts” are distrusted. In this case it is the ONS. This is yet another example where “experts” are not to be trusted.

Most of us have heard of the Governments new proposed rules for building for the future which are designed to reduce the time it takes for building projects to proceed. It is very doubtful that these new rules will suit those most affected by new housing estates. Justified or not, a cursory glance suggests a developers charter to ensure the governments target of 300,000 houses a year is achieved, whether they be in the right place, to the right standard, to the right specification or not is of less interest.

For the rules to appear fair for all parties and not just developers and local councils who cannot interpret accurately ONS projections, taking into account local conditions, there must be organisations representing the local residents who are the ones most affected. It is revealing to know that the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE), a national organisation, applied to be party to discussions on the formation of rules but were denied. So, who under these new enlightened rules is there to protect the ordinary person in the street.

One of the comments in the draft for the new policy is “Valued green spaces and Green Belt will continue to be protected for future generations, with the reforms allowing for more building on brownfield land”. Such statements really do not convince in their sincerity after what has happened to Kings Hill. There are still brownfield and greenfield sites within Coventry boundaries which are not being touched.

The SoS had a perfect opportunity to show he was sincere when he was able to scrutinise the reports and comments made about Kings Hill. Who on earth believes the population projections of a 32% increase for Coventry made by the ONS. Apparently, the SoS does as well as our two local councils.

Local communities appear to have less say and the local authorities will have more say. Well, the process that I have witnessed over the past four to five years is plenty of ‘consultations’, plenty of examinations and the right for affected individuals to make a statement and then everything they have said is promptly ignored. The new process appears to be a great deal worse, less consultation for a speedier process and after all has been said and done, can we trust that what has been said to the Examiner will be taken on board and used to affect outcomes.

What is needed is a process which allows those affected by huge housing developments to have some influence on decisions and for ‘experts’ to listen.

Finham Community Library

Keep up to date Our Facebook page ‘Finham Library’ gives information about current and planned events, and comments/news. Our website finhamlibrary.uk also provides an overview and a ‘Whats On’ page with a calendar. Its viewable on mobiles, tablets, PC’s and Macs. Developing the facilities – 2020

Layout We have new shelving, a newly painted interior and a new layout. This gives more moveable space and means we can accommodate more meetings in the future.

Further developments We have negotiated a new lease with Coventry Council to enable us to operate the library for the year ahead till June 2021.This means we can continue to provide vitally important services to the community of Finham and surrounding areas.

Your support Your continued support, use of the library facilities, and our amazing team of volunteers enables it to keep open and serve the community in so many ways. All financial support is welcome, especially regular donations and gift aid. Please ask us about how you can help. (see the website too!)

Above all, come see us, get involved and attend the events! Many thanks. Keep up to date. For details of events and activities: Please see our Facebook page, and the ‘Whats On’ page on our website

We’re on and finhamlibrary.uk Finham Green Rd, Coventry CV3 6EP. Tel. 024 7678 6974. Email: [email protected] Finham Library Action Group (FLAG). Registered in England & Wales. Charity no. 1178631

For more help or information please visit our web-site at www.finhamnw.org.uk

UPDATES FROM WAINBODY WARD COUNCILLORS

Who are we? John Blundell 76419794 [email protected] Mattie Heaven 07533422227 [email protected] Tim Sawdon 76415771 [email protected]

Litter Pick On 22nd August Wainbody Councillors together with local residents undertook a litter pick in the Spinny near the BP garage on St Martins Road. They collected eight full bin bags of rubbish leaving the area a lot cleaner. If you would like to be involved in the next litter pick please contact Mattie Heaven on 0797466163 - During the litter pick it was noticed there was considerable numbers of disposable masks that had not been discarded properly which could lead to a spread of Covid19.

Kings Hill Wainbody Councillors continue to press both Coventry and Warwick Councils to review their local plans on the basis the population growth figures are grossly overstated. To this end they are pleased that the Mayor of the West Midlands, Andy Street, had a meeting with officials from the Office of National Statistics where the population figures were challenged and another meeting is due to be held in the near future. Residents may have also noticed works being carried on at the junction of St Martins Road and Green Lane including a significant amount of fencing. We understand this is to repair a collapsed sewer and is not necessarily connected with any proposed roundabout or development on Kings Hill.

Petition By the time you read this Wainbody Conservatives will have organised an online petition which can be found on www.coventry.gov.uk/petitions. It calls upon the council not to sell any land they own on Kings Hill until such a time as the ONS population growth figures are verified and both Warwick and Coventry’s local plans are reviewed. If you are unable to sign the petition online, please contact Cllr John Blundell on 02476-7641 9794.

Diffusion Tubes At the last meeting of Finham PC concern was raised about the level of air pollution in the St Martins Road / Green Lane area of Finham where the proposed junction/ roundabout for Kings Hill would be situated. Your Wainbody Ward Councillors agreed to see if diffusion tubes could be deployed In Finham and a formal request was made to Coventry Council on 14th August to place the tubes in the following locations:

1. Bottom of St Martins Road by bus stop 2. Green Lane on the corner where the proposed roundabout will be 3. Green Lane by the pelican crossing

We are awaiting confirmation from the Council

(Diffusion tubes are small plastic tubes with a cap at each end one of which is coloured. Under the coloured cap is a steel mesh disc which is coated with triethanolamine (TEA) a chemical that absorbs nitrogen dioxide. ... This chemical change tells us how much nitrogen dioxide was in the air during the monitoring period.)

Schools Good luck to all the children who are starting school in September. It has been a challenging times for all and it is important to keep yourself safe during these difficult times.

Finally, We would like to thank all the volunteers who have put themselves forward during these difficult times. For regular update please see our Facebook page Wainbody Conservatives.

ADVERTISE YOUR LOCAL BUSINESS HERE Would you like to advertise your local business in our Quarterly Newsletter?

A small charge will be applied, and proceeds given to FLAG. Funds raised will go to support the continued development of Finham Community Library.

For further information contact [email protected]