City Council Notes of the meeting of the Billesley Ward Meeting 12 December 2016 at 7pm at Holy Cross Community Centre, Beauchamp Road B13 0NS

Present: Councillor Alex Buchanan in the Chair, Councillor Susan Barnett & Councillor Phil Davis Sergeant Neil Ogden, Police West Midlands Fire Service representatives Kay Thomas, Community Governance Manager

There were 7 residents also in attendance

1. Notice of Recording – Noted 2. Apologies – Steve McCabe M.P. 3. Petitions – none submitted

4. WEST MIDLANDS FIRE SERVICE

The meeting was advised that the West Midlands Fire Service was currently consulting with residents on how the fire service was organised and how it operated. The feedback received would help shape the service. The form for responses could be found at the West Midlands Fire Service website or at [email protected]. Station crew would offer assistance with the form on request. Councillor Davis queried whether fire stations were at risk of closure. The meeting was advised this was not the case at present but budgets were constantly reducing but reductions in back staff and joining services with police and ambulance services were currently being considered to mitigate closures.

In response to a concern raised regarding units in Road and the storage of flammable substances the meeting was advised that the majority of the units were empty and a system was in place to keep a check on the units and regular visits were made to the address.

Concern was expressed regarding the possible loss of community engagement that the Fire Service was involved in if budgets were cut.

The Chair urged residents to complete and return the survey and to pass the details on to others. A resident undertook to take some forms to school.

5. UPDATE ON PROPOSED CHURCH OF FREE SCHOOL Councillor Barnett declared an interest as an employee of the Diocese of Birmingham.

Peter French, Assistant Director, Birmingham Diocesan Board of Education & Mike Wilkes, Christ Church Academy attended the meeting to give a brief update on proposals for a Church of England Secondary Academy school. The application for the school had been submitted to the Department for Education and if the criteria were met an interview process would follow. There was a need for additional forms of entry at secondary school level across the City and Billesley had been highlighted. If approved, a suitable site would need to be found and would be subject to planning regulations. The school was flexible on location. If all was successful the school would look to take students at year 7 in 2019.

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The Chair referred to the concern that had been voiced regarding the prospect of a new school in the area but stressed that no decision had yet been made and no location agreed.

It was suggested that the notes of this meeting be circulated to residents in the suggested area for the school. Residents generally welcomed a secondary school that was located within the ward, especially if Baverstock School closed.

Councillor Barnett noted that numbers of children from Billesley had to go out of district to find a school place so a good school in the right area was needed but she was aware of issues such as parking, therefore councillors were working closely with the church. Mr Wilkes said the benefit of a new build was that matters such as traffic congestion, safe routes to school, community use etc could be built into the plans. In response to a question it was confirmed that the school would not have a faith based admissions policy.

6. MATTERS OF URGENT LOCAL CONCERN a) New Ward Boundaries

The Chair explained the changes to the ward boundaries as from 2018. Councillor Davis referred to conversations regarding the possibility of a community council for Billesley