OUR NEW SITE

Following techincal problems we have moved to a new site at:

http://www.oscottresidents.blogspot.com/

This site will no longer be updated.

MORE ACTION ON DRAINS IS NEEDED.

There are too may drains in this area which are blocked and as a result after heavey rain our roads are full of deep puddles. It is time the Council sorted out our drains. The ORA will be pushing for more drain cleaning in the Oscott area.

SPEEDING TRAFFIC IN DUNEDIN ROAD

The Oscott Residents Association are supporting Councillor Keith Linnecor in his attempts to remind the powers that be that there is still a speeding problem in Dunedin Road.
This Road and others near by are rat runs prone to speeding traffic. IT IS TIME THE COUNCIL DEALT WITH THIS ISSUE and A NUMBER OF SIMILAR ONES ACCROSS THE OSCOTT WARD.

NEW STREET LIGHTING IN OSCOTT

The Oscott Resident Groups are pleased to see that the Oscott Ward Committee (esidents groups and local agencies) recommendations that Atlantic Road and Good Way Road be next on the list to have their street lighting replaced, has been agreed by our Ward Councillors
(Keith Linnecor, Barbara Dring and Graham Green.)
Let us hope this work is carried out ASAP.

Oscott Elderly Residents Group Coffee morning

There will be a coffee morning at the 610 Community Centre on Wednesday 15th July. at 11.15am.
Why not pop in for a cup tea, cakes and a biscuit. There will also be an opportunity to have a chat and take part in a free raffle. All elderly Oscott residents and their friends are welcome.


For more details ring Maureen on 0121 681 1826

TAKE CARE HEAT WAVE ALERT ISSUED

Heatwave Alert Issued
The Met Office, in conjunction with the Department of Health, has issued a 'Level 2 - Heatwave Alert'. This is based on there being a 60% probability that the threshold maximum temperature (30°C) and minimum night-time temperature (15°C) will be reached on at least 2 consecutive days and the intervening night.

Heatwave Advice
Heatwaves can be dangerous, especially for the very young, very old or those with chronic diseases.
You are advised to:
Stay out of the sun
Keep your home as cool as possible -shutting windows during the day may help
Open your windows when it is cooler at night
Keep drinking fluids
If there is anyone you know, for example an older person living on their own, who may be at special risk, make sure that they know what to do
For more heatwave advice, visit: Emergency Planning Heatwave Advice
People worried about their health during the heatwave are advised to talk to their GP or pharmacist, call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47 or visit the website www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk for more details.

Queslett Nature Reserve litter pick

The next litter pick of the Queslett Nature Reserve will take place on the 11th July at 11am.The meeting place will be the Ashgrove entrance. We will supply litter pickers, black bags and gloves.Many of the reserves users have told us they think the reserve is a lot cleaner and we want to keep it that way. Children are welcome under the supervision of an adult.


If you would like more details please give me a ring on 360 6486

Councillor Keith Linnecor
Chair Friends of the Queslett Nature Reserve.

KEEP YOUR SHED, GARAGE AND REAR ACCESS WAY GATES LOCKED.

There has been a speight of thefts from garages in the Oscott area recently and the Police have asked us to remind resident to keep their, garages, sheds and rear access ways gated.
Why note consider investing on an alarm for your shed or garage and new pad locks.
Lets prevent crime together.

Brian Brookes &
The NPI Team.

USEFUL PHONE NUMBERS

HERE ARE SOME USEFUL PHONE NUMBERS YOU MAY WISH TO KEEP IN A BOOK NEAR YOUR PHONE.

YOUNG AND WANT SOME THING TO DO?
610 COMMUNITY CENTRE 464 2268
BEECHES SWIMMING BATHS 464 6296
GREAT BARR LEISURE CENTRE 464 6296
BASE K/S 464 5555
THE MARY VALE YOUTH CLUB 0771144083

FOR THE MORE ELDERLY
AGE CONCERN 358 0309
WINTER FUEL BILL PAYMENTS 0845 59 151515
PENSIONS HOT LINE 0845 6060265

GENERAL
COUNCILLOR KEITH LINNECOR 360 6486
COUNCILLOR BARBARA DRING 360 7565
COUNCILLOR GRAHAM GREEN 303 2130
KHALID MAHMOOD MP 356 8264
SEVEN TRENT WATER 0800 783 4444
BRITISH GAS O845 609 1122
KINGSTANDING LIBRARY 464 5193
REPORT AN ABANDONED CAR 303 1112
N.H.S DIRECT 464 4647

POLICE
GENRAL 0845 113 5000
CRIME STOPPERS 0800 789 9321
VICTIM SUPPORT 0845 3030 900

FOR MORE DETAILS ABOUT THE OSCOTT RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION PLEASE RING 356 6894 OR 464 1869

COACH TRIP FOR THE ELDERLY AND DISABLED.

The Oscott Resents Groups are organising a coach trip for the elderly and disabled. We will be going to the Black Country muse am on July the 22nd. Tickets will be given out on a first come first served basis to those in the above category.
Please ring 464 1869 for further details.


George Hough
Chair Oscott Disability Group.

KEEP OUR PAVEMENTS CLEAR.

The Oscott Disability Group have been busy reminding residents and shop keepers to keep pavements clear for pedestrians. The disable in particular struggle when pavements are cluttered up with parked cars and in some cases goods from shops. Please keep our pavements clear.

HELPING RESIDENTS IS WIDEACRE AND CRESTWOOD DRIVE

The Oscott Residents Association is fully behind residents in Crestwood Drive and Wideacre Drive and their attempts to get the Council Transportation department to resurface their roads. The carriage way in these roads are a disgrace.
We are helping residents collect names on a petition which Councillor Linnecor has agree to present to the Council.
The roads is Oscott are a real disgrace these days why does our Council take action?

POP IN TO THE ORG DROP IN

You will always get a friendly welcome from the chair of the Oscott Elderly Residents Groups

at the ORG drop in session.

The Oscott Residents Groups hold a informal drop in session every Saturday morning at the 610 Community Centre (10.30am).

Why not pop in for a chat and a free cup of tea. You can discuss any concerns you have, meet member of the various residents groups or even have a game of Poole.
Councillor Keith Linnecor often pops in to give advice should you need it.

LOCAL COMMUNITY GROUPS HELP TO PREVENT CRIME IN OSCOTT

Although there is a slight rise in the crime figures in the Oscott area, the local residents groups are doing their best to keep it to a minimum.
One practical example of this is the work of Brian Stevens from the Oscott Housing Liaison Board (A Tenants group) who has worked hard to find funding to have steel gates put on the end of entries in the Bandywood Estate area.
Other local Groups like the NPI and the Neighbourhood Watch have also worked on a number of crime prevention initiatives in the area.

NEIBOURHOOD POLICE INITIATIVE NEEDS YOUR HELP

RAY JUKES ONE OF THE NPI SENIOR CO ORDINATORS






The NPI are looking for new volunteers.
Street co coordinators are rang every month with general information passed on from the Police by Senior NPI Co ordinators. However should a policing problem occur in the road where a Street Co coordinator lives that co ordinator will be told on a Wednesday night.
Street Co ordinator receive information from the Police to pass on to neighbours and they can also pass back information to the Police. They some times help arrange public meeting and hand out crime prevention material. They are the "eyes and ears of the Community working with the Police to prevent crime" . Can you help?

Khalid Mahmood MP who met with some of the NPI Organisers recently said. "I have been really impressed with the work these residents do for the community"
Please ring 464 1869 for more details.

FUNDING FOR OSCOTT COMMUNITY GROUPS.

The Oscott Ward Advisory Board recognised the efforts local residents groups make in the Oscott Ward by recommending small grants of money are paid to these groups.
groups such as the Oscott Residents Association, the Oscott Disability Group, the Oscott Elderly Residents group, The Friends of the Queslett Nature Reserve, The Kingstanding Police Initiative, The Perry Barr Pensioners Convention and the Oscott Neighbourhood will all have a share of just under 2 and a a half thousand pounds between them. Divided between them.
It may not seem much but it will go a long way to help them to help local residents.
The finale decision on this funding will be made by our local Councillors. Keith Linnecor, Barbara Dring and Councillor Grahame Greene, but they have indicated their support.

DISABLED BAY OUT SIDE THE 610 COMMUNITY CENTRE TURNED DOWN

The Oscott Disability Group have been very disappointed by the negative response from the Birmingham City Council, to our petition calling for a disabled bay marking to be introduced outside the 610 Community Centre. It is time this Council did more for disabled Oscott residents.
We would like to thank all those who signed out petition and Councillor Keith Linnecor for presenting it to the Council.

MORE ACCIDENTS ON THE ALDRIDGE ROAD

Yet another accident has occurred on the Aldridge Road this week. This time near the Valley Nursing home.
Despite continues calls for thee Councils Transport chiefs to do something to safe guard motorist on this stretch of roads nothing is being done. There seems to be little or no interest in road safety in the Oscott area by the Councils Transportation department. We will continue the battle.

MORE DISABLE DROP CURBS ARE BEING INSTALLED

The Oscott Disability Group are particularly pleased to see more Disabled drop curbs are going in at the moment and would like to thank Councillors Keith Linnecor and Barbara Dring for their efforts. Those disabled resident who use mobility scooters (and mother with push chairs) will welcome this.

George Hough

Chair
Oscott Disabilities Group.

OSCOTT POLICE AND COMMUNITY ACTIVITY DAY GOES WELL

The recent Police and community activity day held on the Burford Road Playing Fields on the 28th of march went well. The Police had a good turn out and met a number of residents. All sorts of activities went on and people seemed to enjoy them selves.
All of the ORG individual groups were represented. Khalid Mahmood MP and Councillor Green attended. Every one spoken to seemed to think the event was a good idea let us hope they do it again next year.

MORE ROAD SAFETY MEASURES ARE NEEDED.

ORG are doing what we can to get a number of roads traffic calmed. The Council have again and again however rejected petions from our member. We will not give up fighting for our residents however.

PAVEMENT CAMPAIGN IN OSCOTT

oscott pavements are still a discrace. ORG have agreed to campaign with Councillor Keith Linnecor to make the Council more aware of the state of the pavements in Oscott and to try and get them to do something about them.
If you know of any problem pavements please give us a ring on 356 6894 and we will do what we can to get the Council to sore them out.

SKATE BOARD CONSULTATION

The ORG are please to see that at log last progress is being made regarding the introduction of a Skate Board park for local youngster.
Some of our member went along to the consultation event and asked a number of questions about it.
It will be located near the 997 / 33 bus stops on the Aldridge Road just inside Perry Barr park.
It will not be close to houses but easily accessible and passing Police cars can see it.
We think the kids in this area will get a lot of fun out of it and applaud Councilor Dring and her colleagues efforts getting a skate board for the area.

OSCOTT CENTRAL NEIGHBOURHOOD FORUM AGM A SUCSESS

The well known community campaigner Aubrey Longe was re elected as Chairman of the Oscott Central Neighbourhood Forum at their AGM Saturday 21st March.
A new committee was also elected on the day.
The OCNF have a number of concerns which they are trying to get addressed by the Council. These include road safety issues like the Greenholm Road junction, The problems with dog fouling in the area, the very poor state of our pavements and so on. They also fully support Councillor Keith Linnecor and his attempts to make residents more aware of the need to support our local shops or risk losing more of them.
It was also agreed that the OCNF would work with other residents groups in the area and one of the major problems faced by such groups was the bureaucracy by the Council.
Councillor Keith Linnecor who attended the meeting answered questions from those present and agreed to pass on a number of comments to the Council.

OCOTT CENTRAL NEIGHBOURHOOD FORUM AGM DATE

The OCNF will be holding its A.G.M on the 21ST February. The Venue will be the 610 community Centre and the start time 11am.
Nominations for Committee posts will also be considered by post.

POOR PAVEMENT IS OSCOTT!

The question a number of residents ask member of the ORG a lot is "why has the Council let our pavements deteriorate so much over the last few years. THEY HAVE NEVER BEEN SO BAD"
We have not been able to find the answer to this one but believe if may be that the condition of our pavements is not a priority to this Council. They do not seem to care that in Oscott we have a number of elderly residents and a quite a lot of those have tripped over on our pavements which are in such a poor condition.
The groups that make up ORG will continue to press the Council for for fill their duty of care to our residents.

WHY NOT JOIN A LOCAL RESIDENTS GROUP?

The Oscott Residents Groups which is made up of The Oscott Residents Association, The Oscott Disability Group, The Oscott Elderly Residents Group and the Neighbourhood Initiative are always looking for new members.
If you are interested in the oscott area and would like to know more about any of the above groups please ring 356 6894 and leave a message.

ROAD REPAIRS FOR DUNEDIN ROAD ANNOUNCED

At long last the Birmingham Council have decided to carry out their duty to local residents and repair the concrete carriage way on Dunedin Road. the ORG have with Councillor Linnecor and like later on ouncills Dring and Green campaigned for many years on behalf of residents to get concrete carriage ways in Oscott repaired.
Council officers at a meeting have now informed us thanks to Goverment money in the pipe line the Council is to spend £230000 on repairs in Dunedin Road. This is a good if somewhat late start to getting concrete roads in Oscott properly maintained.
ORG will carry on the fight for all Oscott Residents with poor pavements and carriage ways and to try and get this Council to make up for lost time.

COUNCIL SAY NO TO ALDRIDGE ROAD/ GREENHOME ROAD TRAFFIC LIGHTS

Yet again the Birmingham City Council have turned down our request for traffic lights at the Aldridge Road / Greenholm Road / Thornbridge Road junction. This is despite the fact there have been a number of accidents there and children need to cross the road at that point to get to school.
The ORG are frankly discusted with our Council.
We recognise the support given on this issue by Khalid Mahmood MP, Councillor Barbara Dring and especially Councillor Keith Linnecor and our disgust at the Council in no way reflects on them.

OSCOTT COUNCILLORS SURGERIES 2009

Councillor Keith Linnecor has asked me to publish his surgery details and has sent me the information below.

I would like to remind Oscott residents that I hold a regular surgery on most Saturday Mornings at the 610 Community Centre at 10.30. If you would like to contact me by phone my Number is 360 6486 or 303 2039 (you can leave a message on either)

Councillor Barbara Dring also has surgeries on the 1st Wednesday of the Months at the 610 Community Centre 7pm.Or the first Thursday in the month at the Kingstanding Library at 3pm.Councillor Dring can be contacted on 360 7565
(We may rotate these surgeries)

Home visits are available for those with genuine mobility difficulties.

Khalid Mahmood MP for Perry Barr holds his surgery in Oscott on the first Saturday of each month. They take place at the 610 Community Centre at 10.30am. His office No is 356 8264

Councillor Keith Linnecor

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We have checked the Internet and Councillor Green does not appear hold Councillor surgeries for residents. We would suggest you contact him via the Birmingham City Council House.?

ORG