Moseley landmark tree is cut down

One of Moseley's landmark trees was today cut down.

The large fir tree, was in the front garden of 122 Oxford Road, at the junction of Oxford Road and Billesley Lane.

The tree was protected by a Tree Preservation Order, however the owner was given permission by the Council to chop it down. The tree was badly damaged in last years tornado and the Council's Tree Officer decided it was beyond saving.

The root of the tree will be dug out and an tree of the same species planted in exactly the same place.

Moseley and Kings Heath tree survey

All the street trees in Moseley and Kings Heath Ward have now been counted. There are 586 trees on 39roads.

To survey all of them will cost £3 per tree. A total cost of £1758.

I've asked Simon Cooper our District Parks Manager to put in a Community Chest bid in asap, so that we can get this survey done before April.

Once the complete Ward tree survey is done, it means we can start to pull together a 10 year tree planting and maintenance programme.

The problem we have at the moment is that we do not know where all our street trees are and in what condition. It means that our annual tree maintenance programme is very ad hoc, being based on local knowledge and how many complaints we get on certain roads.

The survey will tell us exactly where each tree is, what variety, how old, when it was last trimmed, what health condition it is in.

Each tree should be trimmed once every ten years - so we will be able to plan a 10 year maintenance programme.

Also by having the exact location of each tree -using GPS technology - we will be able to locate missing gaps. Plus, we will have all summer to talk to residents about the type of trees they want in their roads.

School Road, Woodbridge Road and Somerfield Supermarket, Moseley

I had an on-site meeting today with Transportation Engineers to come to an agreement on a number of issues that residents have raised with me. The issues were:

1) stopping cars driving along the pavement on School Road, between Blenheim Road and Cambridge Road
2) removing the one-hour parking limit on Woodbridge Road
3) stopping Somerfield Supermarket in Moseley leaving all their trolleys on the pavement.

1. stopping cars driving along the pavement on School Road, between Blenheim Road and Cambridge Road

This is a long running issue, for which I have reached the end of my tether with the Highways Department and doing ‘nothing’ is no longer acceptable.

What was agreed was to raise the kerb to modern height levels – at the moment the kerb is less than an inch high and cars freely drive along this pavement. The kerb will only be raised between Cambridge Road and the doctors surgery. The kerb can’t be raised in front of the doctors surgery since it would partially block two air bricks in the surgery. Two railings will instead be erected here instead.

The cost of doing this will be between £5000 and £6000 and this will be sought from the Vulnerable Users budget – this is being discussed at tomorrow nights District Committee.

2. removing the one-hour parking limit on Woodbridge Road

Woodbridge Road has a one hour waiting limit between Trafalgar Road and Church Road. Usually one hour restrictions are used for shoppers, however no shoppers use this stretch of Woodbridge Road and it is normally completely empty. The residents of The Hawthorns and Laburnum Grove have asked if it could be removed.

It was agreed to completely remove the single yellow lines on the north side of Woodbridge Road between Church Road and the police station.

The cost of doing this will be £2000 and money will now need to be identified.

3. stopping Somerfield Supermarket in Moseley leaving all their trolleys on the pavement.

Somerfield Supermarket is presently using the pavement to store their trolleys. Normally this would be acceptable if the pavement was wide enough. However, the pavement is not wide enough here and the Store Manager will now be contacted and told to stop this practice.

A Moseley householder faces prosecution for fatally damaging a historic Monkey Puzzle tree in their back garden.

The person involved recently purchased 9 Goodby Road, Moseley and started cutting down the Monkey Puzzle tree in the back garden. The tree was protected by a Tree Preservation Order, since it is within Moseley Conservation Area. All trees in a Conservation Area are protected

Two local residents contacted Birmingham City Council and the owner was interviewed under caution. The Council have yet to decide whether to prosecute or not.

Unfortunately the tree is fatally damaged.

Councillor walkabout of kings Heath (from my house in Southlands Road to Highbury Road and back) – Wednesday 11th January 2006

Graffiti –Graffiti referral form number 33 raised for items 1 to 4. Councillor Request mu01023 raised for items 5 and 6.
1) black coloured graffiti tag ’AMIGO’ on Telewest box on Cambridge Road, close to School Road junction
2) black coloured graffiti tag on Telewest box next to 64 York Road
3) silver coloured graffiti tag on black metal cabinet in front of 26 York Road
4) lots of graffiti tags on sign for Poplar Road Health Centre – sign faces kings Heath Primary School. Ladders will be required
5) black coloured graffiti tag ‘AG’ underneath bay window on frontage of the Goose pub, High Street, close to Bank Street.
6) blue coloured graffiti tag on frontage of 32 Bank Street

Dumped rubbish for Lifford Lane depot to remove Councillor Request mu01024 raised for items 7 to 12.
7) Wooden draws on pavment in front of 108 Westfield road
8) Various items on pavement in front of 51 Westfield Road
9) Two wooden draws on pavement in front of 76 Grange road
10) Traffic cones on the pavement in front of 43 and 33 Station road
11) Lots of cardboard boxes next to Salvation Army cloths recycling bin on Billesley Lane, close to Southlands Road
12) Lots of plastic bags full of bottles next to litter bin on Southlands Road, close to Billesley Lane junction

Action for the Selly Oak Hit Squad to remove – Councillor Request mu01025 raised
13. blue coloured graffiti tag on painted surface of 31 Poplar Road ‘Kind Barbers’
14. two large graffiti tags on painted surface next to Poplar road entrance of Morisson’s Supermarket car park – ‘JOKER’ and ‘TUNE’
15. paint over graffiti cover door across the road from 133 Highbury road
16. graffiti tags on painted surface of frontage of Ruprai Food and Wines, 112-114 Station Road

Bin bags on pavement – Councillor Request mu01025 raised
17) Advanced bin bag in front of xxx Bank Street
18) Advanced bin bag in front of xxx York Road
19) Advanced bin bag in front of xxx Westfield Road
20) Advanced bin bag in front of xxx Westfield Road
21) Advanced bin bag in front of xxx Cambridge Road

Large domestic furniture items in front gardens – Councillor Request mu01025 raised
22) Furniture items in front garden of xxx Grange Road
23) Roles of carpets in front garden of xxx Westfield Road
24) Lots of furniture items in front garden of xxx Westfield road
25) TV set in front garden of xxx Station Road

Section 4 notice required on property to remove litter/rubbish that attracts rats or provides them with a place to nest – Councillor Request mu01025 raised
26) sofa in front garden of xxx Grange Road
27) Chair in front garden of xxx Westfield Road
28) piles of clothes and sofa in the front garden of xxx York Road – can we do a thorough investigation of this property, something weird is going on here? It looks as if the garage to the side is chock full of rubbish and maybe a massive rats nest.
29) mattress in passageway between xxx and xxx Station Road

Shopping trolleys – Councillor Request mu01025 raised
30. Morrison’s shopping trolley in front garden of 86 Grange Road

Miscellaneous items – Councillor Request mu01029 raised for items 34 to 37
31) laurel bushes not trimmed in Balaclava Road – Councillor Request mu01026 raised
32) do the railings in front of 213 to 223 Station Road have planning permission? They are above 1 metre in height – Councillor Request mu01027 raised
33) which Council Department owns the overgrown Council land next to 9 Westfield Road? – Councillor Request mu01028 raised
34. can we tell Ruprai Food and Wines, 112-114 Station Road to stop leaves there wooden crates and trolleys on the pavement to the front and side of there shop – the pavement is not an extension of their store room!
35. ‘work in progress’ barriers scattered across the pavement next to cycle stand in front of Morrisson’s Supermarket, High Street
36. two plastic bollards missing from pavement in front of 31 Poplar Road ‘Kind Barbers’
37. Woodville road nameplate needs replacing at junction with Poplar Road – someone has scratched out some of the letters

Clamp down on A-board on Kings Heath High Street begins

I've just given the go ahead to start removing the A-boards from Kings Heath High Street. It is anticipated this will begin in the coming days/weeks

The A-boards along the pavement of Kings Heath High Street have reached numbers where they are both an eyesore and an obstruction to pedestrians. We waited until after the Christmas period so as not to affect any traders trade in that important period.

We think this will be the first time that the City Council has tried mass culling of A-boards. Removing them involves completely different legislation to that used for removing placards or flyposters.

The Moseley and Kings Heath mechanical sweeper has begun operations as of today.

It is intended that all the pavements in Moseley and Kings Heath will be swept once a week. Moseley and kings Heath shopping centres will be swept every day. Moseley car park will be swept once a week. Sweeping schedule is attached

This is the first time a mechanical pavement sweeper has been used on a regular basis in a suburb of Birmingham.

It is anticipated that the mechanical sweeper will dramatically reduce the level of litter in the area, AND reduce the level of weeds on the pavements - the regular sweeping will remove the build up of silt in the pavement into which weeds grow.

The mechanical sweeper is initially being rented, prior to purchasing in April.

After purchasing, we will then look at purchasing a machine which will wash the pavements of the Moseley and Kings Heath shopping centres on a daily basis

I've just received this update on the forthcoming replacement of Moseley public toilets with a Superloo:

"The power supply will be disconnected from the existing building on 15 January and they will close. Demolition of the buildings will commence in the following week. The Superloo has been manufactured and has arrived in the Country from France. Demolition, site clearance and preparing the footings for the Superloo will take approximately 2 weeks and the Superloo should be on site by the end of January. There may then be a delay whilst Central Networks re connect the power supply. We are trying to minimise this but cannot say how long it will take.......the order has been placed but they will not give an exact date to do the job until the building is in situ! We are working on this!!!!"

Councillor update on Planning Applications of importance in Moseley & Kings Heath Ward – Sunday 8th January 2006

S/04560/05/FUL, 123 Moor Green Lane, Pitmaston, Moseley - conversion of existing to residential accommodation and new build- Report In Draft S/05005/05/FUL, 34-36 Mayfield Road, Moseley - extension to existing care home to provide 3 additional bedrooms- Awaiting PP/Cons Exp

S/05119/05/FUL,St.Mary's Row / Alcester Road, Moseley - Erection of 6.5metre high metal 'Ent' sculpture- Report In Draft S/05316/05/FUL, 20 Amesbury Road, Moseley – retrospective permission for the erection of front wall, pillars and railings in excess of 1metre in height - Report In Draft

S/05759/05/FUL, 2 Alcester Road, land to the rear of 4-6a Alcester Road, Moseley - demolition of existing flats and erection of 24 new apartments- Awaiting case officer's report.- Withdrawn 19/12/2005

S/06678/05/FUL, 114 Moorcroft Road, Moseley, Birmingham, B13 8LU, Erection of part two storey, part single storey side extension, two storey rear and single storey rear extensions, first floor front and two storey front extensions. – Refused 15/12/2005

S/06406/05/FUL, 582 Moseley Road, Moseley – variation of condition C3 attached to permission S/03789/04/FUL to extend opening hours of proposed offices from 7am to 11pm Mondays to Sundays - Report In Draft

S/06764/05/FUL, 25 Billesley Lane, Moseley, Birmingham, B13 9QT, Erection of a two storey side , single storey rear and installation of two dormer windows to the rear - Awaiting Report

S/06845/05/BCC, 37 Park Hill, Moseley - Mulberry House, B13 8DR, Erection of two storey extension and internal refurbishments to existing residential childrens home - Approve – Conditions - 22/12/2005

S/06858/05/FUL, 72 Park Hill, Moseley, Birmingham, B13 8DS, Increase of fence from height of 2 metres to 3 metres. Awaiting PP/Cons Exp

S/06902/05/FUL, 5-9 Woodbridge Road, Midland Toning, Moseley, Birmingham, B13 - Erection of 6m high GRP chimney to contain telecommunications equipment comprising 6 x dual polar antennae, 4 x transmission dishes, 6 x equipment cabins, hoop top access ladder - Report In Draft

S/06949/05/FUL, 64 School Road, Land Adjacent to, Moseley, Birmingham, B13 9SW - Erection of roof to existing conservatory on detached dwelling - Awaiting Report

S/06976/05/FUL, 25-29 Alcester Road South, Pear Tree Public House, Kings Heath, Birmingham, B14 7JQ, Variation of condition C2 attached to permission S/02762/01/FUL to extend opening hours to 00.30 hours Thursday - Saturday and up to 02.30 hours on 'special days' eg Christmas Eve and Boxing Day - Awaiting Report

S/07036/05/FUL, 15 Coppice Road, Moseley, Birmingham, B13 9DP - Installation of dormer window to front - Approve - Conditions 30/12/2005

S/07142/05/FUL, 22 Goodby Road, Moseley, Birmingham, B13 8NJ - Erection of single storey rear extension - Awaiting PP/Cons Exp

S/07205/05/FUL, 193 Moor Green Lane, Birmingham, B13 8NT - Erection of two storey side and single storey rear extension. - Report In Draft

S/07568/05/FUL 16 Russell Road, Moseley, Birmingham, B13 8RE- Retention of single storey side and rear extension. Awaiting PP/Cons Exp

Moseley Allotment holders vacant allotment, whilst Councillor claims allotment holders may have been misled by the Council.

The process of vacating Billesley Lane Allotments begins this week. The allotments are very poplar and were the subject of a campaign to save them in 2002.

Two thirds of the allotments must be vacated by Christmas Day. The rest must be vacated by 2018.

Local Councillor, Martin Mullaney, is now claiming he has uncovered evidence showing that the allotment holders may have been deliberately misled by the Council so as force them to accept a ‘compromise’ agreement to vacate the site.

In 2002 the Council tried to compulsory purchase the privately owned allotments – the land has been used as allotments since 1916. The public enquiry into the compulsory purchase order found in favour of the private owners. The Council then had legal advice from a London solicitor. This legal advice has never been made public, however it was used to squashed the findings of the public enquiry.

The Allotment Association then asked if there would be second compulsory purchase attempt. Council Officers informed them that the legal advice said that a second attempt would be unsuccessful. This forced the Allotment Association to accept an agreement to gradually vacate the site over 15 years.

Using his ‘right to know’ privilege, Councillor Mullaney has been allowed to see the legal advice from the London solicitor. However, the Council has made it clear that Councillor Mullaney is not allowed to discuss or disclose the contents of this advice to anyone – he would be reported to the Standards Board and possibly disqualified as a Councillor.

Using the Freedom of Information Act, Councillor Mullaney has discovered an e-mail from the then local Councillor Bryan Nott, who had managed to see the legal advice. The e-mail gives Councillor Nott interpretation of the legal advice. Councillor Nott, a solicitor himself, indicates that the legal advice does NOT say a 2nd compulsory purchase would not be successful. At one point he says the following:

“I accept that the advice does not give a cast iron guarantee of success. No barrister in their right mind would do so. I realize that the position indicated is that ‘it is notoriously difficult’ to predict the outcome of a further enquiry. However the critical part of the advice is ‘I would conclude that there is at least a reasonable prospect that a fresh inquiry might result in a different outcome’. “

Councillor Mullaney is unable to indicate whether the above statement is an accurate reflection of the legal advice.

Councillor Mullaney would like the following done:
a) the legal advice on the Billesley Lane allotments made public, so as to stop this nonsense of having to use another persons comments to interpret the advice.
b) If the advice shows that a 2nd compulsory purchase order may have succeeded then an apology should be given to all the allotment holders who are vacating their allotments this week.
c) Files relating to the Councils interpretation of this legal advice to the then Cabinet Member for Leisure and Culture to be made public.

Councillor walkabout of Moseley (from my house in Southlands Road to Chantry Road and back) – Monday 2nd January 2006

Graffiti –Graffiti referral form number 32 raised for items 1 to 8. Councillor Request mu01006 raised for items 9 to 12.
1) ‘ONE’ graffiti tag on TeleWest box on Clarence Road, close to Blenheim Road junction
2) graffiti tags on BT box in front of 98 School Road
3) pink coloured graffiti tags on TeleWest box on Greenhill Road, close to School Road junction
4) pink coloured graffiti tags on green painted Telewest box across the road from 76 School Road
5) pink coloured graffiti tags on BT box in front of 66 School Road
6) graffiti tags on Telewest box across the road from 29 Chantry Road
7) graffiti on Telewest box on Chantry Road, close to Park Hill junction
8) graffiti on Telewest box across the road from 54 Park Hill
9) white coloured graffiti tags on brick wall in-between 131 and 133 School Road
10) yellow coloured graffiti tag ‘NEVER’ on front wall below shop window of 135 School Road ‘Ammi the Tailor’
11) lots of graffiti tags on the wooden fence across the road from 27 and 29 Chantry Road
12) lots of graffiti tags on the wooden fence to the side of 31 Park Hill – graffiti tags face onto Chantry Road and are half way down the fence. Tags include ‘NEVER’ and ‘SMOKESTER’

Action for the Selly Oak Hit Squad to remove – Councillor Request mu01007 raised
13) several blue graffiti tags ‘TERRA’ on painted surface on side of 67 Cambridge Road – graffiti faces onto Clarence Road
14) several graffiti tags ‘JOKER’ and ‘TERRA’ on painted garage door to the rear of 85b Blenheim Road – garage door faces on Clarence Road
15) graffiti tags on painted surface on the side of 2 Prospect Road – graffiti faces onto School Road
16) graffiti tags on the painted surface of 112 School Road – florist shop
17) graffiti tags on painted surface of 137 School Road – City Clipper barbers
18) graffiti tags on red painted garden gate to the rear of 117 School Road – graffiti faces on School Road, across the road from Baxter Court.

Section 4 notice required on property to remove litter/rubbish that attracts rats or provides them with a place to nest – Councillor Request mu01007 raised
19) Matress and rolled up carpet in front garden of 65 Alcester Road

Miscellaneous items Councillor Request mu01008 raised for items 21 to 24.
20) pavement requires repair in front of 52 Prospect Road, where tree blew over in tornado in July.
21) undergrowth from between xxx and xxx Oxford Road is obstructing half the pavement – projects forward by 1 metre. – need cutting back.
22) ‘Highway Works’ barriers scattered across the pavement in front of 8 Oxford Road – need removing
23) drain completely silted up across the road from 62 Park Hill – needs clearing out
24) lid missing litter bin in front of 38 Woodbridge Road – Woodbridge Newsagents Councillor Request mu01009 raised
25) front boundary brick wall in front of Lincoln house, Fleming House, across the road from 7 Chantry Road are well in excess of 1 metre – planning enforcement required. Front boundary wall in excess of 2metres at some points along its length and this is a Conservation Area!!!! Councillor Request mu01010 raised