Kings Heath Junior and Infant school not to be expanded

I've received the e-mail below from Cllr Emily Cox, confirming that that any proposals to expand Kings Heath J&I School from a three form entry to four form entry have now been stopped.

E-mail as follows:

----- Original Message -----
From: Peter.V.Speers@birmingham.gov.uk
To: Emily Cox
Sent: Thursday, June 17, 2010 11:14 AM
Subject: Re: Kings Heath junior school


Dear Councillor Cox,

I believe that Councillor Lawrence has written to the school to confirm
that they are off the list of schools to be expanded for September 2011;
this will hopefully be shared with parents. We are now actively exploring
options to provide the necessary additional places at other schools in the
area; however, since the population predictions we have been given by the
Office of National Statistics indicate that the recent increase in births
will continue for some years yet, I don't think we can rule out looking
again at expanding Kings Heath Primary at some point in the future. We
never actually began the formal consultation on proposals to expand Kings
Heath Primary School so should we ever come to look at expanding it in the
future then we would of course carry out a full consultation process with
all concerned.

Regards,

Peter

Peter Speers
School Place Planning Manager

Suggestions for grass verge protection measures / walkway illuminations / grit bins in Moseley and Kings Heath Ward

Dear Resident,

I wonder if you could advise on locations in Moseley and Kings Heath Ward
that could benefit from grass verge protection measures, 5 extra grit bins
and walkway illuminations.

Moseley and Kings Heath Ward (and all other Wards in Birmingham) is likely
to be allocated £50,000 per Ward per year for grass verge protection
measures, 5 extra grit bins and walkway illuminations. The attached Word
documents explain the walkway illumination project

We have until 15th June to inform Highways of possible locations for these
measures - I apologise for the shortness in providing this information, I
was only informed of this last week.

My suggestions for measures so far are as follows:

Grass verge protection measures:
Wheelers Lane - from Howard Road East to Brook Lane. Priority to be give to
the section between Howard Road East and the entrance to Wheelers Lane
school
Barn Lane
Billesley Lane - first 50 metres from the Wake Green Road junction

5 extra grit bin locations
Ritchie Close - corner with Clarence Road

Walkway Illuminations
Cycle path through Cannon Hill Park
path through Highbury Park from the High Street to Dads Lane/Shutlock Lane
junction

ANPR Public meeting is on Wed 9th June, not Wed 7th June

Can I thank those who have correctly pointed out that the date on my e-mail yesterday was incorrect.

The public meeting to discuss the Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) scheme in Moseley is on Wednesday 9th June, 7pm, Kings Heath Primary School. This meeting is part of the monthly Moseley and Kings Heath Ward Committee.

I've also been asked to direct readers to an article that appeared in Saturday's Guardian newspaper about this scheme in Moseley. See http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/jun/04/birmingham-surveillance-cameras-muslim-community

Public meeting on Wed 7th June to discuss the Moseley ANPR cameras

There is the first of a series of public meetings to discuss the Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) scheme in Moseley on Wednesday 9th June, 7pm, Kings Heath Primary School. This meeting is part of the monthly Moseley and Kings Heath Ward Committee.

Representatives from the police and the Birmingham Safer Partnership will be there present to discuss the scheme.

To provide to some background.
In early April, several large square based columns were erected throughout Moseley in residential road.

The locations are as follows:
- Salisbury Road (close to the Edgbaston Road junction)
Woodbridge Road (close to the Church Road junction)
Greenhill Road (close to the Billesley Lane junction)
Billesley Lane (close to the Dyott Road junction)
Yardley Wood Road

There are also two additional round based columns. Their locations are:
- Alcester Road (next to the Chantry Road junction)
- School Road (close to the Cotton Lane junction)

These columns will be fitted with Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras. They were installed without any consultation with your local Councillors, the local police or local residents. As a result during April, Ernie, Emily and myself were contacted by angry residents not happy with these columns suddenly appearing in their roads.

Investigations by your Moseley and Kings Heath Ward Councillors have revealed these cameras are be part of a much wider scheme focusing on Sparkbrook Ward. The cameras have been installed by the Birmingham Safer Partnership (BSP) which is a joint committee of the police and senior Council officers.

Since April 2009, the BSP have been in regular discussions with the three Sparkbrook Ward Councillors about the introduction of this scheme.

The Sparkbrook area is now ringed by these ANPR cameras, of which the Moseley cameras form the southern border. The objective of the ANPR cameras is to monitor the vehicle registrations going in and out of the Sparkbrook area. The cameras will highlight to the police any stolen, untaxed or uninsured cars entering Sparkbrook. The ANPR cameras will also be linked to the police's central computer and identify any cars driven by terrorist suspects. All details of car registrations will be stored on the police central computer for two years.

Mindful, that the Sparkbrook Ward Councillors have not objected to the installation of the cameras. Your local Ward want understand Moseley residents views. Are residents happy with the installation of these cameras in principle; if the camera columns were blended in more, so that they don't stick out like a sore thumb, would they then be acceptable.