Weekend Survey

Along with some other local Conservatives, I spent some time over the weekend surveying parts of Ladywood ward. I spoke to loads of local people and I was very interested in what they had to say. I'm trying to get round all of the ward before the election, so if I haven't come knocking yet, chances are I will!

On a different subject, I'd like to welcome Cllr Stephen Bentley who has left Labour and joined the Conservatives on Telford & Wrekin Council over the weekend, citing disillusionment with the Labour administration. The Conservatives are making constant progress in our region against a backdrop of Labour waste and failure - welcome Cllr Bentley!

Target: Kings Norton

Kings Norton (its park is above) is a ward in the South of Birmingham, and it's one we're going to win on 3rd May. We have a strong candidate in Barbara Wood, and to show my support I'll be leafleting there tomorrow morning. We're all meeting up at about 10.30 am - if you'd like to join us, please drop me a line...

UPDATE 18/02/2007: Yesterday's leafleting went very well - the only snag was that my MP3 player ran out of power before the end...

Ladywood Ward Committee - second post

A few more details have emerged about the next Ladywood Ward Committee:

• Saturday 10th February at 10.00 am
• St. John's and St Peter's Church, Darnley Road, B16 8TF (http://tinyurl.com/yj7l4x)
• Agenda items include a swimming pool for Ladywood ward and a discussion of the Icknield Port Loop development. Download the full agenda at http://tinyurl.com/2xjp8q.

Again, the cheek of the Labour councillors never ceases to amaze me. In power for twenty years, their only achievement was to close Ladywood's only swimming pool at Monument Road. Now that they realise the Conservative-led administration is here to stay, it's on the agenda faster than you can say 'no petting'. Coincidence..?

Also, let's hope that Cllr Hartley controls the meeting a bit better and stops it being used as a sandpit for one or two, and enables it to be a forum for all.

Conference comes to Ladywood ward!

Yesterday, Conservative Chairman Francis Maude MP offically announced that the 2008 and 2010 Party Conferences will be held at the ICC, in our own ward of Ladywood. Francis Maude commented, 'Following the success of our 2006 Spring Forum in Manchester, we are delighted to be bringing our main conference to England's second city.'

This is a massive vote of confidence in Birmingham and its Conservative-led Council under Mike Whitby. The Conference is likely to generate about £20 million of economic activity for the ward and the surrounding area.

I can but wonder whether our own hugely successful City Branch drinks event last December played some small part in the decision...

UPDATE 05/02/2007: Watch The Stirrer's interview with Francis Maude and Mike Whitby about the announcement at http://www.brightcove.com/title.jsp?title=472121918&channel=353512426.

Terrorism-related arrests

I just want to say a few words about the recent arrests in Birmingham under the Terrorism Act. We live in an uncertain and unstable world, and threats can come from anywhere. The police have clearly been working hard behind the scenes in difficult and challenging circumstances. If what we've been hearing in the media is true, the police have foiled a very serious plot and they deserve our gratitude.

For obvious reasons, the police have to remain quite tight-lipped about some of the specifics, in case it affects ongoing operations or the due process of law. However, West Midlands Police did release a statement earlier via the Key Individual Network. You can read the statement at http://tinyurl.com/29zgle.

If you'd like to join the KIN to receive this kind of information, please go to http://tinyurl.com/y5h40t.

At times like these, it can be tempting to believe that the police are deliberately targetting one community or another. However, nothing could be further from the truth - it's just that the nature of the threat means that sometimes it can look that way on the surface. The police are trying to protect us all and and they continue to have my full support.

City and Sandwell General Hospitals: What's happening

Last night, I attended a public meeting at Ladywood Arts & Leisure Centre, discussing the changes at City Hospital and Sandwell General Hospital. Neither is in Ladywood ward, but we're reliant on these hospitals providing a good service.

It's fair to say that the meeting wasn't well attended; this goes for the Ladywood Labour councillors too, none of whom was there.

You can find full details of the proposals at http://www.towards2010swb.nhs.uk/. In summary:

• Concentrate inpatient planned general, orthopaedic and some other surgery at City.


• Concentrate inpatient emergency general/trauma and inpatient lower bowel surgery at Sandwell.


• Create a PDU (Paediatric Assessment Unit) at City.


• Concentrate children's overnight stays at Sandwell.


• Level 1 neonatal unit at Sandwell.


• Level 2 neonatal unit for younger, sicker babies at City.

I asked a question about recruitment of nursing, medical and other staff from developing countries - I don't think we should be depriving these countries of this essential resource, and we should be capable enough of providing our own. I was told that there is no barrier to recruiting anyone from any country. Strange, because I thought that the Labour government had announced a moratorium on recruitment from developing countries. Can anyone shed any light on this?

New con trick in Birmingham city centre

I've just received this email from West Midlands Police that I thought I'd share with you:

Police in central Birmingham would like to take this opportunity to advise you about a new trend whereby pairs of young people, both male and female, are approaching people with clip boards or pieces of paper and allege that they are collecting sponsorship, donations or conducting a survey. These groups speak to and distract victims whilst they are stealing their valuables, sometimes by covering the victim’s property with the clip board or magazine and stealing valuables from underneath.

Some of these offences have been occurring in cafes and pubs.

We ask you to be aware of the security of your belongings. If you have any information or concerns please call Steelhouse Lane police station on 0845 113 5000. Or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
In an emergency please call 999.

Jewellery Quarter competition

Are you a Jewellery Quarter jeweller? Fancy making a name for yourself?

30 years ago this year, Lord (then Sebastian) Coe won his first major title: the 800 metres at the European Athletics Indoor Championships in Spain. Birmingham City Council’s Creative Industries Team is looking for someone to produce a gift for Lord Coe to commemorate his arrival on the international scene, to be presented when he attends this year's Championships at Birmingham's NIA.

There's a £500 prize up for grabs, plus a further £500 for production costs.

The deadline to submit your design is 26 January, with production in February. For further information, contact Shasta Rashid: shasta.rashid@birmingham.gov.uk / 0121 303 2462.

P.S. Prize if anyone can correctly identify the attached trophy...

Ladywood Ward Committee

The next meeting of the Ladywood Ward Committee will take place on Saturday 10th February at St. John's and St Peter's Church, Darnley Road, B16 8TF (http://tinyurl.com/yj7l4x). No further details as yet, including time. Will let you know when I know!

Today's agenda

Sorry things have been a little slow on here over the last couple of weeks - Christmas happened, then I was on holiday over New Year. It turns out that there wasn't a computer at the top of the mountain where I was. Had a great time though, and I'm raring to take on Labour in May.

Today, I'll be out and about round Ladywood taking the photos for this month's leaflet. I'm tempted to go on the offensive regarding Labour's recent activities in the area: this year's candidate Albert Bore has recently been appointed Chair of University Hospital Birmingham by a four-person panel which was selected by a former Labour Councillor and contained another former Labour councillor, a current Labour Councillor and a known Labour supporter. This additional workload is bound to affect how much time he can give to the people of Ladywood.

There also seem to be some strange goings-on in Ladywood's Constituency Labour Party. Elaina Cohen, a defector from the Conservatives, has recently taken up an official position and looks to be manoeuvring to be Labour's next Parliamentary Candidate after Clare Short goes...

(Thanks to Duncan Borrowman for the image.)

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

That's it really - have a great time over the festive season! See you next year...

City Branch 1st Annual Christmas Cocktails and Canapés

Monday's social event of the season went brilliantly. Guest of honour, Rt Hon Francis Maude MP, was on good form. The cocktails were great and so were the canapés! The event was well attended, everyone had a brilliant time and we made a significant amount for Party funds.

Many thanks to the main organisers Louise and Nick, and to our hosts, Bar One Ten.

Hope to see you all next year..!

Birmingham Conservative Manifesto 2007

We're currently drawing up the manifesto for Birmingham's local elections on 3rd May 2007. What would you like to see in it? Leave a comment, or do my online survey!

My new leaflet

The new leaflet for the City Centre and Jewellery Quarter is going out now. In this leaflet, I concentrate on:

1. Postal voting. It can be far easier and more convenient to vote by post. Download the form!

2. City Centre park. The first new City Centre park for over a century is being planned, and the designers have been shortlisted.

3. Safety in the Jewellery Quarter. A network of cameras is going up, and the police are moving to a community policing approach.

4. Achievements since 2004, when the Conservative-led administration took over. Plans to double recycling, £127 million for affordable housing...

5. A short survey on issues affecting you. You can also do it online!

'But Pete, aren't you blogging tactical information, which could be useful to your opponents?' I don't care - bring it on! In fact, you can download my new leaflet here: http://tinyurl.com/yc4ysa.

What happened at the Ladywood Ward Committee

Last night's Ladywood Ward Committee meeting took place at Barford Primary School. Thanks to the school for hosting it - if I'd known there would be sarnies, I wouldn't have brought crisps with me! ;-) Now down to the issues...

Icknield Port Loop Development Initiative

The meeting heard from Planning and the major landowners: Isis, Concept Developments and Advantage West Midlands. First thing to say is that it was encouraging that they attended in the first place and appear genuinely interested in hearing what residents have to say.

Planning's target is to produce a family-friendly development with affordable housing. A draft masterplan for the Loop is being prepared and should be presented to the Committee in early 2007.

Isis is a joint venture company with British Waterways being the major player. Their objective is to do something more creative than just sell off land to the highest bidder. They've been talking to local interest groups (still some work to do there), and consistently found that residents want decent amenities, houses not just apartments, and that congestion along Icknield Port Road needs to be addressed.

Concept Developments is focussing on the Biddle and Webb area and envisage a mixed-user scheme including housing.

Advantage West Midlands is committed to a comprehensive scheme, but this may not take the form of a single planning application as the different players move at different speeds.

I asked whether the owners had spoken to Joe Holyoak, who recently presented a development plan for Edgbaston Reservoir (pictured). The areas are contiguous, and it's important that both schemes are consistent and sympathetic with each other. All said that they had.

One attendee made a very good speech about the owners getting excited about the development, looking at it as an opportunity to bring some European-class architecture to the area, and putting Ladywood on the map. Couldn't agree more.

All in all, a good start.

Summerfield and North Summerfield Housing

A brief but informative report told us that the current aim is to reduce the number of houses that have been converted into flats, and the amount of antisocial behaviour, including prostitution.

The investment in the area (e.g. better railings), had led to landlords putting their own money into the area, a sort of virtuous circle. Anyone who's visited the area recently will be aware of the transformation that's taken place over the last couple of years, and the Council hopes to use the project as a model to roll out across similar areas.

Barford School Playground Extension

There have been many objections over several years to this scheme; one of the main issues is that it requires altering a public right of way. A public enquiry is unlikely and final approval is in progress.

Asset Management Planning

Little to say about this one other than Ward service delivery will follow a hub-and-spoke model, with major centres delivering the bulk of services, and smaller distributed centres delivering a scaled-down equivalent.

Meeting Conduct

I was very unhappy with the way the meeting was conducted by Cllr Kath Hartley. One or two people were allowed to dominate, sometimes speaking flippantly for no apparent reason. In particular, I was shocked that an allegation of racism (albeit semi-serious) from one member of the public was allowed, with virtually no comment from the three Councillors present. The meeting is descending into a playground, and it must be stopped.

Additionally, Cllr Hartley waited for the owners of the land at Icknield Port Loop to leave, before asking members of the public to lobby more vocally for a swimming pool at the site the next time this comes up for discussion! Labour was in power in Birmingham for twenty years, and the only thing they achieved was closing Ladywood's only swimming pool at Monument Road. Now that they're out of power, they've put it on the agenda again, and they're asking the public to come in on this political maneuvering. Desperate...

Monthly drinks last night...

Last night, we had the City Branch monthly drinks event at Utopia The Bar on Church Street in the City Centre. It was great to see some new faces, especially the guys from Birmingham University Conservative Future. The evening was a mix of lively discussion, a few laughs, and a few beers.

BUCF have some great events coming up, in particular Boris Johnson is paying them a visit on Friday 1st December. I've seen Boris speak at a few events, and he's great - it's always worth making the effort to go and see him.

City Branch has a wine tasting event next week, on Thursday 23rd November at Centenary Plaza, Holliday Street. Eight different wines with expert tuition for the bargain price of £10. Contact social@citybranch.org for more info!

Ladywood Ward Committee 20/11/2006

The Ladywood Ward Committee will meet as follows:

• Monday 20th November 2006
• 7pm
• The Hall, Barford Primary School, Barford Road, Birmingham, B16 0EF

Items on the agenda include:

• Icknield Port Loop Development
• Issues concerning Summerfield and North Summerfield Area
• Barford School Playground Extension

You can download the full agenda at http://tinyurl.com/y3kpeh.

Hope to see you there!

What happened at the City Centre Neighbourhood Forum Public Meeting

The City Centre Neighbourhood Forum Public Meeting was on Monday 23rd at the Council House. It was quite well attended considering it was a cold night in late October - a quick show of hands told us that the leafleting we did was the main reason people attended.

Chief Superintendent Debbie Harrod, who is in charge of city centre policing. Main points:

• 96.1% of city centre visitors feel safe.
• Priorities are violent crime, business crime and retail crime.
• The local police are currently moving to the neighbourhood policing model.
• The police have a long-standing policy of never responding to building or car alarms - if you want them to attend, you'll need to describe a crime.
• They have an 'architectural liaison officer' to ensure that new developments are built with security (e.g. CCTV) in mind.

I asked the Chief Superintendent whether she was confident the police know where everyone lives, which is obviously important if we need to evacuate again. She replied that she was not confident and that you should contact the police on their non-emergency number 0845 113 5000 if you wish to make sure. I do wonder whether there should be a more proactive approach from the police on this one...

Lots of interesting questions from people, although probably too many on specific incidents, which of course the Chief Superintendent found it hard to comment on.

Phil Brook, recycling officer for Birmingham City Council. Main points:

• Each Birmingham household produces an average of 3/4 ton of domestic waste each year!
• Birmingham's recycling performance is 'about average' when compared with other large metropolitan areas.
• Last year's 18% target was almost hit.
• Next year's 20% target should be hit.
• This is against a background of waste production increasing by 2-3% per year.
• Some of Birmingham's paper-based waste goes to a local cardboard mill - this is more tolerant of paper types than paper mills.
• At present, only 1/4 of households receive a recycling collection.

Some interesting questions and answers again - possibly too much technical information though. Phil asked all of us to contact his office to arrange recycling collections for our buildings (currently almost no-one has one). Phil can be contacted on 303 1935. I suggested that someone in the Council should sit down with the Yellow Pages and phone all the management companies - there can't be that many!

Bob Blackaby spoke last (and briefly) on a new survey for city centre residents. I remember doing one about five years ago when I moved in from Selly Oak. He will be surveying about 12,000 properties and was looking for suggestions for survey questions. I made the point that the main three issues people talk to me about are (a) noise (b) planning (c) car parking and these should be reflected in the survey.

That's all for now...

A little bit introspective but...

news.com has some really good pictures of the worst (chiefly US) political websites.

When I started blogging, I promised myself that I wouldn't be like many other political bloggers out there, and try to appeal to non-bloggers. So I'll make this my yearly introspective entry then...

Clare Short finally does the inevitable...

According to Guido Fawkes, Clare Short has resigned the Labour whip. More details when I get them...

Update 24/10/2006: I've left the dust to settle before posting again. The BBC News website has a good article detailing what's happened. As you might expect, she's given the New Labour government both barrels, talking about an '...arrogant, error-prone government...' and '...the prime minister engaged in a series of half-truths and deceits to get us to war in Iraq.'

Strong stuff, but she did stand on a Labour platform barely eighteen months ago when she was reelected. When interviewed on Radio 4's PM programme a few days ago, she refused to be drawn on whether she should be standing down as an MP to give the electorate an opportunity to decide if they're happy with this fundamental (and it is fundamental) shift in her status. It seemed obvious to me that she thought that instigating a by-election would be the right thing to do, which is why she stuck to the 'we'll have to agree to disagree' line.