The results of the local elections 2011 are available on the Birmingham City Council Elections website
Lozells & Handsworth – Labour candidate Waseem Zaffer won 71.0% of the vote (elected as new councillor)
Handsworth Wood – Labour candidate Paulette Hamilton won 50.8% of the vote
Soho Ward – Labour candidate Cybil Spence won 72.1% of the vote
Results for the referendum haven’t been declared yet -check here for updates
The local elections are being held on the 5th May for information on the elections you can visit the Birmingham City Council Local Election pages.
Handsworth falls between three wards; Handsworth Wood, Lozells and East Handsworth and Soho. Each ward has three elected members. On the 5th of depending on which ward you live in – you can vote for 1 candidate from the list for that ward.
The nominations for each of the three wards are;
| Surname Other names in full |
Home address in full | Description (if any) |
|---|---|---|
| Douglas Kingsley Seymour |
8 Island Road, Handsworth, Birmingham B21 8NP |
Liberal Democrats |
| Gill Rabinder Singh |
12 The Slieve, Handsworth Wood, Birmingham B20 2NR |
The Conservative Party Candidate |
| Grant Ulla |
348 Sarehole Road, Birmingham B28 0AQ |
Green Party Candidate |
| * Hamilton Paulette Adassa |
821 Chester Road, Erdington, Birmingham B24 0BX |
The Labour Party Candidate |
| Surname Other names in full |
Home address in full | Description (if any) |
|---|---|---|
| Hussain Talib |
129 Bacchus Road, Birmingham B18 4QR |
The Conservative Party Candidate |
| Islam Sabirul |
46 Stamford Road, Handsworth, Birmingham B20 3PN |
Liberal Democrat |
| Toke David |
215 Hubert Road, Selly Oak, Birmingham B29 6ES |
Green Party Candidate |
| Zaffar Waseem |
123 Leonard Road, Birmingham B19 1JH |
The Labour Party Candidate |
| Surname Other names in full |
Home address in full | Description (if any) |
|---|---|---|
| Austin Steven John |
30 Lansdowne House, Great Colmore Street, Birmingham B15 2AR |
Green Party |
| Higginson Robert John |
172 Poplar Avenue, Edgbaston, Birmingham B17 8EP |
The Conservative Party Candidate |
| * Spence Sybil Eurlena |
69 Babington Road, Handsworth, Birmingham B21 0QD |
The Labour Party Candidate |
| Yaseen Mohammed |
23 Willes Road, Winson Green, Birmingham B18 4PZ |
Liberal Democrat |
Election results will appaer on the local elections home page as they come in click here
On Thursday 5 May 2011, there will be a referendum on the voting system you use to elect MPs to the House of Commons.
To find out more to help you make a decision about how to vote you can watch the May 5 Referendum short video
For information on women and electrol refrom visit the Fawcett Society
Why electrol reform matters to Britains Black community visit the OBV site
Electrol reform popular with young people visit British Youth Council
In 2009 the buildings that were part of the old Black Cat Cafe were demolished as they had been empty and derelict for sometime. The site is situtaed on Villa Rd, Lozells. Birmingham City Council & Urban LIving have been working together to come up with a set of options that have a potential to bring some new life into this part of the Villa Rd.
Proposed Develop Project - options for the black Cat site can be viewed by click here
Local community or neighbourhood groups up for a challenge
Birmingham City Council has been selected to host one of the five annual Local Government Challenges. Starting in January 2011, 10 short listed contestants from local government across the country will take part in the challenges, run along the lines of the hit TV show, The Apprentice.
Working in partnership with the Chamberlain Forum, local community and neighbourhood groups were invited to set the challenge for Birmingham. It could have been developing an action plan or business plan, researching and writing a funding bid, undertaking some local consultation, or anything else that would benefit their group.
The two chosen winning challenges were Hands on Handsworth Resident Network and Second to None based on the Hagley Road, Edgbaston. Both challenges will take place tomorrow the 17th Feb.
We are expecting our team of five contestants to arrive in Handsworth at about 11.00. They will meet local residents who have put forward the challenge.
The Challenge: Residents are challening the contestants to help them take forward plans to improve the alleyways between Albert and Herbert Rd in Handsworth. Staff from Birmingham City Council and Groundwork will be on hand to support the team.
You can follow events during the day on hands on Handsworth twitter or the LGChallenge twitter
There are a number of vacanices at at local community museams inculding Soho House visit the Birmingham city council webiste and enter reference : DC11J
Closing date this Friday the 4th
CN4B is launching its pilot mobile advice surgery giving small groups and organisations access to a range of advice on capacity and organisational management issues.
Do you need FREE advice on organisation governance or women’s issues? (advice on women’s issues is provided to groups and individuals).
Then come along to one of the many mobile surgeries being held at locations around Birmingham between January & March 2011.
Get advice on:
Funding, Events, Training, Organisation Management, Domestic Violence, Health, Women’s Support Groups, Networking, Charitable Status and more…
No appointments are required and you will receive 15/20 minutes one-to-one advice with some level of follow-up support.
See list of dates on the publicity flyer >
(Feel free to download, print and display)
This is an initiative of Community Network 4 Birmingham and supported by: The Digbeth Trust/Platform Partnership, W.A.I.T.S., Chamberlain Forum and Birmingham City Council’s Midnight Bus.
A number of other agencies are assisting these sessions by offering specialist advice. We thank all those involved for their voluntary input as advisors, and particular thanks to John Shannon and Kieran Clarke for their assistance in developing this pilot initiative.
For all enquiries email info@cn4b.net or tippa@chamberlainforum.org
The Handsworth dates that we have arranged our:
27th Jan 1.30 until 4.30
24th March 10am until 1.00
All free no appointment need the bus will be parked at Handsworth Leisure Centre, just off Holly Rd
Did you know that the garden waste collection service in Birmingham is stopping during the winter?
Green Waste collections have stopped between 26th November to 7th February. For more information visit the Birmingham City Council recyling pages.
Many people may still have to clear the autumn waste or continue to have active gardens through the winter months.
Why not turn this waste into a nutrient rich soil improver by composting at home?
Don’t let your garden waste mount up over winter when you can start the basis of a successful compost. While temperatures are lower the process will be slower, but will give you a fantastic head start when it comes to spring time.
Evengreener have a special offer in conjuction with your council for composting bins from £14.99.
500 People attend Newtown Retirement Village Information Day This Week
500 older people and their families from Birmingham’s Newtown viewed plans and shared views at a major community information event featuring the £22m Pannel Croft Retirement Village which began initial construction works this month. The event was hosted by The ExtraCare Charitable Trust and Birmingham City Council as part of an ongoing consultation process to help ensure the Village meets local peoples’ needs and aspirations. The event included:
If you are over the age of 55, living in Birmingham and would like to register your interest in the Village application process please phone, 0870 777 4800
Pannel Croft Village opens in Spring 2013 and will provide 180 affordable homes for rent (80%) and part-purchase (20%). Properties will surround a community-based Village Centre with a wide range of facilities including a gym, restaurant, craft room and woodwork area. Care will be available in the Village for those who need support.
The Village will create over 50 ExtraCare jobs and an additional 36 funded-apprenticeships, on site during construction with house-builders Frank Haslam Milan. Other partners who have contributed to the scheme’s development are Urban Living (£2.4m), The Homes and Communities Agency (£6.4m) and The Department of Health (£3.2m).
Councillor John Lines, Cabinet Member for Housing, said: “I am delighted to be able to share our plans for the City’s second retirement village for our older people in Newtown, one of five planned for the City. The event will provide an opportunity for prospective residents, their families and friends to meet with ExtraCare staff and residents of other villages to see what village life can offer.
“The Village will not only provide new homes but provide much needed training and employment opportunities for local people in this difficult time”
Pannel Croft is the second of five planned villages across the City, a £200m development partnership between Birmingham City Council and The ExtraCare Charitable Trust. The first 260-home Village, New Oscott (developed with Midland Heart), opened in March 2010 and is now oversubscribed. A third 241-home village, off the Hagley Road in Harbourne, is awaiting the outcome of a planning submission.
Newtown Village Centre will provide a social hub for local older people – especially those who suffer isolation or have limited means. This Village Centre requires £2m funding through ExtraCare’s Smile Appeal – an appeal which is helping to fund five ExtraCare Village Centres, regenerating older peoples’ involvement in community life across the City. For more information about The Smile Appeal, please contact Alison Whittingham on 024 76 506011. alison.whittingham@extracare.org.uk
Dumped!
I have had a few complaints recently about Austin Rd and went up to check it out and found to empty areas of land and some car park space where people have just thown in litter and dumped some really quite large items…like the arm chair above.
Birmingham City Council offers free bulk waste collections for up to six items, 3 times a year for each household on 0121 303 1112 or book online through Birmingham City Council webiste.
So you do wonder why people just leave such big items? If you see items like this help us to keep the neighbourhood clean and report on the number as above.
This week Environmental Partnership at Be Birmingham issued the most recent Environmental Survey for Handsworth. The surveys are done to provide an indication of overall street cleanliness and help track progress for areas to reach the city target for litter of 3.50%. Despite all the work locally the survey data continues to show that litter cleanliness in Handsworth is way above the city target throughout 2010-1022 between 25-28%. This is very disappointing!
On the bright side next week we have three community litter picks & planting session planned as part of the local plan to get more people involved in looking after their neighbourhood. These activties will take place on:
Wednesday 17th Nov @ Handsworth Triangle, off Hamstead Rd with Groundwork, Welford School Primary School & Street Champions Team.
Friday 19th Nov @ St John Wall Secondary School, led by Environmental Wardens, Fleet & Waste Management, Groundwork & Street Champions Team.
Saturday 20th @ Community litter pick around Albert Rd led by Sonia Hyman and the Street Champions.
Watch this space for photos!
I was appointed as neighbourhood manager in September to co-ordinate delivery of neighbourhood management in Handsworth up until 31st March 2011. Handsworth as benefited from having a neighbourhood manager as part of Birmingham City Council’s first pilot for the citywide neighbourhood programme.
What this means is that in priority neighbourhoods there is a dedicated resource through a neighbourhood manager whose job it is to focus work on improving key issues that impact on the lives of local residents e.g. environmental issues.
It is a fantastic opportunity to work with local residents and service providers to try and find some local solutions to local problems. As part of this work since September I have been out and about around Handsworth talking to local residents and services to map out a neighbourhood plan.
The plan has been produced to set out how, through neighbourhood management, we aim to improve the quality of life of residents in Handsworth up to the March 2011 and sets out a vision for more sustained change. Engagement and feedback from local residents is really important to this process to ensure that we achieve some real improvements.
This plan is based on what local residents and service providers have told us are the important issues in Handsworth. Part two of the plan sets out a programme of activities to be delivered by a range of identified partners. The programme of activities will be reviewed and updated regularly, with the support and involvement of residents and service providers.
Feedback and thoughts about this plan, local issues and progress in Handsworth is welcome this can be done by attending one of the Resident Network meetings held each month or by contacting me on 303 3401 or email tracey.thorne@birmingham.gov.uk
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See all these images at our space on Flickr
See all these images at our space on Flickr
See all these images at our space on Flickr
See all these images at our space on Flickr
See all these images at our space on Flickr
See all these images at our space on Flickr
Birmingham Mail – Handsworth News Number 10 Birmingham City Council Newsroom