Residents' Update:
Sunday 10th July 2016

Dear All,

This week’s update includes:- Styvechale Open Gardens Update; Bus Route 60 from 24 July; Whitley Common South - Public Rights of Way; Whitley Residents Reminder; Foresters Road Works; Carnegie Close; Daintree Croft - Proposed Waiting Restrictions; Grass Verge at the Junction of Leaf Lane and Exminster Road; Better Connected Cheylesmore Ward; Cheylesmore Library – it’s Future?; Sixties Music Talk at Whitley History Group; Upcoming Works or Road Closures in our Area; A45/A46 Tollbar End Improvement; Duke of Edinburgh Award; Find Out What's On in Coventry; Join Coventry's Summer of Skill-sharing; M6 Junction 2 to 4 - Smart Motorway; One Body One Life - Summer Family Programmes; July is National Scams Awareness Month; NHS Drop-ins & Full-body Health Checks; How Old are Coventry Residents?; West Midlands Combined Authority Mayoral Consultation; Festival Fever; Council Condemns Hate Crimes; Drug and Alcohol Recovery Survey; Diary; Useful Links. And Finally

Styvechale Open Gardens Update
This year there were 11 gardens open with several of them being in Cheylesmore Ward as can be seen in the top photo.
From Graham Pountney, Chair of Styvechale Open Gardens Group:
Just to let you know that Styvechale Open Gardens and associated events (Afternoon teas and tea cosy sales) raised £4145 for charity with £3133 going to the Air Ambulance Service and the rest to ngs(national garden scheme) national charities. This is £470 up on last year’s event.

There were well over 300 visitors to the gardens and we thank everyone, including our sponsors and the businesses who displayed our posters or provided raffle prizes for their support.

We are always looking for new gardens to open with us so if there is anyone who would like to open their garden for just one day a year for charity, please contact us on grahampountney@btinternet.com They will be welcomed with full support and advice from the other members of the group.

Bus Route 60 from 24 July
Last week we included a map and timetable of the three services to replace the 360 bus route.
Jan, a local resident, was concerned that the timetable didn’t mention William Bristow Road so she contacted Mike de Courcey Travel to check.
She received this response:
The 60 service route will follow the same route as the 360 service takes from UHCW via Cannon Park to University of Warwick.

Here is a map & timetable of the new services
Thanks to Jan we now know that not all stops are listed in the timetables.

Whitley Common South - Public Rights of Way
From Hazel Hill, a local Neighbourhood Watch Coordinator
Dear Councillor Bailey,
Just to bring you up to date. I handed my application personally to the Rights of Way Officer yesterday. I managed to get 26 evidence forms and a great deal of additional evidence going back to 1972.
I’d like to thank everyone for their help with this project and I’ll keep you updated with the outcome.

Whitley Residents - COMING SOON...to a field near you!
A reminder from Doug
Ashington Grove primary school site will soon be extensively redeveloped, seriously affecting local residents.
Please be active in your support of our interests by attending this meeting at Whitley Community Centre at 7p.m. on Wednesday, July 13th.
Two City Council representatives who are directly involved will be present to give more details.
DON'T STAY AWAY...HAVE YOUR SAY

Foresters Road Works
A resident in Foresters Road sent us this:
Could someone please advise why the scheduled road repairs for Foresters Road for 29th to 30th June were not carried out? I see new dates are scheduled. The 'POLlTE' notice left on cars asking them to be moved or face fines were questionably 'polite' could be considered more threatening. Efforts were made to remove vehicles but then nothing happened?!! The 30th was a dry workable day?

In response to Roger's email:
Thank you Roger
Your efforts and quick response is always appreciated. There was a lot of confusion and annoyance in the Road. Signs and equipment are now going up which agree with the new dates.

Carnegie Close
A few weeks ago a resident in Carnegie Close sent us an email to complain about the very high weeds in their road but also to compliment the latest grass cutter for a job well done.

Roger’s response:
I will take a look myself over the next few days. But I have been made aware of cutbacks in how often grass is now cut and how often weedkiller is put down. Hence why I am being contacted from all over the ward. But glad someone has done a good job!

Received 7th July
Dear Roger,
Further to our previous E-Mails I would like to inform you that the Council sent somebody round to spray the weeds in Carnegie Close. What effect it will have we will have to wait and see. The person who sprayed came round on a motorised vehicle and only sprayed the gutter. As there are weeds growing on the pavements I can't see it doing much for them. We've even got wheat growing by the side of the kerbs. However we would like to thank you for your efforts.

Daintree Croft - Proposed Waiting Restrictions
We have been advised that it is planned to extend the double yellow lines along the eastern side of Daintree Croft to alleviate parking problems - see the map below.

Grass Verge at the Junction of Leaf Lane and Exminster Road
A concerned resident sent this:
Hello Roger
A problem I have been made aware of from many people in Leaf Lane area is the very dangerous Hedge and Grass Verge at the junction of Leaf Lane and Exminster Rd.
I have reviewed today and it is very overgrown and is making the junction VERY dangerous.
I have seen so many accidents and near misses because of this hedge and grass verge over the years.
This needs addressing ASAP before there is a serious accident.

Roger responded that it’s the same all over the city, but would see how quickly we can get it sorted. After much correspondence and several visits by Council workers this response was received:
Hello Roger
We wanted to thank you for getting the hedge and grass verge cut at the very dangerous junction in Leaf Lane.
They have done a good job, but we do feel it won’t be long until it needs doing again.
Over the years it has been discussed that the Hedge could be reduced in height, and the council have also talked about tarmacing the verge, or slabbing it. This would be a much better long term action as they have cut the weeds/grass to ground level but I’m sure it will not be long before it is dangerously long again, and we’ll be chasing this again.
If this long term solution could be considered again it would be excellent. Although there is obviously cost involved it would reduce the maintenance cost long term.

Better Connected Cheylesmore Ward
We’d like to assure everyone in Whitley and Stonehouse Estate that this also includes you. Unfortunately people abbreviate Cheylesmore Ward to Cheylesmore. Please do click on the link below, read about the project & let’s get everyone connected.

Read more

Cheylesmore Library – it’s Future?
Taken from the Council Website
Most of the city’s libraries will be protected from closure. Earlsdon, Finham, Coundon, Cheylesmore and Caludon Castle will be kept open if community groups and residents take up opportunities to run these libraries.
Let’s hope that this is successful.

Sixties Music Talk at Whitley History Group

Last week Larry, a local resident, gave us a very interesting talk on his memories of the 60s music scene in Coventry. He played us some of his favourite singles or those with a story to tell. We were also quizzed on “now famous people” who had made singles in the 60s.
As a teenager in the 60s Larry became passionate about the music, which he retains today. He continues to search charity shops for obscure 60s singles and he’s a frequent visitor and donator to the Coventry Music Museum at Ball Hill.

Upcoming Works or Road Closures in our Area
Daventry Road (Cecily Rd to Quinton Park (adjacent to park)) - until 12th July. Footway/Verge works.

Daventry Road (jct The Park Pailing and Frankpledge Road) – until 10th July - 4 Way Temporary Lights with Cones and Signs. Reason Trial Holes to determine depth and size of main by Balfour Beatty on behalf of National Grid

London Road (Near Daventry Rd) - 10th July (9.30am to 3.30pm) - Lane closure. Reason Telecoms maintenance works

Foresters Road - 14th to 15th July - Road Closure. Reason Plane and Patch

Dillotford Avenue (Black Prince Ave to Campion Close) – until 4th August – Temp signals. Reason resurfacing the pavement with tarmac and replacing dropped kerbs where required.

Daventry Road (near Ulverscroft Rd) – 8th to 17th August - 4 Way Temporary Traffic Lights with Cones and Signs. Reason Large Diameter Gas main replacement

A45/A46 Tollbar End Improvement
Update as of 4 July 2016 from Highways England
Now that the East Bridge at Tollbar roundabout is open to traffic, the excavation work for the new underpass on the eastern side of the roundabout has begun. It is anticipated that the excavation work on the eastern side will meet the existing excavation on the western side by the end of July.
Within the roundabout, ground stabilisation and drainage work has already begun and the construction of the water pumping station will begin shortly.
The lighting units on the overhead gantries on both the A45 Stonebridge Highway and the A46 Kenilworth Bypass are currently being installed and a number of bridge expansion joints on these two roads will be installed over a number of weeks starting in mid-July.
The remaining work to refurbish the traffic signals on the Stivichall roundabout will take place over the summer.
During the rest of the summer and autumn, work will continue to the underpass and the remaining areas around the Tollbar roundabout. All parties are working hard to complete this project as early as possible, as we know how important it is for local people and drivers on this route.

Saturday 16th July, 8pm – 6am - Tollbar Roundabout – Lane closure • Siskin Drive – Lane closure • Rowley Road – Lane closure

Duke of Edinburgh Award

Do you know a young person who would be interested in taking on a new challenge, as spaces are still available?
The Duke of Edinburgh award offers young people adventure and challenge, with three progressive Award levels (Bronze, Silver and Gold) and a wide range of activities. It offers endless possibilities to anyone aged 14 to 24, to try out new skills and take on new opportunities.
Read more

Find Out What's On in Coventry

Coventry's bid to be UK City of Culture 2021 launched in spectacular fashion at Godiva Festival last Sunday. They have a new website with a What's On page that they plan to become a one stop shop to find out what's going on in the city. Not only will they be adding events to share with you, but you and organisations from around the city can now add events by simply filling out the 'Submit Your Event' form.
They say that this is your website too and need your help to keep it as up to date as possible.

Join Coventry's Summer of Skill-sharing
www.WeLearnLocal.co.uk wants to get more people interested and engaged in learning and supporting them to grow as skill-sharers. Across a "Summer of skill-sharing", a range of skill-sharing lessons are being hosted at Coventry University campus. Fun, sociable and bite-size group lessons will start from mid-August and run to late September.

If you want to learn...
Please do visit the community consultation page 'What does Coventry love to learn?' - and fill in the survey about what you would love to learn, here: http://www.welearnlocal.co.uk/learn.html It only takes a few seconds to use the website form to tell us what you would like to learn - from hobby skills to arts and crafts, business insight, digital skills, management and organisation, language and culture, music ... you name it. Based on all of the results, we'll then work with Coventry instructors (and residents who are coming forward as instructors) to set up group lessons that match the skills that Coventry would love to learn.

If you can share skills...
www.welearnlocal.co.uk is working with Coventry University Social Enterprise to open up under-used space across the City to instructors. We can help you find instruction space and promote your lessons as part of the "Summer of skill-sharing". Please visit
http://www.welearnlocal.co.uk/sharing-your-skills.html for more details.

M6 Junction 2 to 4 - Smart Motorway
Roger attended a presentation on the Smart Motorway scheme that is planned for the M6 from junctions 2 to 4, view it here.
Public exhibitions took place in Coventry last week. Unfortunately we were notified too late to include in last week’s update. However they are also being held in Chelmsley Wood Town Council on 14th and 15th July from 10am-8pm.

From Highways England website
What is happening?
We are improving a busy stretch of the M6 in the West Midlands between junctions 2 (Coventry) and 4 (Coleshill) by upgrading it to a ‘smart motorway’. The work will provide much needed additional capacity for traffic on the 14mile stretch between junctions 2 and 4, at the same time as maintaining safety for road users and those who work on our roads.
The project is an important element of Highways England’s plan to create a ‘smart spine’ connecting London and the North West.
The M6 smart motorway will use the latest technology to improve journeys. It will do this by monitoring the traffic flow and setting speed limits accordingly to keep traffic moving smoothly, instead of stopping and starting.
Information about road conditions and speed limits will be displayed to drivers on electronic road signs.
The proposal also involves converting the hard shoulder permanently to a traffic lane to create the much needed extra capacity necessary to support economic growth.
Read more

One Body One Life - Summer Family Programmes
Memorial Park - Tuesday start date 26th July 10 – 11:30am (6 weeks)
Memorial Park -Thursday start date 21st July 10 - 11.30am (7 weeks)
Cheylesmore Community Centre - Thursday start date 21st July 10:30 – 12 noon (6 weeks)
For more information or to book onto one of these courses, please contact the Be Active Be Healthy Team on 02476 785627 or email beactivebehealthy@coventry.gov.uk
Please note:
A child must be accompanied by an adult to every session.
To be included on the programme you must be committed to come to as many sessions as possible

July is National Scams Awareness Month
Some key facts about scams

Scams by contact method reported to Action Fraud in 2015: telephone 33%, online sales 16%, email 13%, post 7%.
One in ten people have fallen victim to financial scams losing hundreds, sometimes thousands, even hundreds of thousands of pounds.
£4,000 is the average loss from job scams with the 18–25 the most defrauded age group in this category.
Read more in factsheet 1

What can consumers do to tackle scams?
There are three things that consumers can do if they suspect they’re the target of a scam:

Get advice from Citizens Advice consumer service 03454 04 05 06. Get online consumer advice and information at: www.citizensadvice.org.uk .
Report (suspected) scams to Action Fraud 0300 123 2040 www.actionfraud.police.uk Action Fraud is the UK’s national reporting centre for fraud and internet crime.
Tell family, friends, neighbours so that they can avoid scams.
Read more in factsheet 2

Sources of help for consumers - read factsheet 3
.
NHS Drop-ins & Full-body Health Checks

How Old are Coventry Residents and How is This Changing?
Coventry’s population has a much younger age profile than England in general; the average age of Coventry’s residents is 33.1, notably lower than the England average of 39.8, and is falling.
This is partly because Coventry is home to two large Universities - Coventry is one of the top 20 towns and cities in the UK in terms of the proportion of the population who are students (source: Census 2011). The student population means there is continually a large population aged 18 – 24, this age group makes up 14.3% of the population compared to the England average of 9.0%.
Read more

West Midlands Combined Authority Mayoral Consultation

Residents' Update: Sunday 10th July 2016

Residents' Update:
Sunday 10th July 2016