Residents' Update:
Sunday 4th October 2015

Dear All
This week’s Update includes: Unlocked gateway onto Leaf Lane fields; Parking issues in Whitley; Dropped Kerbs for Bankside Close; Horse Chestnut Tree on Quinton Pool; Commemorative Service for Bomb Disposal Squad; Scam Reminder; Warning – Mattress Salesmen are in our area; Stonehouse Estate Weed Spraying; Coventry Railway Station ATM Machines; Skyride; Coventry Blitz Survivors; Cheylesmore & Willenhall Libraries Events; Tollbar Island; Coombe Country Park fun; University of Warwick 50th Anniversary; 5p per plastic bag; Safety recall; Coventry 2021 team - Youth Workshop; Council to consult on £1.2m grant savings target; Consumer Rights Act 2015; Dates for your Diary; Useful Links. And Finally ..

Unlocked gateway onto Leaf Lane fields
Last Saturday night a resident informed us that a gate onto Leaf Lane fields had been taken off its hinges, was just leaning against the hedge so making it easy for travellers to gain access.

Hazel contacted the Council’s emergency services early Sunday morning and asked for the gate to be made secure as a matter of urgency. The Council padlocked it but later returned to remove it as they believed it was not Council owned land.
 
The saga has continued all week with Hazel being told a Council officer was dealing with it. Yet residents have continued to inform us that the gate was still not secure.
 
Finally on Thursday morning the Council placed some soil at the entrance to prevent any unwanted access.

Hazel put in a complaint to the Council saying that it had taken too long to secure this gateway. She also asked when the field was to be returned to grass? Response from Ian Lewis
 
Good Afternoon Councillor Noonan,
 
1 – The gate had been lifted, as I understand it, on two occasions this week from the hinges. This is despite the gate having been padlocked and chained on completion of the works by Costain. This was recorded as made secure and we took back the land and access. I was notified on Tuesday that the gate, complete with padlock and chain, had been lifted from the access and then subsequently between the gate being put back on and secured and sometime on Wednesday afternoon it was again removed and deposited some distance into the open land area. The gate potentially could have been removed for illegal access or it could have been taken down ready to collect and sell scrap metal, therefore as a quick fix a bund as to be placed in the opening. I suspect a more secure deterrent will be introduced.
 
2 – The completion and making good of the site will be carried out by ourselves at an appropriate time of the season. At the moment we still require the aerated soil to settle and we move into November before we can start looking at this long term. In essence we normally let the weeds grow for a short while to make sure that all of the soil used on the site is suitable to sustain vegetation and the like. If weeds do not grow in any section then it normally means unsuitable fill material which would be a defect of the contractor. I am happy to provide a more detailed update if required.
 
Parking issues in Whitley
Despite all the reassurances and measures JLR have put in place, this week has seen an increase of parking problems in Whitley and parts of Cheylesmore.
 
Hazel and Roger repeatedly ask for the start date of the Council’s consultation on the proposal of putting double yellow lines on some junctions and roads in Whitley (e.g. one side of Leaf Lane - Whitley end). Response from Paul Boulton, traffic management team.
.
Dear Cllr Bailey
We are working on a scheme based on that previously agreed and plan to consult residents in October via a street news. We are currently preparing the street news and we’ll let you have sight of it before it goes out.
 
New Tactile Pedestrian Dropped Kerbs for Bankside Close
Throughout the year we regularly report residents’ requests for road improvements in our area. We are pleased to report that new pedestrian dropped kerbs are to be put in place at the junction of Bankside Close and The Avenue. As the Avenue is a road blighted by nearby workers parking we have asked that extra signage of the works is put in place. 

Please see extract from Council letter to be delivered to nearby homes.

I am writing to let you know that we will soon be providing pedestrian dropped kerbs to the pavement on The Avenue at the junction with Bankside Close. This is part of the Council’s on–going work to improve the city’s pavements. The work is scheduled to take place on Monday 19 October 2015 and will take approximately 2 days to complete.
Sometimes we have to delay work for reasons we cannot control i.e. bad weather but, if this does happen, we will let you know by clearly displaying notices on information boards at each end of the road.

Any disruption to pedestrian access will be kept to a minimum and refuse collection will not be affected.  The working hours are 07:30am to 16:00pm, Monday to Friday.
 

Horse Chestnut Tree on Quinton Pool.
A resident informed us that a tree on Quinton Pools was not looking too healthy. The Horse Chestnut tree opposite the junction of Blondvil Street, near the bus shelter on Quinton Pool appears to have a dead canopy.

As it is now nearing planting season, the resident asked, if the Councils tree inspector could take a look. Response from Tim Wetherhill, Arboricultural Services Officer
 
I too have been keeping an eye on this tree, due to its crown dieback. I think we will have to replace it during this winter. My assessment of its structure concludes that branch failure is likely if we leave it.
 
Commemorative Service for Seven Bomb Disposal Men.
With the incident of a WWII bomb found in Cheylesmore still fresh in our minds, the Local Whitley History Group already had plans to commemorate the lives of the seven army bomb disposal men who lost their lives on Whitley Common 75 years ago.

The Memorial stone was purchased by the group and is sited on the part of the Whitley Common in Leaf Lane, Whitley, just opposite the Ibis Hotel. An Invite from Secretary of the Whitley Local History Group.
 
It is now 75 years since the seven members of an Army bomb disposal squad lost their lives when an unexploded bomb exploded without warning killing them all instantly. This happened on the edge of Whitley Common where seven years ago Whitley Local History Group unveiled a memorial to honour those brave men.
 
The Group will be holding a commemorative service at the memorial (which is located on a corner of the Common opposite the Ibis Hotel) on Saturday 17th October at 11.00am. The service will be led by the Rev Dawn Edwards from the Army base at Kineton who will be sending some members of their own bomb disposal unit. Remotec, the Whitley firm which manufactures bomb disposal robots, will also be present and as usual the Coventry Standard Bearers with their bugler will add colour to the occasion. Invitations have been sent to the families of the men who died and we look forward to welcoming some of them.
 
The Local History Group invites all local residents to join them at the memorial on October 17th. Let's hope for a fine day.
 
Scam Reminder
This week, a local business reported to Hazel about receiving a telephone call from TalkTalk, their provider, saying that there was a problem with their computer. They asked to access it and were allowed. In front of their eyes the screen went blank. The caller said there was a problem with their router and it would cost £200 to put right. They then asked for their bank details. At this point the business man became suspicious and refused to pay, which has now left them with a blank computer!!!!
 
These scammers are very convincing; they act as if they have your details!
How to report scams

• If you've received a potential scam message or computer virus but no money has been lost or you haven’t responded to it, contact Citizens Advice consumer service on 03454 04 05 06. 
• If you have been a victim of a scam, contact Action Fraud (UK’s National Fraud Office) on 0300 123 2040.

Warning – Mattress Salesmen are in our area
Thanks to a resident for sending us this.
Just informing you all that there is a van with the logo Dreamies or Dreamer doing the rounds. It is a white van with logo and a bed on the side, They are trying to sell "memory foam mattresses” as they claim to be "closing down" their shop! One young man has sandy coloured hair and is medium build, with pale complexion and blue eyes, he looked nervous. The driver is an older man (40's or 50's) stocky build brown short hair, and both men had a black t-shirt with the company logo on it and black trousers.

They are touring Cheylesmore area today (1st October) around Meschines Street, Lymsey Street and Ulverscroft Road.
 
Stonehouse Estate Weed Spraying
From Martin Sollis , Area Manager – South,  Streetscene & Greenspace
The 2nd spray has just started. Stonehouse Estate should be done this week - weather permitting.
 
Coventry Railway Station Missing ATM Machines
The re-development around Coventry Station continues to progress well. A resident asked why had the ATM machines at the station been removed? Hazel received this response from Malcolm John Lead Project Manager,Virgin Trains, Meridian
 
We do have plans to replace the ATM’s however they will be placed in a different location at the front of the station.
I understand that we are out to tender for the new supplier of the ATM’s at present , though will need to confirm this status with our Agents, which I will do Asap.
I will advise you in due course.

Coventry Blitz Survivors 


Skyride

Team Cheylesmore

Mark, Hazel and Roger are campaigning on local issues and working to make a difference in our area. They are always happy to hear from local residents and you can contact them on        
                024 7683 1101   

or e-mail Roger.Bailey@coventry.gov.uk Hazel.Noonan@coventry.gov.uk 
mtaylor24@live.co.uk