Residents' Update:
Sunday 3rd April 2016
Dear All,
This week’s update includes:-
Hazel’s Leaving Event on Sunday 17th April; Travellers at the Memorial Park; Footpath around Whitley War Memorial; Damaged Bollards on Leaf Lane; Petition to include Benedictine Road in the Parking Scheme; ‘Life in Coventry 2016’ Survey; Seymour Close – Road Access Problems; Southport Close Left Untidy Following Gas Works; Road sign on Daventry Road Facing Wrong Way; Dillotford Avenue Pavement Works; A45/A46 Tollbar; Cheylesmore Library 12 years old; Cheylesmore, Finham & Willenhall Libraries Events; Potholes Damaged my Car - How do I claim?; Reporting Untaxed and Abandoned Vehicles; Mattress Sellers Back in Coventry; Medieval Weaver’s House Open Days; Uninvited Doorstep Callers; Free Cycle Training Courses; Product Recalls; Warning to Private Sellers; Diary; Useful Links. And Finally
Hazel’s Leaving Event on Sunday 17th April
Hazel’s 16 years term as a Cheylesmore Ward Councillor will come to an end on May 5th. She is trying to meet as many residents as possible from Cheylesmore, Whitley, Stonehouse Estate, Fenside and Styvechale, to say ‘Goodbye’.
Hazel would like to invite residents and the many friends she has made over the last 16 years to a ‘Leaving Event’ on Sunday 17th April at The Festival Pub, Fenside Avenue, between 6pm and 8pm. Please do come along, even just for a few minutes, as she’d like to thank everyone for their friendship over the years and to reminisce on how our area has changed.
Hazel has decided to move south to Torquay. Kevin Foster, a former councillor for Cheylesmore and is now the Member of Parliament for Torbay, has offered her a role supporting him in the Constituency.
Travellers at the Memorial Park
This week some travellers arrived and pitched up with vans and caravans at the Memorial Park.
Mark, Roger and Hazel were contacted by a number of residents to ask what would be done to ensure the travellers left the site. They were served with notice to leave by officers earlier this week.
Mark visited the site three times and on Friday met with the local Police, Senior Council officers and a bailiff as the travellers finally left the site around 5.15pm on Friday 1st April. The Police escorted most of the vehicles off site and the large amount of rubbish and gas canisters left by the travellers will be cleared away this weekend.
Here is a video that Mark created of this week’s events for his Facebook Cheylesmore Ward Community area.
Footpath around Whitley War Memorial
Our local resident who tends & maintains the area around the War Memorial at Whitley, dedicated to the Bomb disposal squad, was pleased to see that work had started on the footpath near to the memorial.
However, when he returned a week later there had been no progress. He’s since been told that the workmen are awaiting the availability of a JCB in order to complete the job.
Damaged Bollards on Leaf Lane
Concerns have been raised by a few residents about damaged plastic bollards that line much of Leaf Lane. Mark visited the site earlier this week to investigate
(view his video) and Roger has requested that repairs are made or that replacements are provided.
Petition to include Benedictine Road in the Parking Scheme
This week Roger put in a residents’ petition for the remainder of Benedictine Road to be included in the Residents’ Parking Scheme and also for yellow lines to be painted.
The Council proposes to take this petition to the Cabinet Member for Public Services on a date to be confirmed.
‘Life in Coventry 2016’ Survey
Hazel received this from a concerned relative of a Cheylesmore resident
On Saturday evening, between 6 and 7 o’clock there was a knock on the door from someone claiming to be conducting a survey for the Council. He spent about 30 mins asking a lot of questions, including do you live on your own and do you have any financial concerns. There were other questions about ethnic mix in the area and many others that she cannot recollect. She does not believe she gave away any important personal information but became increasingly concerned later in the evening that she has somehow put herself in danger. Her immediate neighbours had no callers and were in at the time.
In an effort to put her mind at rest we have been trying to establish whether the Council, or anyone else, has been conducting any door to door surveys in the area. So far we have spoken to the Police (3 times), Coventry City Council (twice), Consumer Direct (3 times) and Action Fraud. This has, so far taken 2 days as we are just being passed around from one to the other and each call can easily take 30 – 45 mins before actually speaking to anyone. Incredibly, no one has been able to answer the simple question – Has the council been surveying Cheylesmore residents during the past week?
Hazel was able to establish that the Council is undertaking a survey called ‘Life in Coventry 2016’ and this is currently taking place across the city. Information from the survey will be used to develop services and is intended to help create a better quality of life for residents in the city. Households are contacted at random to achieve a representative sample of the city and this would explain why the residents’ neighbours were not contacted. The fieldwork is being completed by BMG Research
http://www.bmgresearch.co.uk/ who is registered with the Market Research Society
https://www.mrs.org.uk/ .
Seymour Close – Road Access Problems
There has been an ongoing problem with cars parking on corners, preventing the access for large vehicles entering Seymour Close; which has resulted in bins not being emptied. Roger met an officer there this week to talk to the residents. The officer said that the local residents would receive a letter giving them the chance to reply with their thoughts on the installation of yellow lines on the two corners. However, due to Council staff shortages a timescale could not be given.
Southport Close Left Untidy Following Gas Works
Hazel is continuing to contact officers about the poor state that Southport Close was left in by Belfour Beatty. She’s been advised that a road sweeper will be sent out to rectify the problem.
Road sign on Daventry Road Facing Wrong Way
Thanks to a resident notifying us, Roger is chasing for the roundabout sign on the Daventry road, as you approach the junction of Quinton Road and the Daventry Road(from ASDA) be corrected. It has been twisted round and is now facing the wrong way.
Dillotford Avenue Pavement Works
This week Roger walked along the pavements of Dillotford Avenue with some local residents. In this financial year parts of their pavement are due to be replaced and they wanted to clarify exactly what work is to be done. Roger is now awaiting a response from the officer responsible for the work.
A45/A46 Tollbar Improvement Scheme Road Closures:
From Alan Jones, Galliford Try
I am writing to advise you of overnight road closures required for the A45/A46 Tollbar Improvement scheme.
A45 Stonebridge Highway
With reference to our previous letter, please note that the A45 Stonebridge Highway eastbound closure dated 4 April is now a westbound closure and the A45 Stonebridge Highway westbound closure dated 7 April is now to be implemented in both directions.
A46 Kenilworth Bypass northbound
The A46 Kenilworth Bypass will be closed:
- 1 night on 12 April 8pm until 6am.
The road closure is needed to remove and reposition temporary concrete barriers and to complete the carriageway markings.
This closure will be published on the Highways England website and the diversion routes will be clearly signed. The planned closure may be cancelled or extended in the event of inclement weather conditions or unforeseen circumstances.
Here is the
Latest Newsletter from Highways England about the Tollbar Project.
Cheylesmore Library 12 years old
This month our Cheylesmore library will be 12 years old.
Have you ever been in? This little treasure is tucked away behind the Community Centre.
Like all Coventry libraries it now has
Free WiFi available. So why not bring your smart phone, tablet or laptop and enjoy the ambience? How about downloading an audio book? Ask at the counter for details.
Cheylesmore, Finham & Willenhall Libraries Events
Cheylesmore Library Website
Finham Library Website
Willenhall Library Website
Potholes Damaged my Car - How do I claim?
A resident sent us this email last week:
With the roads in a poor condition, the A46 from Kenilworth in to Coventry via the Festival island, who should claims for suspension damage validated via main dealers, steering alignment costs be sent to. I have to make a claim for the roads, pot holes that have damaged my car. Please advise.
Mark sent this response:
Without knowing the exact road (local or A road etc?) where you experienced problems with damage to your vehicle, I suggest this helpful general site.
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/pothole-claims
As you refer to the A46 from Kenilworth to Coventry, do you mean you hit a pothole on that road? Major highways are managed by Highways England. This link may be helpful? Area 9 (in blue) covers the A46?
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/484930/s150003_NMD_APR.pdf
Reporting Untaxed and Abandoned Vehicles
If a vehicle is parked on a public road and it is untaxed or registered as SORN then it can be reported anonymously to
the DVLA via their website.
Checking if a vehicle is taxed is a free service and can be done
here.
Abandoned vehicles can be reported to the City Council
the details can br found here.
The Council operates a
free of charge “Vehicle Surrender Scheme” for vehicles that have reached the end of their useful life.
More details
Mattress Sellers Back in Coventry
Residents in the Styvechale area of Coventry have reported being cold called at the front door by a man offering mattresses for sale which he had in the back of his van.
Both the man and the van were branded ‘Dreamers’
The Sleep Council has an
extremely good video showing the pitfalls of buying mattresses from people selling from the back of a van.
It shows that mattresses sold in this fashion are often old and discarded ones that have simply been recovered or could pose a safety hazard and even though they may display a Fire Safety Label there is no way of checking if this was genuine or not.
Medieval Weaver’s House Open Days
The medieval Weaver’s House at 121, Upper Spon Street, CV1 3BQ ,is open on Saturday April 9 for the first in a series of Open Days this year. The house has been restored to how it would have looked in 1540.
Opening times are 11am to 4pm. Admission is free and no booking is necessary. Further open days will be on the second Saturday of the month until September.
The Weaver’s House is available for group and school visits through the year. For details call 024 7625 7117.
Read more
Read more
Free Cycle Training Courses in Coventry
Get fit, stay safe and give your confidence a boost with their funded cycling skills courses worth over £150 per person.
If you don’t cycle and want to learn the right skills, are returning to cycling or want to enhance your riding then this FREE training could be just up your street. They offer:
- Courses for absolute beginners through to experienced riders
- Free bikes and helmets during the training
- A friendly informal approach
During your cycle training you will:
- Learn skills to cycle safely
- Learn about road positioning and how to be seen by traffic
- Get tips for cycling at night-time or in bad weather
- Learn all about cycle safety, clothing and other equipment
- Gain knowledge from cycling professionals
Read more
View affected products here as they may have been subject to pest contamination.
Read more
Our Website
Our Website address is
www.cheylesmoreward.wix.com/teamcheylesmore. It contains our previous updates, parking scheme information & notices.
Dates for your Diary
Tuesday 5th April – 7pm – Whitley History Group. Ian Woolley will be giving a talk on “A Victorian Resting Place for a growing Industrial City - Coventry's London Road Cemetery” at ibis Hotel, Whitley Village. All welcome
Sunday 17th April - London Road Cemetery tidy-up day. Meet at the Paxton Memorial at 10am. Click
here for the Friends of London Road Cemetery website.
Thursday 28th April planning meeting to discuss JLR Planning Application for Whitley South
Sunday 26th June 2016 11am - 5pm Styvechale Open Gardens in aid of Local Air Ambulance Service.
Coombe Country Park Events
5 April -
Nature Crowns/
Crafty Creatures
6 April –
Kiss the Frog/
Spring Animal Art
8 April –
Birds of Prey
All events (except the Birds of Prey) require advance booking and payment. Booking can be made at the Visitor Centre in person or over the phone on 024 7645 3720, 10am to 4pm daily. Parking charges apply.
And Finally Did William Shakespeare visit Coventry?
Read the BBC article & listen to Roger’s thoughts on the subject
Useful Links and Phone Numbers.
Age UK Coventry - Trusted Traders Scheme
Blood test locations to download a document listing the locations
Cheylesmore Parking Scheme Email:
parkingenforcement@coventry.gov.uk
Community Activity Directory
Crime Rates in the area
Disposal of Large or Bulky items
Dropped Kerb Information
European Health Insurance Card
General Online Safety Tips & Advice
Government Services
Noise Nuisance
Refuse Collection Information
Report Fly Tipping
Report Graffiti
Report a Missed Bin
Report a Pothole
Report a Street Light Fault
Road Works
Scams & Warnings
School Closures
Parking Enforcement phone numbers
Misuse of a visitor pass - 024 7683 4367
Not sure a car has a permit 024 7683 4367
Change virtual visitors pass registration number - 0345 520 7007
Buy a new permit virtual & paper - 0345 520 7007
Query the status of a PCN (Penalty Charge Notices) - 024 7683 3400
Roger & Hazel secretaries - 024 7683 1101
