Residents' Update:
Sunday 24th May 2015
Dear All,
Another week has gone by, but for Hazel it’s a “new year” as she finally handed over her chains to the incoming Lord Mayor at a ceremony in the Cathedral. It has been a memorable year for Hazel, her son Christopher and for the City. She would like to thank everyone who has made a donation to her chosen charities and sent her their best wishes of support throughout the year.
This week includes:
Asda 106 money benefits Cheylesmore Community Centre; Last Thursday’s Asda 106 money planning meeting; Friargate /Junction 6 set to open this week; Whitley Bridge Update; Coventry Motofest 2015; Proposed Combined Authority?; Midland Heart Housing Association; Another Royal Birth!; Dates for your Diary; And Finally…
Asda’s 106 money benefits Cheylesmore Community Centre
The new entrance being built at the Cheylesmore Community Centre, see photo above, shows how some of the Asda 106 money is being used to make improvements to our area.
Last Thursday’s Asda 106 money planning meeting.
Hazel and Roger attended another Cheylesmore Participatory Budgeting planning meeting in regards to the spending of the balance of the 106 money, as given by Asda. The idea is to give the final control to residents who live in the area. At this meeting they decided upon the basic rules to be applied to any application for the remainder of the money. This included the lowest age limit of those who can apply and vote; the amounts that can be applied for and the distance from the Asda store, marking the boundary where it can be spent. Only residents voted. All three ward Councillors acted as observers but had no right to vote. The boundary item encouraged a lot of discussion. Five different options were voted upon, with the residents finally deciding that it would cover an area of half a mile radius of the Asda store.
Friargate /Junction 6 set to open this week
Some roads at this junction were either opened or changed last weekend. The opening of the whole junction is planned for Thursday 28
th May. The road layout in the area looks completely different now, with more buildings around the railway station having been demolished.
Whitley Bridge Update
Work on the bridge will stop over the Bank holiday period. During the rest of the week normal daytime arrangements will continue - two lanes maintained at all peak hours and off peak lane closures. There will also be overnight lane closures on both carriageways between Tuesday 26
th- Friday 29
th May. These will commence at 20:00 and will be removed by 05:00.
The new slip road from Jaguar Land Rover onto the southbound carriageway is still on target to be opened around 9
th June 2015. This will see a substantial reduction in the amount of traffic using the Whitley island at peak times.
Coventry Motofest 2015
This fun, free motoring based festival for the whole family, will take place on the weekend of 29
th, 30
th & 31
st May 2015. Cars, motorcycles, live music, trucks, buses, films, stock cars, armored vehicles, taxis, art, stalls, design, education, prototypes, engineering, and even some bicycles will be around. If it’s got something to do with transport, has a connection to the City of Coventry and probably involves an engine in some way, it will be there. Everything is free to attend. For further details click
here.
There will be road closures on the ring road (A4053) while the event is on between junctions 4 (London Road), 5, 6, 7 and junction 8 (Holyhead Road )
Proposed Combined Authority?
There has been recent media coverage regarding the City Council’s plans to form a combined authority. This would see a combination of councils including Birmingham and Solihull joining together to receive increased powers and funding from central government and making joint decisions over issues such as economic development and transport.
The decision is due to be discussed at a cabinet meeting on Thursday 28
th May at 12 noon in the Council House meeting rooms. This meeting is open for the public to attend. Read the report
here.
For further information see the Coventry Telegraph story
here
Midland Heart Housing Association
Roger attended a meeting of residents and staff from the housing association Midland Heart, who own a number of properties off Black Prince Avenue. Various issues were raised regarding the gardening and repair work needed on site, which were in general answered. Roger was also able to answer questions in general as regards Coventry City Council on such issues as the future of the Council House, putting people's minds at rest. For the record, the Council House will continue to be used by Coventry City Council; however some current staff will move into Friargate.
Another Royal Birth!
Cheylesmore has recently had its own Royal Birth with the safe hatching of four baby cygnets on Quinton Pools. In recent weeks, residents will have seen the mother swan sitting on her nest on the island. It’s good news and for the second year running some cygnets have been hatched. Our requests for the Council to put a bale of straw onto the Island (against expert advice!) have certainly worked.
Dates for your Diary
The Styvechale and District residents association is holding their AGM on Thursday 28
th May 7.30pm at St Thomas More’s Church, Watercall Avenue. Your local councillors will be there to answer any questions. Also Hazel is the guest speaker talking about her year as Coventry’s Lord Mayor. If you live in or near the Styvechale area of Cheylesmore you are welcome to attend.
Also the Styvechale and District residents association is again holding their Styvechale open gardens on Sunday 14
th June 2015. Funds raised will this year go to the Warwickshire & Northampton Air Ambulance. Tickets are £3.50 adults, children are free, and are available on the day from West Orchard Reform Church, Baginton Road. Refreshments will be also available.
Residents Participatory Budgeting Event will be held on July 18
th at Christ Church, this will enable local groups and residents from Cheylesmore to bid for funds from the remaining 106 Section (Asda) money.
And Finally…So you may think you are a good car driver but how good are you at parking? See pictures of some of the worst by clicking
here
