Residents' Update:
Sunday 18th September 2016
Dear All,
This week’s update includes:-
Whitley Common Boundary Compromised; Police Acknowledge the ASB Problem at Quinton Pools; Cheylesmore Library Volunteers; JLR Whitley - Public Consultation Event; Snakes being Relocated from JLR Whitley Site; Reporting Problematic Drinking; Whitley Common – Litter on Football Pitches; Tollbar Improvement Scheme Road Closure; Cheylesmore, Finham & Willenhall Libraries Events; Did you attend a Heritage Open Days Event?; Adults Writing Stories for Children; Learn to ride courses for children; Consultation on £3.8m savings target for community services; Male Voice Choir; Bring Out Your Bikes for Recycling; Council Telephone Response Time; Gas Safety Week; Student Houses don’t Pay Council Tax; Terry Waite to speak at Coventry Cathedral; Ex-Armed Forces Support; Book Group for Chinese Speakers; Do you have Autism or an ASD?; Macmillan Coffee Mornings; Diary; Useful Links. And Finally ..
Whitley Common Boundary Compromised
Last week Roger received this
Cllr Bailey,
This morning I noticed 3 more posts have been pushed down, compromising the boundary preventing vehicular access to Whitley Common.
When this was reported a few months ago council staff kindly acted promptly to repair the breach. May they do so again please?
The location is at the beginning of Daventry Rd (coming from London Road end), on the left hand side if you are walking from London Rd, just before the bus stop. It is just before the location of utilities works currently taking place at that spot.
Roger passed on this information and received this reply from Dave Lewis, Parks Development Officer
Good morning
I can confirm that 4 bollards have been replaced
Police Acknowledge the ASB Problem at Quinton Pools
Below is an excerpt from
our local Police Team Website. It’s good to know that residents’ concerns are being listened to.
Cheylesmore Library Volunteers
We’ve now had 18 people express an interest in volunteering to enable the library to be kept open. Our next meeting will take place on Monday 3rd October at 3pm.
If you are interested in volunteering to help run the library then please email
cheylesmore.ward@gmail.com or leave your contact details at the community centre.
JLR Whitley - Public Consultation Event
On three separate days last week, Roger attended the JLR consultation event held in Whitley, where he spoke to residents & the consultants about the future plans. Particular attention was paid to the impact of the proposals on the wildlife, the natural environment of the area and local residents. He asked for additional trees to be planted along the bypass to better screen Leaf Lane residents from the Travis Perkins warehouse complex.
If you weren’t able to attend then
here is the presentation.
Snakes being Relocated from JLR Whitley Site
During the ecological survey of the proposed new JLR site, slow worms, grass snakes & toads were discovered. These have to be relocated before any work can start in the area.
September is normally the best time for this relocation process to take place due to the temperature:
- Plastic-sheet fencing has been pegged into the ground at the borders of the site to create a barrier that can’t be penetrated by the snakes.
- 1sq m black mats have been laid out on the site
- In the early morning the snakes are attracted to these mats because they’re warmer than the surrounding ground.
- The ecologists capture the snakes & put them into sacks for analysis – size, weight, sex etc
- The snakes are then released onto the other side of the plastic border fence where the habitat has been improved for them. Small pockets of bracken & shrubbery have been cut & piled into heaps leaving holes in which the snakes like to hide.
- The daily process of relocating the snakes will take place for a minimum of 30 days.
Only once there have been 5 ‘No Catch’ days is the area classed as being clear.
As September has been unusually warm this is affecting the process slightly which may extend the catch period.
This procedure is costing a considerable amount of money.
Reporting Problematic Drinking
Roger continues to ask questions about why it isn’t on the council website that
Coventry is an alcohol-free zone.
Our neighbourhood police team state that phoning
101 is the best way of reporting anti-social drinkers however we have also been directed to the council website that stated this:
We have orders in place to deal with problematic drinking of alcohol in public spaces. If you have any concerns about drinking in the city’s streets, parks or neighbourhoods please complete our reporting form.
Roger urges residents witnessing problematic drinking in our area to first report it to the police on 101 & to then complete the council’s form so that all relevant parties are aware of the situation.
Whitley Common – Litter on Football Pitches
A concerned resident sent this
Cllr Bailey
I write regarding the morning games played on the common today, 11/9/16
Pitch 1 A444 side - 10 plus plastic bottles left. These were removed by the youth league team who used the pitch in the afternoon because they did not want to be blamed for this rubbish
Pitch 3 A444 side - 20 plus plastic bottles left by morning team
We had a big problem last year and the Coventry District Sunday Football League took action which reduced the rubbish. Today is the worst I have seen it.
After discussions with Roger the resident has offered to speak to the Sunday league secretary.
A45/A46 Tollbar Improvement Scheme Road Closure:
From Alan Jones, Galliford Try
I am writing to advise you of overnight road closures required for the A45/A46 Tollbar Improvement scheme.
A46 Coventry Eastern Bypass
The A46 Coventry Eastern Bypass northbound will be closed between Tollbar roundabout and Binley Woods roundabout:
- 3 nights from 19 to 21 September from 8pm until 6am.
A45 Stonebridge Highway
The A45 Stonebridge Highway eastbound will be closed between Stivichall junction and Tollbar roundabout:
- 3 nights from 19 to 21 September from 8pm until 6am
A45/A46 Tollbar Roundabout
From the A45 Stonebridge Highway Westbound exit to A46 Coventry Eastern Bypass Southbound entry:
- 3 nights from 19 to 21 September from 8pm until 6am
The closures are required to carry out carriageway surfacing. This involves part of the existing road surface being removed and the new carriageway surface being raised in layers ready for the final wearing course to be laid later in the programme
The carriageway surfacing of Tollbar roundabout is being carried out in a number of different stages. The first stage of this surfacing programme is the circulatory carriageway from just past the A45 Stonebridge Highway westbound exit to just before the A46 Coventry Eastern Bypass southbound entry to the roundabout. Closing this section of the roundabout requires the closure of both the A45 Stonebridge Highway eastbound and the A46 Coventry Eastern Bypass northbound, and there will also be no access either to or from B4110 London Road from Tollbar roundabout during this time.
Click here for diversion map and route for these carriageway closures.
Thursday 22nd September to Friday 23rd September (8pm to 6am) - A46 Coventry Eastern Bypass Southbound - ROAD CLOSURE • Tollbar roundabout - Lane closures • A45 London Road Eastbound - Lane closures • A45 London Road Westbound - Lane closures
Monday 26th September to Friday 30th September (9.30am to 3.30pm) - A46 Coventry Eastern Bypass Southbound - Lane closure • Siskin Drive - Lane closure • Rowley Road - Lane closure
Monday 26th September to Friday 30th September (8pm to 6am) - Tollbar roundabout - Lane closure
Cheylesmore, Finham & Willenhall Libraries Events
Cheylesmore Library Website
Finham Library Website
Willenhall Library Website
Did you attend a Heritage Open Days Event last week?
As one of the organisers of the Heritage Open Days (HOD), Roger would like to hear your views about the event. Please email your comments to cheylesmore.ward@gmail.com
Photo of Roger guiding a group in the Priory Undercroft
If HOD has given you an appetite to discover more of Old Coventry then you’ll be pleased to know that the City Centre Trail booklet has been relaunched. It centres on 60 of the most important historical buildings and sites in the city centre and demonstrate the wealth of Coventry’s architectural and archaeological heritage. It can be purchased from the Tourist Information Centre in the Old Cathedral Spire.
Adults Writing Stories for Children
Read more
Learn to ride courses for children
Read More
Consultation on £3.8m savings target for community services
Formal consultation on Coventry City Council's proposals to make £3.8m savings across libraries, children’s centres and youth services will begin on Monday (12 September).
Following a period of informal engagement on the proposals published in July detailed consultation will now take place up to Monday 12 December.
Read more
Male Voice Choir 8th October
Bring Out Your Bikes for Recycling
If you've got a spare bike, it's now easier to donate it to local charities for recycling.
Drop it off at the
Recycling and Reuse Centre (the Tip) for recycling by the City Mission.
You can also book a collection by charity Langley House Trust
on 30th September.
Email your details or call 07990 595 451 between 26-29 September
Council Telephone Response Time
Residents frequently complain about how long they have to wait when they contact the council. Here is a response from Adrienne Bellingeri, Head of Customer & Business Services about this issue.
Can I apologise for the difficulties that you have experienced in attempting to contact us and for the frustration that this has caused. The demand for Council services across our telephone and face to face channels are extremely high which does mean that customers may wait for some time to speak with an advisor in order to resolve their enquiry.
As an organisation we’re facing significant financial challenges and as a consequence there is a need for us to rethink how we deliver our services. We’re looking at how we can make it easier for people to get in touch with us, including making it much simpler for people to do things online through our website. Encouraging people who can to do more with us online and through our automated telephone system will help us save money, make it easier for people to contact us at a time that suits them and free up time to help our more vulnerable customers and those with complex enquiries. Read more
Gas Safety Week 2016 – Are you and your family safe?
Be aware of the signs that an unsafe gas appliance may cause:
- A lazy yellow flame instead of a crisp blue flame; soot or staining on or around the appliance; excess condensation in the room.
- Carbon monoxide (CO) has no smell, taste or colour but the symptoms of CO poisoning include headaches, dizziness, nausea, breathlessness, collapse and eventual loss of consciousness which can easily be mistaken for something else.
Read more
Student Houses don’t Pay Council Tax
Residents often complain that landlords letting to students do not pay Council Tax, so the Council loses out. Response from Barrie Strain, Acting Head of Revenues
The Government’s funding basis for Local Authorities takes into account the number of student properties within the local authority area – so in simple terms the Council receives grant income to compensate for the loss of council tax revenue on properties solely occupied by eligible students.
However, the funding basis used by the Government uses historical information about the numbers of student properties and therefore does not take account of the increase in the number of student properties that we have witnessed in Coventry in recent years. So the Council is not compensated for student exemptions on pound for pound basis.
Terry Waite to speak at Coventry Cathedral on 21 September
Terry Waite, known internationally for his peace-building work, will be guest speaker in Coventry Cathedral on the UN’s International Day of Peace.
Terry Waite is best-known for his role as the then Archbishop of Canterbury's special envoy to Lebanon to negotiate the release of hostages in the late 1980s. Terry was then himself kidnapped and held hostage for several years, which made him a household name.
Read more
Ex-Armed Forces Support
Read more
Book Group for Chinese Speakers
Read more
Do you have Autism or an ASD?
Read more
Macmillan Coffee Mornings at Libraries
Notes from the Editor
- Our updates are sent out every Sunday. The only exception to this is over Christmas. If you stop receiving them then please check your Spam or Junk Folder, as your email server may have directed them there by mistake.
- Our Website address is www.cheylesmoreward.wix.com/teamcheylesmore. It contains our previous updates, parking scheme information & notices. It's best viewed on a laptop or PC.
- Why do I see empty boxes in this email? Our emails include many pictures which often contain important information. Some email systems don’t automatically display pictures. To read as intended, please click on “View it in your browser” which is in the top right hand corner of all our emails.
- If you would like to advertise your event here then please email cheylesmore.ward@gmail.com
Dates for your Diary
Monday 19th September 12.15pm to 1.30pm – Cheylesmore Community Centre - lunch prepared by adults with learning difficulties as part of their Adult Education learning programme.
Saturday 24th September 1pm to 3pm - Cheylesmore Library hosts the Royal Shakespeare Company for a free family arts & crafts event.
Friday 30th September 2pm to 4pm - Cheylesmore Good Neighbours will be joined by Larry Watson who will be giving a 60s Nostalgia talk with music, at Quinton Park Baptist Church Hall.
Tuesday 4th October from 11am to 12noon - Cuppa with a Copper at the Cheylesmore Community Centre. Come and speak to officers about any concerns you may have.
And Finally … Watch
Coventry rebuilt
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
Check if a Vehicle is Taxed
Check the MOT history of a vehicle
Community Activity Directory
Coventry Independent Advice Service
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
Local Neighbourhood Police Team
Noise Nuisance
Refuse Collection Information
Report Problematic Drinking to the Council
Report Fly Tipping
Report Graffiti
Report a Missed Bin
Report a Pothole
Report a Street Light Fault
Reporting Untaxed and Abandoned Vehicles
Road Works
Samaritans
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’s secretary - 024 7683 1101
