Rolling News Archive 2021
[31.12.21] Our Councillors Deirdre Alden and Matt Bennett have once again arranged for another mobile household recycling centre to be available on Metchley Park Road between the hours of 07:00 and 12:00 on Monday 17th January 2022. Please download the leaflet here to see what items can and cannot be brought there.
[13.12.21] We had a lot of interest out our stall at the Calthorpe Estate Edgbaston Village Artisan Market on Saturday 11th December 2021. A dozen new members were enrolled and we were visited by local PCSOs (top left) and Harborne PCs (bottom right with Peter Arnold our Chair). The Edwards Trust (bottom left) had a very colourful stall for their Tombola. Dates for the next Artisan Markets in 2022 are 9th April, 14th May, 11th June, (August tbc), 10th September, 8th October, 12th November, 10th December.
[031221] We are grateful to our local Councillors Deirdre Alden and Matt Bennett for this update. The Council has announced this year’s Christmas waste collection arrangements and they affect Edgbaston.
There will be NO collections at all on Bank Holiday Monday 27th December 2021. If your waste is normally collected that day, the arrangements are as follows:
> Your household waste (black lidded bin) will be collected on Monday January 3rd 2022
> If your recycling (blue lidded bin) day is 27th December 2021, your next recycling collection will be on Monday January 10th 2022
> If your recycling day is Monday 3rd January 2022, your next collection will be on Monday 17th January 2022
Reasonable amounts of side waste will be taken over the Christmas and New Year period (2 to 3 sacks of household waste, and excess cardboard with the recycling but the Council stipulates cardboard must be tied with string and the bundle should not be taller or wider than the bin itself).
The Household Recycling Centres (the nearest to us is at Lifford Lane) are closed on Saturday 25th December and Sunday 26th December but will be open all other days. If you wish to visit, you now need to book an appointment online here so that there will not be long queues when you get there.
We have requested another visit of the Mobile Recycling Centre to Edgbaston and will let you know as soon as we have a date but it won’t be for some weeks as we have just had one on December 1st. Any questions – please email Councillor Deirdre Alden or Councillor Matt Bennett
[30.11.21] CRS is promoting this worthwhile charitable initiative. Please go to our Community News page for further details and download a leaflet here.
[26.11.21] Peter Arnold and guest speaker John Crabtree at our AGM on 24th November 2021. Please go to our past events page for more images.
[19.11.21] Our Councillors Deirdre Alden and Matt Bennett have once again arranged for another mobile household recycling centre to be available on Wyatt Close between the hours of 07:00 and 12:00 on Wednesday 1st December 2021. Please download the leaflet here to see what items can and cannot be brought there. There is also a feedback survey which you may complete after your use of the service. The weblink for the survey is here.
[16.11.21] Birmingham City Council ‘There’s A Better Way’ campaign to tackle begging and promote giving at digital sites across the city. Go here for full details and a report of the launch on 3rd September, 2021.
[12.11.21] We congratulate Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Malala Yousafzai and her partner Asser Malik on their nikkah marriage ceremony on 10th November 2021, and wish them all the best for their future together.
[06.11.21] The Edgbaston Village Christmas Lights Switch On will take place on Greenfield Crescent at 5.30pm on Friday, 12th November 2021. The event begins at 3.30pm and ends at 6.30pm. Please go here for further details.
[06.11.21] Our 50th Anniversary AGM will be held at Edgbaston High School for Girls on Wednesday 24th November 2021. You need to be a paid up member to attend, but you can join on the night for £10 per household. Please go here for further details.
[05.11.21] Our next litter pick will be on Saturday 27th November, 2021 at 10:30. Please email us if you would like to participate.
[18.10.21] A report on the recent PACT (Police and Communities Together) meeting, held on the 14th October 2021 at the Quaker Meeting House on St James Road, is on our West Midlands Police page here.
[14.10.21] Re-launch of the Traffic and Parking sub-committee – please go here for more information and details of the members survey we will be conducting around the time of our AGM on 24th November 2021.
[12.10.21] The Birmingham and Sandwell region of the Canal & River Trust are recruiting volunteers to join a regular group litter picking, tidying up the canals and cutting back the vegetation along the tow paths in the local area. If you are interested, please contact their Volunteer Team Leader here.
[04.10.21] Our Councillors Deirdre Alden and Matt Bennett have arranged for yet another mobile household recycling centre to be available on Wellington Road between the hours of 07:00 and 12:00 on Friday 22nd October 2021. Please download the leaflet here to see what items can and cannot be brought there.
[02.10.21] We congratulate Birmingham City Council on winning its ninth Gold medal at the Chelsea Flower Show 2021. Go here for more information.
[01.10.21] The litter pick on the 25th September 2021 was blessed with dry, warm weather. We picked litter from the usual roads and members reported local residents offering appreciative thanks. Many members were away, but a total off 20 stalwarts soldiered on, supported by our Councillors Deirdre Alden & Matt Bennett. It was challenging to be as thorough as we are in Summer, looking for small pieces of litter in the fallen leaves. The complimentary beverages and neighbourly chats in ‘The Physician’ courtyard after the litter pick were most welcome! Birmingham City Council ‘Cleaner Greener Streets’ efficiently cleared all the bags within 48 hours. Our next Litter Pick should be Saturday 27 November 2021 COVID and weather permitting
[09.09.21] Our Councillors Deirdre Alden and Matt Bennett have arranged for another mobile household recycling centre to be available on Hermitage Road between the hours of 07:00 and 12:00 on Thursday 23rd September 2021. Please download the leaflet here to see what items can and cannot be brought there.
[07.09.21] CRS had a stand at the Calthorpe Estates Edgbaston Village Artisan Market on Saturday 4th September 2021. Some images and a report are on the Gallery page. The next is on Friday 8th October 2021, but CRS will not be there on that occasion. Our next opportunity to have a stand is likely to be Saturday 11th December 2021.
[27.08.21] Our latest eNewsletter is published on our eNews page.
Birmingham City Council removes residents’ rights
[25.08.21] CRS is concerned about the revised Birmingham City Council planning protocol, which removes the right of residents to attend planning committee site visits and express their views about the application and the consequences for their safety, security and quality of life. Please go to our Planning page for more details.
In Memoriam
[23.08.21] We now have a new page which celebrates the lives of recently passed CRS members who have made an important contribution to Calthorpe Estate and our Society. The page has details of the funeral arrangements for past Chairman Mark Kenchington on 26th August 2021, and the link for donations to the charity supporting young people set up by James Hutchings who died recently.
[19.08.21] Those of you living in the vicinity of the University and Hospital may have received a survey from Birmingham City Council regarding proposed parking arrangements. It is an important survey and we are reminding those of you in the affected areas that the closing date to return the survey is August 26th 2021. The survey is here. To view the individual schemes, please use the following links:
Bournbrook & Selly Park 1b | Edgbaston 2b 2c | Harborne 3a 3b 3c 3d | Cotteridge & Bournville 5
[16.08.21] Our Councillors Deirdre Alden and Matt Bennett have arranged for a mobile household recycling centre to be available at the bottom of Richmond Hill Road behind the White Swan between the hours of 07:00 and 12:00 on Monday 30th August 2021. Please download the leaflet here to see what items can and cannot be brought there.
[12.08.21] The venue for our 50th AGM on Wednesday 24th November 2021 will be Edgbaston High School for Girls. The Speaker is John Crabtree, OBE, Lord-Lieutenant of the West Midlands and Chair of the Board for the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games. Details will be here in due course.
[31.07.21] The streets from Wellington to St George’s Church; Carpenter Charlotte, and many in between, plus Augustus, Harborne, Westfield, Croftdown – were all cleared of litter.
The new Birmingham City Council ‘Love your Street’ bright blue bags were carefully rounded up, for collection by BCC on Monday. Thanks to Lukusz Kaminski and the City Corporate Directorate.
Overall turnout was around 25 for the two hour event, plus a 5, a 10 year old, a toddler and including CRS Chair Peter Arnold and Cllr Alden. A CRS ‘complementary beverage’ was enjoyed at The Physician at 1 o’clock when the sky’s opened and the rain poured, washing our sparkling streets.
If you would like to join in and represent your street – the next Litter Pick is scheduled for Saturday 25th September 2021 10.30 – 12.30.
[22.07.21] We understand that some flat owners have received a letter from Calthorpe Estates reminding them of their statutory rights to extend their lease. Unfortunately CRS is not in a position to offer advice on this matter. If you wish to seek further advice we suggest you contact your Solicitor or Financial Adviser.
[22.07.21] We have a date for our 50th Anniversary AGM – Wednesday 24th November 2021. The Speaker is John Crabtree, OBE, Lord-Lieutenant of the West Midlands and Chair of the Board for the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games. We will confirm the venue in due course.
[12.07.21] We have refreshed and enhanced the functionality of the page which lists all the adopted and un-adopted (private) roads on the Calthorpe Estate, together with a list of the apartment blocks and their adjacent roads. Please go here.
[12.07.21] We have updated our “In Conversation With …” page with details of the 2nd Conversation recorded today with the Chair of the Lapal Canal Trust and the forthcoming 3rd Conversation with the Chief Executive of Calthorpe Estates. Please go here.
[07.07.21] CRS is very concerned about the loss of trees from residential properties. Please go here for our special page on this important matter and look out for special projects that may be announced there.
SATURDAY, 31st JULY 2021 CRS – LITTER PICK 10.30 – 12.30
JOIN IN, REPRESENT YOUR ROAD, GET TOGETHER WITH NEIGHBOURS AND FRIENDS
CRS HAVE PICKERS, BAGS & HIGH VIZ FOR YOUR USE.
Meet up/celebrate after at ‘The Physician“
Please contact info@calthorperesidents.org for how to get involved.
[30.06.21] West Midlands Neighbourhood Watch is hosting a series of webinars on scams and how to deal with them. Full details on our Neighbourhood Watch page.
[29.06.21] The University of Birmingham has announced that Professor Adam Tickell has been appointed as its next Vice-Chancellor and Principal. Professor Tickell will take up the post in January 2022, following Professor Sir David Eastwood’s retirement in December 2021.
[28.06.21] CRS needs new Committee members! If you are a current member and would like to join our Committee and help us with our activities – especially Traffic & Parking – please go here for further information.
[14.06.21] Public Consultation on Wellington Road Local Highway Changes. As part of the Birmingham Cycle Revolution ‘Blue Route’ cycleway along the A38 (city centre – Selly Oak), the Council was asked to further engage with local residents and stakeholders to consider how this change in traffic flow could be mitigated. A Working Group was formed in 2018, consisting of Ward Councillors, local residents, the Police, Priory School, Push Bikes and other local stakeholder representatives. The Group’s preferred design/layout would then be taken to public consultation by the City Council. CRS encourages all residents to express their views!
Go here for BCC’s web page and here for the consultation online survey.
The ’29 May Collection’
Over 25 volunteers including Councillors Deirdre Alden & Matt Bennett turned out to Litter Pick. We all met and talked to many friendly residents and four legged friends along the way. Images credited to Stassi Chilas, who kindly rounded up the full bags and delivered them to the Coop, Wheeleys Road, and to Deirdre Alden for the Templefield team image (above). A BIG thank you to Becky, Deputy Manager and all Coop staff for storing the bags until collected by BCC, arranged by Councillor Alden.
New Edgbaston Village Artisan Market
Saturday 5th June 10am – 3pm
Along the new look Greenfield Crescent in the heart of Edgbaston Village, Calthorpe Estates will be launching the first of its regular Artisan Markets. Working with award-winning Boffy Markets, on offer will be a whole host of tempting treats from local artisan food producers and a range of amazing handmade arts and crafts.
Delights include steamed puddings • pies • vegan sausages • chilli sauces and products • samosas • fudge • cakes • gin • cider • jewellery • ceramics • illustrations • digital photography • lampshades • animal drawings • metal sculpture • textile monsters.
There will be something for everyone, so make a date in your diary and pop down. You may also download a flyer here.
Update: some images of this event are here.
On Saturday 29 May 2021 from 10.30 – 12.30, you may notice CRS Members out and about – wearing high vis vests – picking litter around the Estate. [As the BCC grey bags get full, they will be strategically positioned to be collected within a few hours.]
Roads currently targeted by CRS volunteers include Carpenter, Ampton, Church, Arthur, Sir Harrys, Wellington [top], Templefield Sq. Wheeleys, Pakenham, areas around St James, Frederick & George to be confirmed.
CRS have equipment for members use, this includes litter pickers, high vis vests, gloves and BCC grey bags.
If anyone would like to form a group for their particular road[s], please email info@calthorperesidents.org to confirm names, what equipment is required and roads that will be targeted.
Hoping for a dry, sunny day, to get as much of the Estate as possible looking good for May Bank Holiday!!
[15.05.21] More information on the VOI eScooters problem contributed by Cllr Deirdre Alden.
When people park they have to take a picture and upload it to show they have parked correctly. This is monitored by “parking cop” (which I assume is software) and so far, 800 people have received fines through this for not parking correctly. The fines range from £5-£25. Separate from this, there are 26 Ambassadors in the area working shifts, so not all there at the same time (but it’s a big area and I guess most are in the city centre) and they should be obvious by wearing clothing marked Voi.
They can explain to people they are riding in an illegal way (i.e. on pavement or two on a scooter) and they cannot fine, but instead give strikes. So far 370 first strikes have been given, only 2% of which have gone on to have a second strike. The first strike means a 7 day ban and you must take their schooling test. Second strike means 30 day ban. Third strike means permanent suspension. So far, two people have had this (one of which had caused an accident with a pedestrian while riding on a pavement). If you want to report anti social scooter riding, please phone 0800 376 8179
[05.05.21] An article from Mary Keating of Brutiful Birmingham has been posted on our Special Features page. It includes links to two YouTube virtual walks celebrating his residential and commercial work.
[26.4.21] Birmingham City Council have launched a Birmingham Healthy City Planning Toolkit Consultation. BCC say: “We want Birmingham to be a health-giving city, a city whose environment and surroundings offer opportunities to improve the health and wellbeing of the population, and to avoid wherever possible creating developments that contribute to neutral or negative health impacts.” Please go here for the information page and here for the consultation page.
[13.04.21] The VOI Electric scooter problem.
We are concerned about how the users of these scooters are behaving; illegally riding on the pavement and leaving scooters haphazardly across pavements. Both of these inconsiderate actions are a hazard to users of wheelchairs & mobility scooters, and to those with visual impairment.
VOI have now created a new reporting portal for complaints here, so we recommend that this is used. Each scooter has a unique four character ID which will enable VOI to trace the user if you provide the date, time & location as well. You may also raise concerns with the Council officers (Waseem Zaffar or Ian Ward) in charge of the BCC consultation on these scooters, which ends in November.
We received this from a BCC officer recently: “Parking cop is also a recent new feature which activates as users come to end their rides, requiring users to take a photo of how the scooter is parked. From the photo, back office inspections will be made where suggestion fines and penalties can/will be applied to users who park inconsiderately or continue to flout the rules. Naturally, although this will not prevent all issues immediately, in time coupled with other mitigations, including the role out of demarked and racked parking facilities (where permissible) improvements to parking should improve exponentially.”
[02.04.21] We have posted more information from West Midlands Police about the Government’s ‘Roadmap’ to easing COVID-19 restrictions on our COVID-19 page.
[28.03.21] Did you complete your Census forms last Sunday? The Census 2021 team are now in the ‘collection phase’ and will be sending reminders out to residents.
[26.03.21] There will be an Edgbaston Ward Forum Meeting Online via Microsoft Teams on Wednesday 7th April 2021, 7pm – 8.30pm. Go here for the meeting link. BCC have published a Code of Conduct for Ward Meetings and how to use Microsoft Teams.
[06.03.21] The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) along with the Arbor Day Foundation has named Birmingham as a Tree City of the World for the second year running. This international programme celebrates cities across all continents that are committed to growing and maintaining their urban trees and forests and recognise the importance of trees in building healthy, resilient and happy cities. To achieve recognition, Birmingham met the five programme standards to show its dedication towards planting and conserving trees. More here.
[18.02.21] We have added an item on Edgbaston Croquet Club on our Special Features Page.
[30.01.21] Birmingham City Council has now launched the public consultation for Our Future City Plan (OFCP): Central Birmingham 2040 called ‘Shaping Our City Together’. We are asking for feedback to help us prepare a new strategy for Central Birmingham; this will also set the direction of future statutory planning policy and guidance. ‘Shaping our City Together,’ is now subject to public consultation until Friday 26th March 2021.
Whilst a template for change has been outlined, it is not a final blueprint. The publication of this document is the beginning of a continuous process of engagement to ensure that all communities across Birmingham have an opportunity to shape and deliver our shared future.
You can download the document, visit the BCC web page and take part in the online survey using the links on the right.
Document | Web page | Survey link
If you would like to discuss this consultation with BCC or submit consultation responses by email or letter, please use the following email or postal address:
Email link
Birmingham City Council
PO Box 28
Birmingham B1 1TU
[19.01.21] The main topic on the estate at the moment is the roll out of the COVID vaccinations; why some people have had them and others not is a mystery!
Where the Society believes that it can help is to provide the organisers with your comments as to how well the procedure worked if you have had the vaccination.
We would then collate the answers and provide them to the organisers. They could then assess how well they have done and address any failings in the system.
We therefore invite you to provide us with your thoughts. This could include such questions as: Was the initial contact professionally handled? Was the appointment prompt and convenient? How did you rate the scheme both before, during and after the procedure? Could things have been done better? It goes without saying that your answers will be treated in strict confidence and anonymity will be preserved. Please use the Contact Form with the subject ‘COVID Vaccinations’ and we will post your comments on our COVID-19 page.
[19.01.21] EALTS has been award a Blue Plaque by Birmingham Civic Society. Please go to our Special Features page for details.
[13.01.21] Warwickshire County Cricket Club announce that works begin on the £93 million Phase 2 of the Edgbaston Stadium Masterplan. Go here.
[09.01.21] The UK National Census will take place on Sunday 21st March 2021.
We have a special page here which we will populate with information as it emerges from Gov.UK.
[28.01.21] update – please go to our Census page for news of Temporary Census Jobs.
[09.01.21] We are launching a new page here for members to submit news of their activities.
[07.01.21] Please do not respond to this text message or click on any links.
Suspicious text messages should be forwarded to 7726.
This free-of-charge short code enables your provider to investigate the origin of the text and take action, if found to be malicious.
If you have been a victim of fraud then please contact Action Fraud 0300 123 2040 or on their website at actionfraud.police.uk
[05.01.21] Birmingham City Council is holding a Webinar – ‘Explaining Birmingham’s Clean Air Zone’ to be held on on 19th January.
Go here for free tickets (Eventbrite site).
If you attend this event and would like to send us your comments or questions, please use the Contact form and we’ll add it to our new Community News page..
[01.01.21] Happy New Year from CRS Rolling News!
All of 2020’s news is now archived here.
2020 News archive | 2019 News archive | eNewsletters | Printed Newsletters