Stadium cleared of flood risk by Environment Agency

Castle Vale’s Stadium development at the Farnborough Road soccer pitches could now go ahead if the company who originally wanted to develop the site re-applies for planning permission. The redevelopment of the stadium has been dogged by obstacles for a number of years.

Bureaucratic slowness and planning mix-ups have been part of the problem.

The flooding of last summer caused the Environment Agency to raise concerns about the original planning application. This has now been given the all clear, and the City Planning Authority are now ready to accept a further application to develop the site. Soccer Sensations, a northern based private company that specialises in developing all-weather soccer pitches, is the company behind the scheme.

Three goals for JKS, three against Vale

JKS scored an impressive 3-1 victory over Northfield in division one of the Midland Combination. Goals from Ward, Henry and Thompson sealed the points which keep JKS in third position, one point behind the leaders with a game in hand.

JKS with 27 goals from their six matches so far, are the highest scorers in all of the four Midland Combination divisions.

In the Premier Division, Vale FC were beaten 3-1 by table topping Walsall Wood. Vale’s goal came in the 90th minute, courtesy of Ray.

You can take a horse to water, but……….

The paddocks in Farnborough Road which seem to have been out of action for donkeys’ years following the land contamination scare, are now ready to receive back the horses.

One problem.

They are waiting for a water trough to be installed. It’s been ordered by the Council, apparently, though reports vary as to when it was ordered and how long before it’s going to be delivered and set up. One source says that when it was ordered, the Council were told that it would take two weeks to arrive. That was five weeks ago.

Given the summer that we’re having, once it’s in place there won’t be much problem keeping it topped up.

At the moment, smaller horses in the paddock would be well camouflaged by giant weeds and wild flowers. These were originally feared to be potentially harmful to our equine friends, but Council officials have identified the herbal species and passed them as fit for consumption – by horses, that is.

Free blood pressure checks

NHS experts are offering free blood pressure checks on Monday 8th September in Sainsbury’s Car Park, Castle Vale, between 10a.m. and 2p.m.
BENPCT (Birmingham East and North Primary Care Trust) will be offering the service at a number of locations in its region during ‘know your numbers week’ (8-14 September).

Election results – Jean and Sue voted in

Jean Downey and Sue Spicer were both re-elected to the Neighbourhood Partnership Board as resident board members, following an estate wide election organised by the Electoral Reform Society.

Only 17% of those entitled to a vote actually cast their vote.

The results were:
Jean Downey 570 votes
Sue Spicer 534 votes
Edina Gurney 171 votes.

Jean Downey and Sue Spicer both attended today’s Neighbourhood Partnership Board Meeting at CVCHA’s Boardroom, chaired by Lord Corbett. The NPB is Castle Vale’s leading organisation, following in the footsteps of the Housing Action Trust which ended in 2005 after more than a decade of regeneration work on the estate. It includes local residents, the police, local councillors, the health service, education service, City Council officers and representatives from the TRA, 2005 Group and CVCHA.

Council tax – changes to payments

Birmingham City Council is proposing to change the way residents pay council tax. They want to do away with the payment by booklet option, and they want the collection date to be moved forward to the 1st of each month, (at the moment, council tax is paid on the 15th of each month).

Both the proposals will be considered by the cabinet of ten senior councillors at their meeting on 1st September. If accepted, the changes will come into effect by April 2009. The Council wants to encourage payment by  direct debit, and by using a new card system that would replace the booklet . Officials claim that £600,000 would be saved if the changes are accepted.

Berwood Court Summer Fayre this Saturday

Berwood Court Residential Care Home in Cadbury Drive is holding its annual summer fayre/barbecue this Saturday, 30th August, starting at 12.30 p.m.

Karen Cooper, Berwoodourt’s Manager  is hoping for a big turnout for the event. She says: “It’s open to anyone; we shall have barbecue food, live entertainment with singer Paulo Pinto at 1.30, a car boot and table top sale, and the West Midlands Fire Service are bringing an engine along for the youngsters to have a look at. We’ve publicised this with fliers and leaflets to local homes and posters in shops, so we are hoping for good weather and plenty of people. We hope to raise funds for the Residents Fund Association which provides money to take the residents on trips and outings.”

Berwood Court Home has 39 elderly residents, and is owned by Dukeries Healthcare, which also owns the Ridings Residential Care Home in Farnborough Road.

30 of the 69 places at Berwood Court are used by the NHS to help rehabilitate patients.

Last gasp winner for Vale

Vale FC grabbed an 88th minute winner to take all three points in the premier division match at home to Nuneaton Griff this afternoon. Ray scored the only goal of the game for Vale, who stay in third position but edge closer to the top two teams, one of whom, Massey Ferguson, suffered their first defeat of the season.

Car boot sale

There’s a  car boot sale and family fun day, with bouncy castle, music, gladiators, song and dance today from 9-2pm at Farnborough Road.

JKS down to earth with a bump

JKS lost their first league fixture of the season, going down 2-0 today at Fairfield Villa, and sacrificing their spot at the top of division one to Earlswood.

In the premier division, a late goal from Ellis ten minutes from time gave Castle Vale FC a 1-0 victory over GSA Sports. Vale are now in third place in the league.