Image: Birmingham Future

Who says young people have no sense of community? Shocked by how much litter they see on the streets every day, a group from Envision descended on Digbeth earlier this month to take part in The Big City Sweep Off .

Their efforts caught the attention of several members of the community, one of whom, Ian Sargeant, was so inspired that he picked up a broom and joined in!

The group effort saw over 15 bags of rubbish collected, a fantastic achievement which shows that young people can do amazing things. However, the fact that there was enough rubbish to fill 15 refuse bags is somewhat of concern.

Litter is one of the key issues DRA is focussing on in 2013, and we hope to gather support from our membership, as well as local authorities. As individuals we may not make a difference, but as a mobilised group of residents passionate about Digbeth, we can certainly bring about change, just as much these young ambassadors!

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"Professor Morello" Photo: Ivan Morison

When: Friday 22 March 2013, 18:00-20:00 (Launch)
Where: Eastside Projects, Heath Mill Lane, Digbeth

From 23 March to 18 May, Digbeth-based art gallery Eastside Projects will be taken over by puppets for their new exhibition.

Artists and film-makers from around the world will transform the main gallery into a stage for live performances and moving image works. Gallery staff will become puppeteers, bringing to life the miniature characters to interact with visitors as they explore the exhibition.

Including work by Turner Prize nominees Spartacus Chetwynd and Simon Starling, the exhibition explores the importance of puppets not just as objects for telling stories, but as stand-ins which allow us to ask difficult questions about society and human behaviour – “who is pulling the strings?”

Puppet Show will be accompanied by ‘While it Lasts’, a programme of films by six UK based artists which will be screened in the second gallery. For more information, visit the Eastside Projects website.

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When: Saturday 6th April 2013, from 12:00
Where: Custard Factory, Digbeth

If you like your casual footwear, April’s Sneaks & Peaks will be right up your street! The event will see traders from all around the country descending on Digbeth to sell rare, newly released, and hard to find trainers.

Along with independent clothing brands showcasing their wares, Sneaks & Peaks will also have DJs, live graffiti and street food on offer.

The Facebook event page is being updated almost daily, and is available here. For more information, contact the organisers by email or phone 07926 480 530.

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Birmingham Wholesale Markets in Digbeth. Image: Birmingham Mail

Last week, the Birmingham Mail announced that the city’s wholesale market will be shut down. This is a blow for the traders, as well as Digbeth Residents Association, who have supported the two-year campaign against closure.

The Birmingham Wholesale Markets will be moved to either the former LDV factory site at Washwood Heath, or the former IMI site at Witton within three years. Due to the proposed HS2 train depot at Washwood Heath, this location seems unlikely, but the council believes that relocation and rationalisation (the new site would be only half the size of the existing one) is the only way to guarantee a wholesale market for the region for the next 60 years.

The Birmingham Wholesale Fresh Produce Association (BWFPA) wanted to remain in the city centre, and produced what it believed to be a financially viable solution for maintaining the current site. Unfortunately, this option was dismissed as ‘unaffordable’ by the council, who are willing to share financial details with traders, only if a confidentiality agreement is signed.

Birmingham City Council claims that private developers have already been lined up to build the new facilities to the traders’ own specifications, which the council could then manage. This is a small victory for the traders, who were initially told that the Digbeth site would be closed with no plans for relocation.

The BBC reported that the move will cause a loss in wholesale trade and increase in prices for ordinary customers: the results of an independent survey commissioned by the BWFPA discovered that a move would increases prices by £1.50 on a starter, £2.33 on a main course and £1.20 on a dessert across all restaurants in Birmingham city centre.

Many of the retailers at the Bullring Market and city centre restaurateurs rely on simply walking to the Wholesale Market for their stock. These wholesale customers will have to invest in vehicles and bear the brunt of extra time and fuel costs, or pass these onto the public. There is also a fear that wholesale prices may rise due to higher rents for traders at the new site.

Leader of Birmingham City Council, Sir Albert Bore, revealed to members of DRA at the weekend that plans for the land where the current facility sits would be largely residential, along with a mixed-use green space. We will, however, need to wait and see what actually happens come 2016.

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When: Tuesday 19th March 2013, 18:30–20:30
Where: Saltley Methodist Church, 140 Alum Rock Rd, Birmingham, B8 1HU

Dear Forum Member,

Please find below the relevant documents for the Washwood Heath to Curzon Street Community Forum next week:
Agenda 19.03.13
Action Log
Draft Meeting Notes

Following the launch of the new HS2 Ltd website, HS2 Ltd will be decommissioning the HS2 Consultation Website (highspeedrail.dft.gov.uk). It is intended that this work will be completed by Friday 29 March 2013 or shortly thereafter.

As you may already be aware, the judgements on the five Judicial Reviews brought against HS2 were made at the High Court on 15th March. Of the ten broad areas of challenge made against HS2, the court has upheld only one.

The court has upheld the challenge that the consultation process for the original compensation scheme (February 2011) was unfair, as not enough information was provided to consultees and the criteria by which compensation options were considered were not adequately explained.

The Judge also found that the Government had not fully considered the detailed consultation response of the HS2 Action Alliance to the compensation proposals.

The Secretary of State has decided that instead of appealing this decision, the Government will re-run this consultation in line with the judge’s finding that further consideration should have been given to other potential compensation models. A re-run of the property compensation consultation will not affect the HS2 construction timetable. We will provide further information about the next steps on property consultation as soon as we can.

The Judge rejected the other areas of challenge. For more information on the Department for Transport website please click here.

Kind regards,
West Midlands Community & Stakeholder Engagement Team | High Speed Two (HS2) Ltd
Email: community.forums@hs2.org.uk | Website: http://www.hs2.org.uk

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