Wednesday January 29 2020
Village News
Proposals for street parking restrictions close to a village railway station should be put to residents at a public meeting, say parish councillors.
Bring back ‘Rose’, says councillor
District and county councillor Peter McDonald is hoping to reinstate the child-shaped bollard outside Lickey Hills Primary School after it was removed by the county.
Barnt Green Parish Council is to increase its efforts to prevent vehicles damaging the grass verges on the corner of Greenbank and Hewell Road.
Barnt Green Parish Council is to increase its efforts to prevent vehicles damaging the grass verges on the corner of Greenbank and Hewell Road.
The reinstatement of the chimneys at the former post office building in Alvechurch, as recommended by Bromsgrove’s Conservation Officer, has been delayed due to amendments to the planning application.
Alvechurch Parish Council is to ask the county council for its gulley-cleaning schedule following concerns over drainage and flooding.
Electric vehicle charging points should soon be installed in the commuter car park in Barnt Green, which has been selected by Bromsgrove District Council.
Lickey & Blackwell parish councillor Bakul Kumar suggested to colleagues that the parish should increase its efforts to keep tidy, perhaps with an “Adopt a Street” litter picking scheme.
Barnt Green’s controversial tiered planters in the village centre are to be planted with ‘Surfinia’ petunias to give a trailing display, councillors heard.
Concerns over speeding traffic in Weatheroak came to a head after a recent crash on Weatheroak Hill.
Barnt Green Parish Council has received notification from the county council of a “prohibition of waiting” order for Hewell Lane.
A lack of confidence in the train service could be causing more people to take their cars into Birmingham, Alvechurch parish councillor John Cypher told colleagues.
The toposcope on the Lickey Hills could benefit from “section 106” money left over from Cofton.
Updates on the progress of the promised lifts and other planned improvements at Barnt Green railway station have been requested by the parish council.
Dale Hill in Blackwell is to be monitored by a traffic survey, with parish councillors hopeful it will prove the need for a warning sign before the bend.
Recent heavy rain caused flooding near the junction of Twatling Road and Mearse Lane, and also on Plymouth Road and Linthurst Newtown.
After raising £2,900 during 2019, the Alvechurch Knit & Natter group was able to make donations to four charities.
Picnic to celebrate VE Day anniversary
This year’s Alvechurch Picnic in the Park will take place on Saturday May 9 to coincide with the Bank Holiday weekend for the 75th anniversary of VE Day.
The long-awaited programme of dredging on the Worcester–Birmingham Canal around Hopwood, Alvechurch and Tardebigge took place towards the end of last year.
Alvechurch sisters Evie and Georgia Price, aged nine and eight, were the latest winners of a Mini Vinny in our monthly competition.
Plans for 10 new houses in Hopwood were turned down by Bromsgrove’s planning inspector, but Alvechurch parish councillors fear that the developer could come back with an amended plan.
Volunteering brings rewards for everyone, writes Bill Ulyett, chairman of trustees at The Lounge in Alvechurch.
The annual Mummers Play and Morris dancing extravaganza in Alvechurch kept villagers entertained.
High spirits at Lickey Wassail
Revellers enjoyed music, poetry, dancing and a topical Mummers Play.
Music & merriment in the orchard
Barnt Green Parish Council held their annual Wassail Walk between Christmas and New Year, with around 130 people walking from Millennium Park to Fruitfields Orchard on the outskirts of the village.
The “public gallery” at Lickey & Blackwell’s December parish council meeting donned Santa hats to thank the council for their hard work.
Barnt Green Parish Council’s Best Shop Window competition was won by Bliss Estate Agents.
The well-known spectacular light display in Finstall attracted hordes of visitors as usual.
Barnt Green Parish Council held a pre-Christmas buffet at the Social Club to thank villagers who had contributed to the community during the year.
A Tai Chi group meets on Beacon Hill every Sunday at 10am as part of the Active Parks events.
Sarah Rees reports from the Oakalls and Parklands.
The winner of Alvechurch Parish Council’s Best-Decorated House competition was Meadowcrest, Coopers Hill.
Alvechurch U10 United is one of two teams for boys at under-10 (Year 5) level.
Lickey & Blackwell and Cofton Hackett parish councillors are delighted that residents voted to accept their Neighbourhood Development Plan.
Tammy Williams is leaving Alvechurch Parish Council, where she has been interim clerk and Clerk for almost four years, to work for The National Lottery.
Planning chief acts to resolve Cala-gate
Planners have told Cala Homes to make the planned public right of way through the Foxhills estate in Barnt Green accessible.
Missing chimneys should be rebuilt, urges expert.
Alvechurch parish councillors have agreed to adopt an emergency plan outlining what to do in case of a natural disaster or accident.
Villagers in Barnt Green, Blackwell, Lickey and Alvechurch celebrated the start of Christmas with music and light.
Finstall Preschool held a present collection for homeless people in Birmingham.
Village Views
FEBRUARY 2020
Climate change has rarely, if ever, been the focus of this column over the past 20 or so years – perhaps because it always seemed a global crisis rather than one that could be tackled at village level.
Elections can bring out the best and worse in people, not just politicians, and throw up a whole caboodle of surprises.
Praise for village illuminations
Barnt Green village after dark is usually fairly gloomy – the street lighting being far from satisfactory – especially compared with the adjacent rail station.
Farming methods have to change
In her otherwise excellent analysis “What can we do for wildlife?” (The Village, January 2020), Mary Green reinforces the idea that it’s still OK to eat meat.
You just can’t get the staff. . .
I was interested to read a letter in December’s Village which rightly recommended “paying your gardener to do a proper job” of clearing up leaves.
Disgust at dog poo in graveyard
I want to voice my utter disgust at what my family experienced on Christmas Day.
I drive along the Old Birmingham Road in Lickey frequently and have noticed the disappearance of the creepy child bollard.
This illustration by Simon Woolford, for the Lickey Community Group newsletter, reflects the apparent confusion of some residents when voting in the Lickey & Blackwell and Cofton Neighbourhood Plan.
JANUARY 2020
Well, that’s a bit of a surprise: the planners at Bromsgrove District Council are standing up to the developers who have gated off a planned public right of way through Barnt Green.
Regarding the blocked public footpath at Barnt Green’s Foxhills estate (Village View, December 2019): if an unwelcome development is “inadvertently approved” then the district council must be incompetent.
Where were the ‘eyes and ears’?
As chairman of the late Lickey End Parish Council, I was frequently told that parish councils are the “eyes and ears “of the parish and as such play a valuable role in scrutinising/reporting on parish-related planning matters.
I’ve been patient; I really, really have, but I feel that the issue needs to be raised once again.
I know this has been said many times before, but when is the car park at Alvechurch railway station going to be completed?
Quite rightly, dog walkers come under fire for not cleaning up after their dog, but horse riders seem to get a free pass. They seem to let their animals poop with gay abandon.
DECEMBER 2019
It’s hard to believe that, with everything else going on in the world and the country (apparently there’s a General Election), we find ourselves once again exercised to the point of distraction by the planners of Bromsgrove.
Your article “Green Belt roll-back” (October 2019) highlights a concern that the new Bromsgrove District Council (BDC) Plan Review is keeping the GL Hearn study (a desktop study by London consultants) as an option
It’s great to see community spirit in Alvechurch channelled into “green” things like litter clearance and making the village as plastic-free as possible.
Don’t mind the residents, we just live here!
This is a suggestion to the “Cofton Hackett resident” (Village Views, November 2019) regarding their view that the No Entry sign in Ten Ashes Lane is out of date.
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Village Features
Village Archive. . . 20 years ago
A look back at what was going on in February/March 2000.
Village Archive. . . 10 years ago
A look back at what was happening around here in February 2010.
There’s a new location and a new look for Alfredo’s, the traditional barbershop in the centre of Barnt Green.
Lickey Wills specialist Sue Jenden offers advice on making the right Will to protect your loved ones.
It won’t happen to me. . . protecting your income
Guard your money against redundancy or ill health, says Martin Pryor.
Alvechurch amateur weatherman Phil Thomas records the changes.
Alvechurch FC have the bragging rights over Redditch United.
What can I do for biodiversity?
Mary Green provides 10 ways to ‘think global, act local’.
Hannah Genders peers into the future of gardening.
Amateur astronomer Brian Watkiss peers into the Village night sky.
Bromsgrove artist Richard McIlwraith explores art and pottery activities for all ages in Alvechurch.
Keen baker Jen Morris, of Rowney Green, makes a sweet and cheesy winter warmer.
After more than 16 happy years in Barnt Green, BeautyBox owner Becky Baker has relocated her popular beauty therapy business to Catshill.
If you know deep down that you need to sort your drinking out, then seize the opportunity of a fresh start in January 2020!
The Village Archive. . . 20 years ago
A look back at what was happening around here in January 2000.
A sense of history permeates every brick of this remarkable school.
The RGS Journey offers an outstanding education for boys and girls aged from two to 18.
The happiness of the children lies at the heart of everything at Winterfold.
Bromsgrove School believes its pupils are happiest when they are succeeding.
Sean Tomás Beag, Barnt Green’s Quakerwarden, describes an encounter with the village WI.
Alvechurch FC boost morale with cup win under new boss.
Mary Green suggests ways to help the environment in 2020.
Alvechurch amateur weatherman Phil Thomas records the changes.
Amateur astronomer Brian Watkiss peers into the Village night sky.
Village What's On