July 7, 2010
in Bordesley Green, Bromford & Firs, Buckland End, HH2020, Hodge Hill, Kitts Green, Lea Village, Local campaigns, Shard End, Small Heath, Tile Cross, Ward End, Washwood Heath, glebe farm
With fears about jobs in the news I thought I would set out where things are with the fight to get more people back in work in Hodge Hill.
The principal programme set up by the Labour government was the Working Neighbourhood Fund, a multi-million fund for Hodge Hill – as well as other parts of the country – to get people back to work.
Last week, I met with Stephen Hughes, the Council’s chief executive to review the plans in place to get people back to work across the £7.4 million of funding in place for the Hodge Hill constituency.
After lots of pressure, there are now five contracts in place to develop help for a range of people, including lone parents, and young people, and those with disabilities (amongst others).
Initially, the city was targeting a 3% fall in worklessness in priority wards – that should be our target in Hodge Hill. The target is to get over 1,000 people into work, and to connect nearly 4,000 people (3,870 to be exact) with services they need to help them get towards work. This is across the programme’s life which runs for another year or two.
To date, I am told, 1,477 residents have now been engaged – but only 60 have actually been helped into work.
This tells me that the agencies running the services need to radically step up the pace. I’ll be keeping the pressure on – and publishing regular updates.
Staff members from the Kitts Green Community Day Nursery contacted me because they were concerned that the Tory-Lib Dem controlled Birmingham City Council was planning to close all Council run Community Day Nurseries in Birmingham. Having visited the nursery in Kitts Green myself I know what a fantastic service they provide. Before the election we leafletted local residents and collected lots of names protesting against the plans to close Kitts Green Nursery. I’ve now written to Hodge Hill District Director, Rob James, demanding an update on what’s happening. Local parents, nursery workers – and our youngsters – must not be kept in the dark.
February 19, 2010
in Blog, Bromford & Firs, Buckland End, Hodge Hill, Kitts Green, Lea Village, Shard End, Small Heath, Tile Cross, Ward End, Washwood Heath, glebe farm, public services, social action
Scores of people from across the constituency joined me tonight at the Blue Cross Church in Hodge Hill, for the first of my three community summits on the big issues for the election campaign.
Tonight’s debate was on public services – and some very, very clear themes emerged. First, contrary to the Tory plan to cut police officers, our residents wanted police protected with equipped with more powers, especially to tackle anti-social behaviour and drugs. We talked a lot about alcohol pricing too. The majority clearly want minimum pricing of alcohol in super-markets. But a substantial minority just backed tougher action against supermarkets selling drink to minors.
Second, people liked the idea of investment in schools, but wanted to see more discipline in the class room and backed the idea of getting more youngsters involved in community service. One excellent question was how people – especially retired folk – could volunteer to share their skills and mentor young people. A lot of residents backed my campaign for more school places. And some wanted to know how parents who had lived in an area for a long time could get preferential access for their kids at local schools (this from both Asian and white residents).
Third, we had a lot of issues about protection of services for the elderly (shades of today’s social care debate) and the need for more action on litter, illegal parking and the like.
Finally, we talked a lot about immigration and human rights – as we always do. They’ll be more on this from me in the weeks to come. And indeed my third community summit will take the issue on, head on. Last night, I was in Oldham with Phil Woolas, the Immigration Minister, to speak at his fundraiser. I’ll be hoping to persuade him to come down and join me.
Look out for the invite to my next summit – on jobs – landing on door-mats over the next 2-3 weeks. And if you can’t make it, keep the surveys coming. Literally hundreds are pouring back into my Hodge Hill HQ.
November 10, 2008
in Bromford & Firs, Buckland End, Hodge Hill, Kitts Green, Lea Village, News, Shard End, Small Heath, Tile Cross, Ward End, glebe farm
Liam Byrne MP today questioned council plans for local clear-ups after learning that FIVE different parts of the city authority could be responsible for keeping constituencies clean
The revelation comes as shocking new figures obtained by the Hodge Hill MP, show just THREE littering penalties a week were handed out in a recent 6 month city ‘blitz’ in Hodge Hill at an incredible cost of nearly £300 per ticket issued. Only 54% of fines handed out were subsequently paid.
Liam’s Rubbish TV campaign, which sees the local MP film local grot spots and post them on the internet, received new backing from clear-up charity Encams.
Encams chief executive, Phil Barton expressed ’sincere thanks’ to Mr Byrne’s campaign for ‘highlighting the problem with litter in Birmingham.’
Liam Byrne said;
‘Local street cleaners are local heroes. But it looks like good people are being trapped in bad systems. How can FIVE different city departments be needed for one simple job – keeping our community clean?
‘What’s worse is that the city doesn’t seem interested in taking on the selfish minority who make a mess. City politicians can’t blame people dropping rubbish and then fail to use the law to fine them.
‘Handing out three penalties a week in one of the messiest parts of Birmingham tells me the council is just not taking this problem seriously. I want the council to get tougher with people breaking the law’.
November 7, 2008
in Blog, Bromford & Firs, Buckland End, Hodge Hill, Kitts Green, Lea Village, Shard End, Small Heath, Tile Cross, Ward End, Washwood Heath, glebe farm
Big day today. Today i meet the head of street cleaning for my district. Hodge Hill. I got so sick of the state of our streets that eventually I had to resort to posting videos of rubbish strewn streets on YouTube – my very own Rubbish TV. I felt sad that it had come to this – but my constituents love it. People are constantly emailing me to let me know where there’s a mess they need clearing up. I’ll have a simple message for city officials today. I think they are good people. But they seem trapped in some pretty bad systems. And we want faster progress. Watch the videos for yourself. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eaj1_MbMauE
Tagged as:
Hodge Hill,
Rubbish TV
Liam is the MP for Birmingham Hodge Hill, and Labour's Shadow Chief Secretary. 
