Cllr Paula Smith

I would like to take this opportunity to say a big thank you to all of our supporters who voted for Paul in this years local election, sadly the result was not in our favour but we all fought a clean campaign.

Paul and I have had a few days off in order to have a bit of a rest, after all we had not had a holiday or day off since I was in hospital last year so we thought it best to have a little break and come back nice and refreshed.

I will be looking forward to hearing from my constituents and Paul and I will be dealing with some local issues that were on hold due to the purdah period before the election, so watch this space we will report back with our news.

http://www.thebirminghampress.com/2012/05/01/the-third-question-for-the-mayoral-referendum/

The great debate is almost with us – to have an elected Mayor or not, above is a link for you to have a look at, its then up to you to decide.

Both Paul and I feel that an elected Mayor is not the way we should go, and our vote is most definately NO,  but that is our own view, we feel there are enough layers at present without adding further.  I have had many phone calls over the last few days asking my views, so thought it best to put a link onto the site in order for people to have a look.

On Sunday April 22nd 2012, Paula and Paul joined BAPS in their annual 10 k challenge to raise money for Macmillan Cancer support and Birmingham Childrens hospital.  Paula launched the ladies walk and joined them on them on a very wet and slightly cold Sunday morning, but the spirits were high and a great sense of fun and friendship ruled.  We all encouraged each other, and Paula would like to thank all the people who sponsored her and Paul and those on the walk who were so very supportive and encouraging which helped her carry on. 

Paul started his walk with the men which were sent on their way by two holy men who had come to Birmingham especially to launch the annual walk.  The “living Saints” had come up from London and performed their ceremony and joined us on the walk.  Several hundred people from Hall Green Temple in Pitmaston all braved the weather both young and old all walking together in Brueton Park in Solihull, the ages ranged from babies and toddlers up to pensioners in their nineties.  All with the same goal that being to raise money for such worthy causes.  Food and drink was supplied to the walkers to assist in their walk.

I am pleased to report a large amount of money will have been raised for the charities and both Paul and I will look forward to next years challenge, this has become a regular event in our lives, having only missed it last year due to my health problems and we look forward to being able to continue to support the BAPS annual challenge

For many years now Paul Smith has been working to try and keep crime down in Hall Green.  First it was through Neighbourhood watch, his wife Paula is a coordinator, then as part of a team called Kings Heath and District Neighbourhood Watch Association which was origionally set up by Billesley Police  station which brought NW Coordinators together in order to assist Police in reducing the fear of crime.

KH&DNWA has become very popular and they do regular events to support the Police, they sell not for profit articles of home and personal security goods which for a few pounds bring a sense of security and wellbeing.  From Prikka stick which for a pound a strip you can secure your garden fence to a back door hanger alarm which the alarm goes of should someone attempt to touch your back door.  Paul attends the events in order to give out sensible advice on making your home secure.

A new iniative from the Police is Street Watch, which is the equivelant of Neighbourhood watch but on the move.  Paul has become the coordinator for Hall Green North and has at present eight volunteers in his team, they are all insured via the Police, go patrolling in high Vis jackets with the West Midlands Police logo to identify them.  They log in the details of where and when they will be on patrol and so far it has been a wonderful success.  They are additional eyes and ears for the Police and give out advice to those in need.  They have succeeded in alerting people to windows and door left open, leaving car doors open and handbags left on seats, all so easy for the opportunist thief to take a chance.  Information relayed back is that the Police are seeing it as a great success.  We hope that eventually all of Hall Green will have these teams of volunteers available and in situ.

Part of the news that we receive from Stechford Police Station is updates as to the crime stats for the LPU which follow:

Across Birmingham East LPU as of March 27th 2012 there have been 3753  fewer victims of crime,

 615 fewer victims of vehicle crime

838 Fewer victims of House burglary

77 fewer victims of most serious violence

218 Fewer victims of business crime

Crime levels overall are now lower than any time since 2002.  That is the year when crime recording began.  This shows that the way the Police are working is having a massive impact on crime.

Paul is proud to be doing the voluntary work he is doing and will continue to support the Police in anyway he can.

Paula D Smith – Online Survey

Paula and Paul Smith are interested in your views, they both agree 100% that your ward Councillor should be accessible – Do you agree:

*  yes                                                * No                                 * Unsure

Do you believe your Lib/Dem Councillors are accessible  Yes          No

Do you know of their advice bureau every week where you can seek advice?                          yes                                           No

Which party do you feel you would vote for at the next election in May

Liberal Democrat                   Labour                Conservative              Other

Do you feel local elections should be on local issues which affect you

Yes                                                                       No

If not why not …………………………………………………………………………

As you may be aware there have been some changes this month to refuse collections, roads have now had their collection days changed.  The new system is to have ward based teams, which hopefully will mean you will have regular teams on your road and improved street cleaning as the crews become used to your area.

If you would like more information why not visit http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/refusecollection

The Liberal Democrat candidate for Hall Green in the May local elections is Paul Smith.  Paul, who lives in Green Avenue, is the husband of Councillor Paula Smith and has given dedicated service to our area for many years and is passionate about making our area an even better place in which to live. Paul is especially strong on environmental matters and likes nothing better than taking direct action to keep the green in Hall Green!

Working in the public interest as a local volunteer – all year round, whatever the weather – is second nature to Paul and he has worked hard to keep the Community Room at the library available as well as helping to deliver our advice service there on Thursday evenings. 

He attends all of the Hall Green Ward Committee meetings, Constituency meetings and the Neighbourhood Tasking meetings. 

While others talk or try to score political points, your Hall Green Focus Team prefer to get on with the job on behalf of residents, making sure that Hall Green continues to be well looked after and in this Paul Smith leads the way by example and is always happy to roll up his sleeves and take direct action to make sure that our area is kept in looking good. Whether it’s a matter of clearing away accumulated rubbish, pruning back overgrown bushes or removing the latest graffiti Paul will be there.

‘Action speaks louder than words’ and ‘Working for Hall Green’ are his proud mottoes – and he has certainly earned the right to use them! Paul does not do this work in the glare of publicity, but carefully and thoroughly behind the scenes and he is always prepared to go the extra mile. There’s no better example of local commitment than Paul Smith, our local candidate for Hall Green this year.

Environmental issues have always been very strong for the Focus team in Hall Green, we are keen to keep Hall Green looking as it should.

Over the last few years Paul Smith, part of our Focus team has been very active in clearing up areas but since his redundancy he has been able to donate a larger part of his time to doing this work.  We have several sore spots in Hall Green which need attention constantly, but fortunately one such site is soon to be redeveloped which will lead to the cessation of the dumping which had been going on over many years, this site was one of the hotspots which we received many complaints about.  So much so that it became our chosen area for a New Years Day clean up which we have done for the last seven years – Baldwins Lane public house car park which we tidied up the recycling bins, cleared away all the dumped cardboard boxes, and removed the graffiti from the bins in order to make it look less neglected.

Whilst in the area he removed graffiti from one of the new shop shutters on the small parade of shops at Baldwins Lane opposite the Balwins supermarket for the second time, if you see graffiti please call Paul giving the location and amount there is and he will do his best to get it removed.

Baldwins Lane – Sandgate Road alleyway – Paul cleaned the alleyway during November removing weeds (20 bags of greenery with roots) and rubbish and whilst there he planted daffodil bulbs, and as the photograph shows he received help in planting them from a young lad with his mum, he asked if he could plant some bulbs and took great delight in doing so, hopefully in the spring he will be able to see the bulbs he planted in flower as he goes to school.  Paul has also planted bulbs outside Chilcote Close/Scribers Lane, Hall Green J&I Petersfield Road entrance, and in the alleyway along by Hall Green Secondary School.  This will compliment other sites which we have done over the years.

If you know of an area which could do with a little bit of help then contact Paul on 0121-778-6679 or write to him at 5 Green Avenue, Hall Green Birmingham B28 8DE

He would be pleased to hear from you.