Balsall Heath Is Our Planet

Criminals have been breaking into Balsall Heath City Farm to steal the animals. This is upsetting for the staff and volunteers who look after them, at this much loved family learning facility (open daily). Donations are being collected through crowd funding to make the site secure, so together we can stop the abuse. MAKE A DONATION Vote for a Neighbourhood Council 05/12/2022 at 10:02 am | Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment Tags: Balsall Heath Good news. Many residents of Balsall Heath have voted Yes to setting up our own Neighbourhood Council to improve the area. All the money raised will be spent here. But it will take every vote, to get over the threshold. Due to postal delays, residents are asked to send the green voting paper as soon as they can, to be sure your vote is counted before 15 December. Anyone who has lost the ballot paper can be sent another by emailing Name, Address Postcode, subject BH Neighbourhood Council Vote bids@cesvotes.com Energy saving grants for Balsall Heath 18/11/2022 at 11:49 am | Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment Tags: Balsall Heath Homeowners and tenants living in Balsall Heath can apply to have work done on their homes that could significantly reduce their energy bills. Funding has been attracted by Retrofit Balsall Heath for up to 700 homes. Deadline for return of applications is Wednesday 23 November . Delays and even disappointments are possible with a free scheme, but “if you don’t ask, you dont get”. There’s no household income cap, or requirement to be on benefits, but the scheme is for older homes with poor energy rating (D,E,F,G EPCs). The scheme is completely free for eligible owner-occupiers. Private landlords need to pay a one-third contribution. A 3-page form needs to be filled in by the resident to apply and agree for a surveyor to visit. These can be got from BH Library, Baths, BH Children’s Centre, Jericho Foundation. Completed forms – please email form to RetrofitBalsallHeath[at]gmail.com or drop in at MECC, 93 Court Road, B12 9LQ MECC 0121 440 3500 9am-4pm Vote for a Neighbourhood Council 04/11/2022 at 9:51 am | Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment Tags: Balsall Heath Voters in Balsall Heath are receiving postal ballot papers from the city Elections Office, this month, November. If enough people vote Yes, the new council will be set up and the councilors recruited. They will then draw up a plan and a budget and set the “precept” (a small charge) to pay running costs. There is a new webpage that tells people more about the case for setting up this new structure, separate from Birmingham City Council, (but working with it of course) to power up our ability to solve problems, find opportunities and get communication and coordination working in our complex and multicultural neighbourhood. Advance Website Our Garden of Balsall Heath 16/08/2022 at 2:34 pm | Posted in Gardens, Green Spaces, Trees | Leave a comment Tags: Balsall Heath With the 2022 Commonwealth Games came an arts project called Our Garden and this has produced some great videos about people appreciating green spaces and trees in our neighbourhood. With the heat wave people have really appropriated the shade of all the trees planted over the last 40 years in the greening of Balsall Heath. Watch the videos Action at the Pocket Park 20/06/2022 at 4:29 pm | Posted in Green Spaces, Streets | Leave a comment Tags: Balsall Heath A team assembled to replace planter at Balsall Heath Pocket Park. We learned that a vehicle had smashed into it and driven off, but we were able to put in a new and more robust one. Passers by said they really appreciate this space for walking, cycling and sitting down in the busy centre of our neighbourhood. Thanks go to Hywel and the Countrymen group from BH City Farm, as in the pictures. A Council of Balsall Heath – more time to have your say 27/04/2022 at 3:30 pm | Posted in uncategorised | Leave a comment Tags: Balsall Heath Sunday 15th May is the extended deadline, for people to say if they favour an elected body, with the powers of a parish council. The City Council’s survey is quite brief and is at BeHeard. If you can introduce this as a discussion for a group that you know, then, please contact me for help with that. John Newson bhiop[at]jericho.org.uk