Michael Wilkes (as Vice Chair and still stiff from a lengthy litter pick in the Dingles in the morning!) and Paula Smith took part in the Annual General Meeting of The Shire Country Park Friends on Sunday afternoon on 30^th March. The Friends have had a very productive year and there were very informative presentations at the AGM from committee members representing Priory Fields, The Dingles, Moseley Bog, Greet Mill Meadows and Burbury Brickworks.

The Shire, extending for about four miles along the River Cole and with satellite areas, is one of the most interesting and varied country parks in the midlands. It takes its name from associations with JRR Tolkien and has an intriguing cultural, industrial and agricultural history. It has a wide variety of habitats and wildlife (including around 80 species (some rare) of birds, rare heathland, and a wide range of plants that include meadow flowers and orchids). Ancient agricultural use leaves traces at various points. The outstanding ridge and furrow field in the Dingles probably dates from the 11^th century. There is evidence of agricultural use in Anglo Saxon times in Priory Fields and there are Bronze Age burnt mounds in Moseley Bog.

The four main pools are at Priory Fields (described as a Mill Pool but made as a fish pond - the once nearby mill was a windmill), Trittiford pool (the original name of which was Titterford, meaning ‘place of small birds’) the Mill Pool at Sarehole and the pool at one end of Moseley Bog (originally a garden feature). The bog itself (the probable basis of the Old Forest in Tolkien’s works) was once a feeder pool to Sarehole Mill.

An open-air performance area (a grassed mini-amphitheatre) in a natural setting - the Withywindle Arena - is being prepared by volunteers near to historic Sarehole Mill (withy is an old word for willow). Members of TSCP Friends have also taken part in three weekend litter picks recently to leave the park looking its best. With so little open space in Hall Green, we should make the most of this lovely and historic green environment on the edge of our area.

The loss of Highfield House has been a massive blow to the residents of Hall Green. But directly as a result of that, a new group has been brought together to ensure that the loss of historic buildings is not such an easy ride for grasping developers and compliant planners.

In Hall Green our heritage is vitally important to us and we will fight to protect it. This goes for other parts of the city too - as our courageous colleagues in Moseley have shown.

The new body is to be called the Hall Green Preservation Group. HGPG had its inaugural meeting on 20th March at Hall Green Library. Many local people turned out and signed up to the principal of a preservation group that is to be proactive rather than reactive. All of your Focus team have signed up. If you are interested in taking part, contact Councillor Paula Smith on 0121-778-6679 or Councillor Michael Wilkes on 0121-777-2462 or email Michael directly from here.

We will work hard, side by side with residents to protect all the history we have left in and near Hall Green so future generations can enjoy the environment, both built and natural, that we have today.

The costs of energy are taking increasing chunks out of family incomes. Since privatisation, the power companies have ruthlessly exploited their position. They hike costs for low energy users even more than their huge headline increases - up to 50% more. This is effectively a standing charge with the first kilowatts being priced even higher than the rest.

“People on modest fixed incomes are being hit hard,” said Councillor Michael Wilkes. “Pensioners, other modest energy users and those trying to do their bit for the environment should be aided not penalised. And with the likes of BT increasing their take from those who don’t want to hand over their bank details and rising ‘line rentals’ - another standing charge - the problem is made worse. These anti-social money grabbers would be brought to book by a government worth its salt.”

Just a few weeks after the first of the public demonstrations of support for retaining Highfield House, bitterness was tinged with sadness for local residents as the Planning Committee voted to approve the application to build flats and houses at 187 Highfield Road and demolish the historic house. “The committee should be ashamed of themselves,” said Councillor Michael Wilkes. “Nobody wants this apart from the developers, planning officers (who again recommended approval) and those councillors who voted for it. If I never see another planning officer in Hall Green it will be too soon,” he continued.

“Despite passionate appeals from Liberal Democrat members, who all voted against, the Conservatives, belying their name, all voted in favour, two Labour members voted in favour and the rest of them abstained. In our view, members have a moral duty to support the public interest. If they do not, what is the purpose of being an elected representative?” Ward colleague Councillor Paula Smith said: “Local people fought very hard to preserve this house. It is a very sad sign of the times that we see yet more of our history thrown away for the sake of profit”. Cllr Jackie Hawthorn commented: “There are those in positions of power who have learnt nothing from the mistakes of the 1960s. The decision is lamentable.”

Your councillors are now setting up the Hall Green Preservation Group that will seek to protect and list all our remaining historic buildings so that the tragedy of Highfield House will never be repeated. This is essential. A malign circus has developed. A locally significant property, long cared for, is sold for ‘development’ either because the owners die and offspring don’t have the same values or, as with Highfield House, the managers of a Housing Association do not hold to traditional values. First the garden is destroyed with trees cut down - in the case of Highfield House a stand of poplars and a rare variety of apple of Victorian vintage - and a proper environmental assessment rendered impossible. The condition of the property then rapidly and mysteriously deteriorates - one can only wonder how. Meanwhile the target besotted Government threatens penalties for failure to grant planning approvals at a rate of knots and continues to ensure that the law, weak as it is, is biased in favour of developers. Planning officers, fearful of possible legal costs of standing up for the community and heedless of the extent of public feeling, disregard their own conservation advice and recommend approval. Local listing, with its feeble penalties, is seen to be worthless. The majority of members on the Planning Committee then, perhaps after crocodile tears, lamely comply and reward the developer with approval. Yet another building - in the present case, Highfield House with a unique and intriguing history - is then torn down to be replaced by yet more high density flats and housing.

Despite the clear moral obligation on elected members to fight for their constituents, Lib-Dem Councillors striving to cut through this malign circle are said to be ‘stirring it up’ or, as in a nearby ward, are even threatened with the Standards Committee for exposing another case of startling deterioration suffered by a historic building. “It is not just our history that is being lost but our very identity as communities,” said Councillor Wilkes. “We must show this up for what it is and marshal our communities in defiance”. The associated file, HighHous.pdf, 

highhous.pdf

is a slide show in Adobe Acrobat format and has pictures of the interior of Highfield House just 18 months ago. We could weep for that which was lost.

It’s known that properties are sometimes code marked by gang members, often posing as salesmen or representatives, as a way of tipping off fellow criminals of times when a property is empty or where insufficient security may make them vulnerable. A break-in could subsequently occur. Following reports of a house apparently being marked in this way in Tixall Road, local residents may wish to be vigilant.

Councillor Jackie Hawthorn advises: “Have a look around doorways, exterior brickwork and porches for suspicious markings. These may take the form of an arrow, a circle, a wavy line or such like. Check the pavement outside your property too. It should be obvious if marks have been put there by the Council or utility firms. A wire brush should get rid of markings on brickwork or the pavement. Take particular care with your porches and windows. We want our houses to be inviting - but to the right sort of people!”