Useful Telephone Numbers Abandoned Vehicles (BCC) 303 1112 Birmingham City Council Neighbour Office 675 4829 Bulky Waste 303 1112 Castle Vale Poliice, High Street 0845 1135000 Citizens Advice Bureau 748 5864 CVCHA Head Office 748 8100 Environmental Trust 748 6079 Dog Warden (BCC) 303 9900 Drains, Gullies and Sewers (BCC) 303 6007 Fly Tipping (BCC) 303 1112 Fly Tipping (CV) 748 8100 Graffiti (BCC) 303 8110 Graffiti (CV) 748 8100 NHS Direct 0845 4647647 Pest Control (BCC) 303 6007 Racial Harrassment Supporting Centre 0800 5877192 Refuse Collection 303 1112 Repairs 748 8101 Roads and Potholes (BCC) Highways 303 6644 Sanctuary, Tangmere Drive 748 8111 Spitfire House Library 464 7335 Street Signs (BCC) 303 6644 Tenants & Residents Alliance 747 5932 Victim Support 748 5864
Neighbourhood Statement Who will check that these standards are being met and how can I help 2005 Group are a group of residents who tell us when things go wrong. The Environmental Trust monitors how well services are provided and what actions need to be taken to put it right. The trust also works towards putting projects in place run by the community for the benefit of residents. We, the undersigned sign up to this Neighbourhood Agreement on behalf of Castle Vale Neighbourhood Partnership Board, Castle Vale Community Housing Association and Birmingham City Council. In signing this agreement we affirm our continued commitment to the Community of Castle Vale to improve service provision, provide better access to services and continue to develop a safe and clean neighbourhood. The Environmental Sub Group agrees what action is needed to make sure Castle Vale is well managed and problems are resolved. The Neighbourhood Partnership Board is responsible formaking sure that all problems identified through these groups get sorted out. If you are interested in having a say in how CVCHA deliver its services please call the CVCHA Resident Inclusion Team on 748 8100. Lord Corbett of Castle Vale Chair of Castle Vale Neighbourhood Partnership Board Peter Richmond Chief Executive Castle Vale Community Housing Association David Ellis Erdington Constituency Director Birmingham City Council 2 11
What are my responsibilities as a Castle Vale Resident Not to drop litter of leave rubbish around your neighbourhood To clean up immediately after your dog Not to feed pigeons as this attracts rats and other vermin To ring the appropriate telephone number if you see someone littering the estate, fly-tipping or allowing their dog to foul public areas or to stray (you can do without leaving your name or address) To ring if you think a litter pick is needed in your neighbourhood or you come across some graffiti To ring if you come across an abandoned needle To ring if you come across an abandoned vehicle Ensuring your rubbish is made available for collection from 6:00 on evening before collection day To ring if there is a problem with drains, kerbs, gully grids on public highways To help us keep the estate cleaner safer and greener by joining us to Walk and Talk around your neighbourhood! For more information about Walk and Talks please contact the CVCHA Community Housing Team on 748 8100 What is this agreement for To let you know, as a resident of Castle Vale, the level of service you can expect to be provided in Castle Vale, what is expected of you as a resident of Castle Vale and to tell you how these services can be checked. What does this agreement cover Keeping the Streets Clean Litter picking Emptying Litter/doggy bins Graffiti removal The removal of fly tipping Grass cutting Grounds maintenance of Birmingham City Council land Abandoned vehicles Refuse collection Vandalism/environmental damage Who is involved in this agreement You, the residents of Castle Vale! Castle Vale Community Housing Association (CVCHA) Neighbourhood Partnership Board Birmingham City Council (BCC): Parks, Sports & Events Division Fleet & Waste Management Division Highways Division 2005 Group (The way forward) 10 3
What services are on offer to me and what am I entitled to get from them The service standards Birmingham City Council and CVCHA are working to is set out below: Litter (general and hazardous) Birmingham City Council and CVCHA will pick litter and empty litter bins from High Street daily. CVCHA will do this every afternoon from Monday to Friday and Birmingham City Council every morning from Monday to Saturday. CVCHA will collect litter and remove detritus (a build up of decayed leaves and litter) from communal blocks and communal block areas weekly. Birmingham City Council will collect litter from road channels (gutters) and sweep them once every 2 weeks. Birmingham City Council will empty litter bins when they are full and will empty any public litter bin within 7 days if any member of the public reports one as full. To report a full litter bin please call Birmingham City Council at Contact Birmingham on 303 1112. Birmingham City Council and CVCHA will remove needles, glass and dead animals on the day it is reported. However, if a report is received in the afternoon then removal will take place the following morning. To report any of these found on Birmingham City Council land please call Contact Birmingham on 303 1112. To report any of these found on CVCHA land please call 748 8100. Birmingham City Council will provide an additional litter collection to individual streets if there is a particular problem. To arrange an additional litter pick please call Birmingham City Council at Contact Birmingham on 303 1112. Maintenance of Play Areas Birmingham City Council will maintain play areas. Daily checks are carried out in summer and 3 times per week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays between October and March. Play equipment that is found to be broken before 10:00am is inspected on the day it is reported or within 24 hours if reported after 10:00pm. The equipment is then isolated and removed or repaired as appropriate. Certain items of play equipment require ordering directly from the manufacturer and so can take several weeks to be replaced. Further isolation inspections are carried out on all broken play equipment on a daily basis. To keep the play areas in a safe condition for use by children, surfaces will be swept or raked to remove debris and play bark will be kept at the correct level. This will be carried out on a daily basis in summer or on Mondays, Wednesdays or Fridays between October and March. For more information call Birmingham City Council on 454 7810. 4 9
CVCHA will cut the grass in communal areas, sheltered schemes and bungalows twice monthly and collect the cuttings. These areas will be cleared of litter prior to cutting. Hedges will be pruned six times per year and flower beds and shrubs will be attended to monthly on CVCHA owned land. To report any problems call CVCHA on 748 8100. CVCHA will spray and remove weeds from all gated alleyways and hard standings, drying areas and entrances to communal blocks, 3 times a year. Abandoned Vehicles Birmingham City Council will remove cars that are abandoned. Any vehicle that is reported as abandoned will be served with a notice giving the owner of the vehicle a period of 21 days in which to claim and remove the vehicle. If the vehicle is taxed and has an up to date MOT certificate, Birmingham City Council cannot remove the vehicle. Birmingham City Council will remove a vehicle if requested to in writing by the owner. The vehicle will be removed within 7 working days of a letter and proof of ownership being received. This service is provided free of charge. Birmingham City Council will remove burnt out cars within 24 hours of them being reported. To report an abandoned vehicle call Birmingham City Council at Contact Birmingham on 303 1112. Pest Control Birmingham City Council provides a free service to treat for rats, bed bugs and cockroaches in your home. Treatment of rats will be carried out within 24 hours of the problem being reported from Monday to Friday. Birmingham City Council provides a chargeable service for the removal of wasp nests. They will also give advice where possible on other pests, but generally, it is the responsibility of each resident to remove them. To report pests call Birmingham City Council on 303 6007. 8 Graffiti Birmingham City Council will remove graffiti from the land that it owns, including street signs within 7 calendar days of it being reported. Racist and Offensive graffiti will be removed within 24 hours. To report graffiti call Birmingham City Council at Contact Birmingham on 303 8110. CVCHA will remove graffiti that is found or reported on its land within 5 working days. Racist or offensive graffiti found on CVCHA land will be removed the same day. To report graffiti on CVCHA land please call 748 8100. Fly Tipping Birmingham City Council will remove fly tipping from Council land within 2 working days of it being reported. To report fly tipping call Birmingham City Council at Contact Birmingham on 303 1112. CVCHA will remove fly tipping from its land within 24 hours of it being reported. To report fly tipping on CVCHA land call 748 8100. Action will be taken against anyone who has been caught fly tipping. Refuse Collection Birmingham City Council will carry out the refuse collection service on the same day of each week from Monday to Friday. The service will not commence before 6:00 in the morning or extend after 6:00 in the evening. It is vital you leave your rubbish bags outside of your home no earlier than 6:00 on the evening before the next days scheduled collection service. 5
Birmingham City Council provide most properties with a plastic sack collection service with one sack per property per week. Sacks are delivered in rolls of 26, twice a year. Dustbins are not provided. Birmingham City Council provides large metal containers to high and medium rise blocks and some other properties. These are serviced at least once per week. To report any problems with refuse collection call Birmingham City Council at Contact Birmingham on 303 1112. Birmingham City Council has introduced a segregated garden and paper waste collection service. This is a fortnightly collection service. Further details can be obtained from Birmingham City Council at Contact Birmingham on 303 1112. Recycling Birmingham City Council provides underground recycling stations for glass only. These are located at Rawlings Croft (near the old Police Station), Innsworth Drive (opposite the shop), Farnborough Road (on the swimming baths car park), Yatesbury Avenue (opposite St.Gerard s School) and at the junction of Park Lane and Baginton Road. For more information call Birmingham City Council at Contact Birmingham on 303 1112. There is also a privately owned recycling station situated on Sainsbury s car park for glass, paper, cardboard and books. This site also contains a clothing and shoe bank. Birmingham City Council and CVCHA are not responsible for this service. Bulky Waste Birmingham City Council provides a bulky waste collection service. Up to six items of bulky domestic waste will be collected free of charge by appointment. Fridges, freezers and washing machines will also be collected using a separate vehicle. These collections will be made on the date given by Contact Birmingham when the appointment is made. To arrange for your bulky waste collection call Birmingham City Council at Contact Birmingham on 303 1112. All items must be placed at the front of the property no earlier than the evening before the appointment. Only items listed at the time the appointment was made will be taken. Larger amounts of bulky items will be collected at a charge. CVCHA provides a bulky waste collection service only to CVCHA tenants. Up to three bulky items or six smaller items will be collected free of charge. Your bulky waste will be collected within two days of an appointment being made. CVCHA tenants can order bulky waste collection on 748 8100 or from Birmingham City Council at Contact Birmingham on 303 1112. Grassed Areas Including Gardens, Flower Beds & Shrubs Birmingham City Council will cut and maintain all public grassed areas (including road side areas, play areas and green spaces) and will be cut fortnightly from March through to the end of November. Grass cutting in public spaces does not include cuttings being collected, although Birmingham City Council Street Cleansing staff will litter pick the area before the grass is cut. Birmingham City Council will cut shrubbery once in the winter and once in the summer on the land it owns. They will also weed Shrubbed areas on its land as required. 6 Birmingham City Council will spray weeds in road channels and footpaths twice yearly. To report any problems call Birmingham City Council at Contact Birmingham on 303 1112. 7