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Wednesday Calthorpe 7.30 - if no lights then Lebanese Bakery until it shuts at 8, then the Old Mo for a swift half?

1. danwentskiing
   
2. malletesta
   
3. neil
   
4. kat
   
   

I'm badmintoning this evening so I will ride home via the court and see if they've done anything. Today doesn't necessarily seem like the best day for fixing lights outdoors though!

More admin! I just phoned Zhor Malik, he then spoke to the district office and phoned me right back (told you I'd been super lovely/ charming!) Anyway he said that a cherry picker is going on Monday to look at the lights and fix them (so long as the problem is not worse than they thought). He said I will be the first to know once he knows anything. Fingers crossed!

Highgate Sunday 20th 10.00am?

1. danwentskiing
   
2. wrists
   
3. wrists
   
4. wrists
   
5. kat
   

Ok, so....Since my attempts to get the lights fixed have not worked. Here are some potential alternatives .

I don't know what any of them are like so they might all be rubbish but I've checked on streetview and they all look like they have lights.

• Brunswick Rd & Stoney Lane
  
• Cul-de-sac at end of Brunswick Rd (3 courts together)
  
• Pickwick Park
  
• Balsall Heath Park
  
  

Let me know if there's any more polo admin that needs doing!

Here is an update about the lights. I feel like a failure!

Kathryn,

I share your frustration and concern regarding what should have been a straightforward request.
I regret that despite repeated correspondence chasing an update for you and other users of the facility, I have no further news to provide.
I attach below my most recent correspondence on this yesterday.

Kind regards

Councillor Victoria Quinn
Sparkbrook Ward (Labour)
Chair, Transport, Connectivity & Sustainability Overview & Scrutiny Committee
Birmingham City Council - B1 1BB

Tel: 0121 303 4049
Mob: 0789 4540508

From: Vicki Wolverson
Sent: Monday, October 14, 2013 4:10 PM
To: Councillor Victoria Quinn; Pete Hobbs
Cc: Councillor Habib UL. Rehman
Subject: RE: Calthorpe park games area lighting

Hello Cllr Quinn

Where we stand at the moment is we have commissioned the work & are waiting for Middleton's to come out with a Cherry picker to access the lights. At the moment we are still waiting on them. It is not going to be a quick fix as it is more complicated than just a bulb change as there was a fire which as damaged a number of light fittings & electric circuits. I have asked Zhor to chase them up again for an update.

Thanks

Vicki Wolverson
Management Support Officer & PA to Pete Hobbs

Hall Green District Office
Sparkhill
Birmingham
B11 4LX

0121 675 9000

I went past the court tonight and there are still no lights. I'll phone them tomorrow but I guess it is wishful thinking to think that they'll do it and the weather will be nice.

I'd be up for the Lebanese bakery.

Sunday 13th, 10am?

1. danwentskiing
   
2. n3il
   
3. kat
   4.
   5.
   6.
   

Ditto! More dark country lane rides would be fun.

Nice massive photos, thanks for that! I particularly enjoy the ones that capture Fin's attentive coaching/ heckling!

I'd be up for a bike ride (so long as you don't just drop me!)

If there are lights are on in Calthorpe after 8pm...

Wednesday, 8pm

1. Malletesta
   
2. Neil
   
3. danwentskiing
   
4. Kat
   
   

It is looking unlikely that the lights will be fixed. I'm always up for going for a drink though!

Sounds like I missed an exciting day!

Update on the lights. I just finally managed to get through to Zhor Malik on the phone. He said that a technician came out and checked all the lights and that there's a problem with a trip switch making the lights go out in blocks. They need to get a cherry picker (he helpfully explained what this was, just in case I couldn't get my head around it!) to fix the fault.

This should be done in the next 5 days and he said he'll e-mail me. We shall see. I didn't remind him about Matt's heroism but I did try and be extra charming.

I've got other irons in the fire, I will not be defeated.

This guy is apparently responsible and he has made the school boy error of putting his phone number in his e-mail signature. I'll give him until Monday before phoning.

Dear Kathryn

I am looking into this and will respond as soon as there are any developments.

Regards

Zhor Malik
Pavilion Manager
Hall Green District
Local Services Directorate

Tel: 0121 446 5173
Fax: 0121 446 5173

Maybe the other light was off last night as they had to take the bulb out so they could take it to B&Q to see if they have one which matches?

You jest but I did kind of say that in my (incredibly long e-mail) to imply that it seems a bit dodgy that we've complained and now nothing works! I think the Hall Green Office didn't want to deal with it any more so they've given me Simon Cooper's (Parks guy who is responsible) direct number. I've left him a voicemail and e-mailed him already.

I'm ready for a war of attrition!

Yeah lets blame Kat.

No one else suggested blaming me!?

So far this morning people do not seem to need my help at work so I've e-mailed Victoria Quinn and Tony Kennedy again. After 9, I will try and phone the Hall Green District office again, and also Simon Cooper if I can find a number for him. (He is the person from Parks they told me was looking at it).

Although if I keep getting blamed for things I might stop trying!

Wednesday 7:30:

1. neil
   
2. malletesta
   
3. kat
   
4. hyper
   
5. alice
   6.
   
   

my last post should have said e-mailED. I can only apologise.

Wednesday 7:30:

1. neil
   
2. malletesta
   
3. kat
   4.
   5.
   6.
   
   

I e-mail Victoria Quinn again yesterday since she asked me to remind her if I'd not heard from her. No response as yet.

I was told 11 but if it's still on I will wake Chris and Fin up asap!

Both dead to me now.

That is mean. I can't help it if I'm popular enough to be invited to two 30th birthday parties in the Big Smoke. I'm a southern girl at heart! Anyway....

Hangover polo Sunday 29th Highgate.

1. dan_lj (10am?)
   
2. n3il - can do anytime
   
3. kat (whenever fin & chris are playing because there was talk of a bike ride in the afternoon and i'm a sheep!)
   

Come on UNITED!

That being said, I'm around if people are poloing.

Is that an email from someone trapped in the 1930s?

Also, how did you waste time before joining the forum?

http://gofugyourself.com/

Also this forum is not what was helping me waste time, it was all the delicious council related admin. Mmmmmmmmm admin!

This one sounds promising, even if only because she didn't Kathryn me. (Sorry I will stop posting soon. I've just run out of work so I'm killing time!)

Dear Kat,

Thanks for bringing this to my attention. I’m referring this to the District Head for Sparkbrook who is well appraised on issues around Calthorpe Park and the courts.
I’m really interested to hear about the Bike Polo and regret that I wasn’t aware of it. It’s exactly the kind of activity we are committed to seeing being developed and encouraged in the Parks. Also, and against the backdrop of Birmingham’s successful Cycle City Ambition funding from government, there is all the more argument for us to back your activity in particular. From community safety and health and wellbeing perspectives there is also really good justification for us financing this.

If you leave it with me I will investigate what can be done to improve the lighting which exists and also get hold of a proper briefing about the use of the area. I should be more aware of it than I am.
In the interests of follow-up, could I ask that you send me a reminder email sometime in the next week should you not have heard back from me before then.

Kindest regards

Councillor Victoria Quinn

My favourite response yet:

"I well remember a very happy weekend break at school playing very informal bike polo
I did not know that it is a recognised game – I should like to see it
Calthorpe park is no longer in Edgbaston Ward following ward boundary a few years ago – it is now in Sparkbrook
James Hutchings"

Vicki from Hall Green District Office just phoned me back and said that she has managed to find out who is responsible (Parks Department, Simon Cooper) and that he will put in a request for the work to be done. She also said if nothing's happened in 4 weeks I should tell her and she'll chase it. I think I might give them a week and then phone him myself!

Also that is an excellent suggestion about the Library of Birmingham, I'm in!

Phil Parkin said this to me:
Kathryn,
As this park is not in the ward I represent or looked after by the district committee that I am a member of I have asked Cllr Ian Ward the deputy leader of BCC to look into the issue and contact you directly.

Tony Kennedy said this (not sure who Simon and Pete are but he copied them in):
I'll look into it.

Simon+pete, can this be resolved please?

Regards

Tonyk

Also I phoned the Hall Green neighbourhood office and spoke to a nice lady who is going to look into it and phone me back. I kind of love pestering the council!