Tag: Department for Levelling Up Housing and Communities

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NEWS: Free workshop to help people find opportunities in journalism or creative industries – Saturday 10 August

On Saturday 10 August, a free to access workshop will be helping people find opportunities within journalism or the creative industries.

Held at Spitfire House, on Castle Vale High Street, the GET WRITING GET WORKING workshop will be a relaxed introduction on how to get ‘work ready’ and build a creative portfolio – that could lead to professional work and experience in media.

It will also teach participants the basic tools of the creative industry trade, such as how to pitch a story or project idea, how to build an industry network, and how to approach editors or potential employers.

Completely free to attend, and with no previous experience required, places are still available to people from across Castle Vale and the wider Erdington constituency.

Places are limited and allocated on a first come first served basis – to secure your place at the GET WRITING GET WORKING workshop on Saturday 10 August email: [email protected]

N.B. Travel support can be provided for people with mobility issues, coming from within the Erdington constituency – please contact organisers for further details.

The workshop will also include a Q&A session with creative industry professionals – covering topics such as digital publishing, online platforms for professional creatives, and how to both access and navigate arts funding.

There will also be a chance to meet and ask questions to Express and Star Senior Reporter Adam Smith – who has an extensive career in national and regional journalism, reporting on stories from the Barack Obama presidential campaign to the Covid pandemic.

Those who progress with the GET WRITING GET WORKING project will also be given a professional brief through Erdington Local, such as writing a news story for publication or helping design part of the newspaper or website.

Professional mentors can also be allocated to those engaged with the GET WRITING GET WORKING project, given more one to one professional support and guidance.

Project Lead, Ed King, told: “GET WRITING GET WORKING is a great opportunity for anyone wanting to take professional steps into the world or journalism, or to explore opportunities in the wider creative industries.

“It will give participants the basic skills and approaches needed to ‘break in’, such as how to pitch an idea or build a portfolio – valuable lessons, but simple enough for anyone to understand. Then there will be ongoing mentor and one to one support.”

He added: “So often people think they can’t, when in fact they very much can – and it’s just a simple nudge I the right direction that they need to get started.

“The GET WRIITNG GET WORKING project is a relaxed and friendly environment, which will help build people’s confidence as well as open doors for them in the creative industries.”

Having held previous workshops in Erdington Town Centre and online, the GET WRITING GET WORKING project has already helped people across Erdington take their first steps into journalism and the creative industries.

Further workshops and online activity will be organised , with people asked to email [email protected] for more information.

GET WRITING GET WORKING is a project designed and delivered by LOCAL AMBASSADORS, with support from partners including Birmingham City Council, the UK Government, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, the West Midlands Combined Authority, and Witton Lodge Community Association.

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NEWS: New Small Grants Programme could give Erdington community groups up to £10k support

Words by Erdington Local editorial team

A new Small Grants Programme could see community groups across the Erdington constituency get up to £10k support from government funding.

Launched in Erdington on 3 January and managed by Witton Lodge Community Association (WLCA), the scheme aims to support local organisations and charities extend their existing reach and to encourage new projects.

Those wanting to know more are invited to attend a free workshop about the Small Grants Programme on 11 January, held at Perry Common Hall. For online directions to Perry Common Community Hall click here.

With sessions running from 11am to 7pm, the day will “provide full details of the fund, give help and advice as well as the opportunity to access face-to-face support with completing the grant application.”

Interested groups are asked to email WLCA Wellbeing Officer Fauzia Begum at [email protected] or to call (0121) 382 1930.

Aimed at community and voluntary groups across the whole constituency – including the wards of Castle Vale, Erdington, Gravely Hill, Kingstanding, Perry Common, Pype Hayes, and Stockland Green – the Small Grants Programme funding is available to help grow existing programmes and services, but also to encourage work that tackles issues around mental health, employment, community engagement, and environmental issues.

The specific “themes” that funding would be available for are outlined on the WLCA website as: Organisational capacity building, Community events, engagement and reach, Health and Wellbeing, Job, Skills and Enterprise, and Environmental Activities and Improvements.

A statement from WLCA further confirmed: “This new programme will build community capacity, capability, and networks in Erdington Constituency.

“Grants of up to £10,000 will be available to develop and deliver services for vulnerable residents and groups, and successful applicants will be encouraged to join local networks that share knowledge and collaborate on future opportunities.”

The Small Grants Programme is funded by the government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund, a £2.6 billion pot of money to support ‘local priorities’ and ‘empower local leaders and communities’.

Launched in April 2022 by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, the UK Shared Prosperity Fund is set to run until March 2025.

For more information on the Small Grants Programme, or to book a place for the workshops on 11 January, please email [email protected] or call (0121) 382 1930.

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NEWS: Birmingham City Council agree Financial Recovery Plan which could see Erdington assets sold and a rise in Council Tax

Words by Ed King

On Monday 25 September, Birmingham’s elected officials approved a Financial Recovery Plan which could see assets from Erdington and across the city sold to pay off the Council’s debt, as well as a potential rise in Council Tax introduced.

In a heated four hour Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM), councillors from the city’s ten constituencies debated the two Section 114 notices recently issued – which effectively declared the city ‘bankrupt’, highlighting Birmingham City Council (BCC) does not have enough financial reserves to balance its books – before voting on a four point strategy presented by BCC Chief Executive Deborah Cadman.

The first recommendation in the BCC Financial Recovery Plan was to ‘Agree to accept the Section 114 notice issued on 5th September 2023’, allowing the Council to move forward and work with government appointed commissioners. The vote was carried.

The following three recommendations outlined approaches that could either save or generate money for BCC, including an ‘Assets Review to identify options to raise funds’ – which could pave the way for Erdington’s libraries, parks, community hubs, and leisure centres being sold on the commercial market, alongside other BCC assets from across the city.

Also included were spending control measures until emergency and balanced budgets could be approved, a potential ‘Organisational Redesign’ of ‘services around citizens’, and an ‘Income Review to maximise sustainable income from all sources’ – including Business Rates, Council Tax, and Grants. The vote for these recommendations was also carried.

According to BCC’S official list of property published in 2019 – the latest Erdington Local could find – the Erdington constituency has 464 assets owned by Birmingham City Council, excluding social housing and operational public highways.

These include social hubs such as both Erdington and Kingstanding Leisure Centres, Highcroft Community Centre, Elim Pentecostal Church, the Magnet Centre, The British Legion Social Club in Perry Common, Stockland Green Sports Centre, and Lakeside Childrens and Family Learning Centre.

These Erdington facilities could now be sold to address the financial crisis faced by Birmingham City Council.

Birmingham City Council could also look to sell the green spaces in its portfolio, which according to the 2019 published portfolio includes allotments across Erdington – from Castle Vale to Wyrley Birch – Erdington Playing Fields, Twickenham Road Playing Fields, Short Heath Playing Fields, Spring Lane Playing Fields, and Yenton Playing Fields.

Larger public spaces such as Brookvale Park, Rookery Park, Highcroft Park, and Pype Hayes Park could also be sold – alongside Perry Common and Witton Lakes.

Also back under question is Erdington Library, which recently fought off a proposal from BCC that would have seen its entire facility squeezed into the corner children’s library area, and Erdington Baths, which was recently promised £2m from BCC to aid the development of an Enterprise Hub – as delivered by Witton Lodge Community Association (WLCA).

Birmingham City Council is facing a projected deficit of £87m for 2023/24 and legal bill of ‘between £650 million and £760 million’ for new claims over equal pay, having already remunerated thousands of historic claimants over £1bn in liabilities.

In response to the growing financial crisis faced by BCC, the first Section 114 notice was issued by Birmingham City Council’s Interim Director of Finance, Fiona Greenway, on 5 September.

A following notice was then issued on 21 September, alongside a further Section 5 notice from the City Solicitor, after calls of inaction over plans for a workable job evaluation scheme.

Ahead of commissioners coming to take over Birmingham’s finances – as appointed by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) – a Financial Recovery Plan was published by the BCC Chief Executive, Deborah Cadman, on 25 September.

An Extraordinary General Meeting was held that evening, with all councillors requested to attend, to debate and vote on the recommendations presented.

Council Leader John Cotton (Glebe Farm and Tile Cross, Labour) was the first elected official to speak, stating “(Birmingham City) Council is at a crossroads” and recognising the “severe challenges that we face”.

Cllr Cotton went on to “apologise to the people of Birmingham” for the “stark choices” and “worrying times” as the City presents a plan to save itself from financial ruin.

Erdington Ward councillor and Leader of Birmingham Conservatives, Robert Alden, was next to speak, acknowledging the “sad day for the city” and “tragic” circumstances Birmingham City Council now found itself in, following a “shameful amount of inaction across the summer” from the Council leadership.

Cllr Alden further presented a litany of official opportunities and advice given to BCC to address the equal pay liabilities over recent years, as well as highlighting the debt accrued was “a council issue” and that “the city of Birmingham has a bright future ahead of it; the city of Birmingham is full of amazing people.”

Alden added:  “And the city will rise like a phoenix from the ashes of this mess that’s been created by the Labour administration.”

A total of 30 local councillors stood up to address the Lord Mayor and Council Chamber during the EGM on Monday, 25 September – including Cllr Alden’s counterpart in the Erdington Ward, Cllr Gareth Moore.

Cllr Moore was quick to admit he was “quite frankly embarrassed and ashamed” over the “unprecedented” financial crisis facing the city.

He added: “Birmingham is an amazing city full of passionate people with a rich and diverse history, and yet the reputation and finances of this Council have been ruined by chronic mismanagement by the Labour leadership”.

No councillors from any of the remining six political Wards in the Erdington constituency spoke at the EGM, although time cut short the requests from six elected officials who were not given the chance to address the Chamber.

Commissioners appointed by the DLUHC will now begin working with Birmingham City Council to address the financial crisis.