Community up in arms about proposed use of Manzil Park as builders yard

Manzil Park in AutumnI’ve had nearly 20 emails from East Oxford residents today voicing great concern about the proposal to hand some of Manzil Park over to builders as a yard for 2 years while doing a building project.  I too am rather concerned about this.  My reply to people is:

“I entirely agree that turning a large part of Manzil Park into a builders yard for such a period would be hugely detrimental to the local community and the amenity of all local residents, particularly younger children. There must be better local sites to use as a builders’ yard. As a resident of East Oxford myself I am extremely concerned about this.

I am unfortunately not part of the City Executive Board or indeed the ruling political group on the City Council so my absolute powers are limited but I will undertake to do all I can to influence those in power to rethink this potentially disastrous proposal.”

Social Landlord tenancy and the problems it brings

A small piece of casework today.  A resident of some social housing in Carfax rang to say his area’s glass recycling bin is full and that when he rings City Works to arrange a collection he gets told that they need to check if the Registered Social Landlord (OCHA in this case) has paid for the service.  Then nothing happens.

Glass recycling

This would not happen if the City Council owned and managed all the council housing in Oxford City.  And to think the Labour Group was trying to hand it all off to registered social landlords not so long ago.  The problem is there is no accountability – at least Council Housing tenants have councillors to hold their landlord to account.

An interesting discussion with Carlyle Group

I had a meeting to discuss the proposals for the area between St. Aldates and Queen Street today and it seems there is a bit of an impasse between the City Council and the Developer over what to do with the site that we know as St. Aldate’s Chambers.   There is a planning application that has been waiting for determination for over a year now and the problem seems to be over a section 106 agreement

I’ll write more on this later.

Street Pastors training

I’d actuallyspastor2.jpg started this before being elected.  I am quite excited about it for two reasons:

1.  As an active Christian I believe we are called to take the love and care of Christ to people wherever they are.  This is a great opportunity to do that.
2. As a Carfax Councillor it will really help me to keep in touch with what happens in my ward during the small hours.

We were given a huge amount of useful information about drugs and alcohol and how they affect people we might be assisting as Street Pastors.  There are two more evening sessions to attend and then I’ll have attended all sessions bar one which I will have to catch up with as I was in Cornwall last weekend.