Moseley Forum

We would like you to join us, Kings Heath Residents' Forum and the 2012 Council candidates for an evening of incisive questioning in the run-up to the local elections, which fall on May 3rd this year. We are delighted that candidates from all of the parties have agreed to join us:

Conservatives - John Turner
The Green Party - Phil Simpson (standing in for William Lilley)
Labour - Lisa Trickett
Liberal Democrats - Martin Mullaney
UKIP - Alan Blumenthal

We are holding the event at Kings Heath Baptist Church (80 High Street, Kings Heath, B14 7JZ), and David Isgrove will Chair.

If you would like to submit questions in advance, we are happy to take them - email .

Most importantly, we would love as many people as possible to come and invite your friends! So do let us know if you can make it.

Moseley Forum will be hosting a hustings for the council candidates for Moseley and Kings Heath Ward. The event will be held at St. Columba's Church on Alcester Road, and will begin promptly at 19:30.

Each of the candidates will be permitted around 5 minutes each to outline their vision for the ward, and then we will open up the floor to questions from the audience.

The more people, the better the discussion, so do come, and let your voice be heard!

There will be hustings for parliamentary candidates on Sunday May 2nd at 11.00 at St Mary's Church, St Mary's Row, Moseley - organised by Jeremy Dussek, Vicar of Moseley. Questions must be given in writing in advance for these hustings -

Come to the hustings at
Moseley CDT on
Monday 21st April at
7.30 p.m. and
ASK THE CANDIDATES
who are standing for election to Birmingham City Council
QUESTIONS
about their plans for
MOSELEY

The candidates are:
Alan Blumenthal - U K Independence Party
Alan Clawley - The Green Party
Ray Gaston - Repect
Jane Howell - The Labour Party
Maura Judges - The Conservative Party
Peter Lawrie - British National Party
Martin Mullaney - Liberal Democrats (retiring Councillor for the Ward)

Meeting at 19:30
Moseley CDT, The Post Office Building, 149-153 Alcester Road, B13 8JP

Presenters:

1. Mick Rice - Birmingham Association of Neighbourhood Forums
   www.banf.org.uk
   How would new Neighbourhood Councils work within the current City Council structure - Who does what?
2. Gareth Griffiths - Chairman of New Frankley Parish Council
   www.newfrankleyinbirminghamparishcouncil.gov.uk

How the Parish/Neighbourhood Council operates to serve the Local Community.

3. Roger Griffiths - Clerk to the New Frankley Parish Council
   www.newfrankleyinbirminghamparishcouncil.gov.uk
   Practical issues for operating a Parish/Neighbourhood Council.
4. Mick Rice - BANF
   The Save BANF campaign - the implications for Moseley Forum losing its umbrella organisation.

With recent legislation, there is change of in the way communities like Moseley could be managed with the introduction of a new Neighbourhood Council - which is an old Parish Council, in all but name - that would deliver local services and deal with issues that would otherwise be lost in the leviathan that is Birmingham City Council: the largest local government in Europe.

• What are the pros & cons?
• What benefit would Moseley get from a Neighbourhood Council?
• How would it work in Moseley?
• What could a Neighbourhood Council do boost the local economy and develop community resources?
• Would Moseley have greater accountability?
• What would the implications be of a Neighbourhood Council - both financial & city-wide ramifications?
• Would our local City Councillors become redundant?

Come and debate the issues of introducing a new level of governance within Birmingham.

With the withdrawal of funding from BANF by the City Council, Mick Rice will address the issues of Moseley Forum ceasing to have a representative at Council meetings.

Something to do with Hustle? With thanks to the BBC

Why would nearly 100 people - from all walks of life - descend on the Moseley Post Office building one wet April evening?

• the refreshingly dry humour of the UKIP candidate that had us in stitches
• the funny side of the minders for the Labour candidate who looked smooth as ever
• the credentials of the Green candidate
• the sense of commitment of the Liberal Democrat candidate

So many questions, covering everything:
…. From recycling to the use of private money for public institutions, such as new School Academies or N.H.S.
…. From transport to safety & security
…. From what Moseley could do about the Climate Strategy - and what strategies Birmingham City Council have in place to tackle climate change - to what they would introduce to Moseley given all the money & time they wanted!!

For some, the personal questioning of the candidates after the meeting over the usual glass of wine produced by the Forum was the golden opportunity second to none.