Digital Switchover - 7 to 21 September 2011

The digital TV switchover has arrived in Birmingham. By the end of the month the analogue TV signal to your aerial will be switched off and only the digital TV signals will remain. Cable and satellite TV services will not be affected.

From today BBC2 will stop being broadcast in analogue from the Sutton Coldfield transmitter. We will all need to retune our TVs and set top boxes to ensure that we receive all the available channels through an aerial. You can normally do this by selecting "setup" or "installation" from the menu - but retuning instructions are also available.

On the 21 September, all the remaining four analogue channels will be switched off so that the digital TV signals can be boosted. It will be necessary to retune TVs and set top boxes again. TVs that haven't been switched to digital (whether through an aerial, cable or satellite) won't receive TV signals any longer.

If you need any help or advice then you can visit the Digital UK website or telephone their contact centre on 08456 50 50 50.

New Advice Surgery Times for Selly Oak Councillors

Lib Dem councillors Alistair Dow and Dave Radcliffe have announced new arrangements for advice surgeries in Selly Oak and Selly Park.

From 1 June 2011 the advice surgery times for local residents are:

First Monday of each month (except during August and on Bank Holidays)	7pm	Sports Centre, Selly Park Technology College for Girls, Pershore Road entrance (Location Map)
Third Monday of each month (except during August and on Bank Holidays)	7pm	Christian Life Centre offices, 4 Frederick Road, Selly Oak, B29 6PB (Location Map)

Thank You

This is just a quick post to say thank you to everyone who voted for me in yesterday's council election. It has been an honour and a privilege to serve as a councillor for the Selly Oak Ward over the last seven years, but unfortunately I was not re-elected.

I know that we have achieved a lot together over that period and I have been very grateful for the warm welcome and kind words that I have received from residents across Selly Oak and Selly Park over the past few weeks. It is great to know that the hard work (not just by me and my fellow wards councillors, but also by many local residents) is appreciated by so many people.

The full election result is available on the Birmingham City Council website at: http://elections.birmingham.gov.uk/result-selly-oak-lab-gain/

Royal Wedding Street Party Fun

On Friday I took up an invitation to drop into the royal wedding street party on Eastern Road in Selly Park.

My fellow councillor Alistair Dow and I found a very interesting wedding veil in the shape of a beekeepers' hat!

It was great to see so many local residents enjoying themselves. It was a great opportunity for local residents to meet old and new friends and I understand that the party went on long after the advertised end time. I'm sure the great weather also helped.

Congratulations to all those involved in the organisation of this street party and other similar events.

Open Day at Bournville Lane Police Station on Saturday 7 May 2011

Police in South Birmingham are opening the doors of Bournville Lane Police Station for a community open day on Saturday 7 May 2011. The open day will start at 10.00am and run through to 2pm.

This is an opportunity to meet local officers, see inside the police station and among other things:

• Visit the cell block and have your fingerprints taken
  
• Join the Big Lottery Outdoor Play - scale the climbing wall and build your own den
• Meet a police drugs dog
  
• Watch a taser demonstration and firearms display
• Sit inside police traffic cars and try on police equipment
  
• Talk to partners from the Ambulance Service, Sea Cadets, Street Games, Armed Forces and the Fire Service

The full range of activities will be held at Bournville police station, 341 Bournville Lane, Birmingham, B30 1QX and Griffins Brook Recreation Ground, Cob Lane, (opposite police station). Free parking will be available across the road at Bournville College, Bristol Road South, B31 2AJ.

For further information about the day please contact the Partnerships Team at Bournville police station on 0345 113 5000 or visit www.birminghamsouthpolice.org.uk

Alternative Vote Referendum

As well as voting for local councillors on 5 May 2011, we will also be voting in a referendum on whether the altervative vote should be used to elected MPs in future. Many people have asked me what the alternative vote system is and how it would be different, so I thought that this explanation by TV historian Dan Snow might be helpful:

'I Love Selly Oak' Doorstep Challenge

The "I Love Selly Oak" Doorstep Challenge returns to the Bournbrook area of Birmingham as announced today:

"Gardening has never been more on trend as Birmingham holds its “I Love Selly Oak Doorstep challenge”, giving its residents the opportunity of winning numerous prizes.

The event is run by Birmingham City Council’s Selly Oak constituency and The University of Birmingham’s Guild, and will take place in Bournbrook. The challenge will run from 28th April to 16th May 2011, with the support of many local organisations.

The competition encourages residents in Bournbrook to take responsibility and pride of their local area as they are asked to put their gardening skills into action.

The simple task of potting and planting, and taking a before and after picture, puts the participants in with a chance of winning various shopping vouchers. The gardens will be judged with first, second and third place participants receiving the prizes.

The ‘I Love Selly Oak Doorstep Challenge’ competition was launched by Selly Oak councillors Alistair Dow and Robert Wright; getting your hands dirty has proven to be a success since."

Entries for the challenge can be submitted to The Guild of Students at Birmingham University (www.guildofstudents.com) from Thursday 21st April 2011 until Monday 16th May 2011.

Full story at: 'I Love Selly Oak' Doorstep Challenge - birminghamnewsroom.com