What has been happening lately?

Thank you to everyone who has been working on activities related to supporting the community of Ladywood affected by the regeneration. We continue to be negatively affected by the planned mass compulsory purchase of our homes and local assets of great value including businesses and churches.

What has been happening lately?

Councillor drop in sessions. Next one tomorrow 6 October at 7pm – Ladywood Health and Community Centre. These occur every month – see details here: https://ladywoodunite.com/2023/07/08/ladywood-councillor-contact-information-and-drop-in-sessions/. We can ask our Councillors to take action to help us and ask what they have been doing about the regeneration.

New petition. There is a new petition to demand that we are able to re-elect our local councillors who have not been particularly supportive. There is no formal mechanism for us to make this happen that we are aware of – but the petition can be presented at a council meeting, and other Councillors could choose to make it happen. Please share this link as widely as possible: https://www.change.org/p/we-ask-to-be-able-to-elect-new-local-councillors-as-soon-as-possible

New protest – 16 October from 6:30pm outside Ladywood Methodist Church 184 Saint Vincent Street West, Ladywood, Birmingham, B16 8RW. Birmingham City Council has announced ‘engagement workshops‘ at the church but as before, not everyone is welcome. The event is limited to a only small number of homeowners who were able to secure tickets. Please come show our council that we still care and join us by protesting outside this engagement event.

New government responses. We have been writing many letters (thank you!) and some of these have received responses with offers of meetings. Residents and Ladywood supporters have been offered meetings with the mayor and Councillor Jayne Francis who supports the regeneration. MP Shabana Mahmood made a new video about her consultation survey but still refuses to meet with local resident George Smith.

New groups. Following meetings organised by those inside the red line, several people have met twice to try to form a more organised group that will be better able to request that the council and Councillors respond to us. This group will have roles, including Chair, Treasurer, and Secretary, and will need support from you – if you wish to join please email ladywoodunite@gmail.com with your name and the best way to reach you. The group is still figuring out how it will operate and for now – we rely on everyone to take their own actions to protect Ladywood.

We will not stand by and let a luxury developer work with the council to undertake a mass compulsory purchase of our community. We deserve more and better.