Presenting awards at Aston "Oscars" tomorrow night

Nikki Sinclaire MEP will present prizes at the Aston Awards which are to be held tomorrow night.

The "Aston Oscars" are designed to build social capital in the area by recognising local people for their acheivments and service to the area. Individuals or groups have been nominated and voted for by local people through voting boxes which have been placed in the local shops.

The night will feature local music act, ss well as this there is a fashion show and a buffet dinner.

Nikki Sinclaire is honoured to be asked to present the awards at the event,

"It is great to come along to honour the local heroes of the community and show support for their efforts.

Pritesh Pattni, former Olympic torch bearer, has  been instrumental in his community in Aston and I'm delighted to be able to support his event tomorrow night which celebrates community and all the people who are doing so much good around around us, but sometimes this good is not recognised.

It is only right that they are put on a pedastal for a night and perhaps inspire others to do good in their local area". 

Community Led Bid for Sports Facility in Aston - An open letter to the council

I write with reference to the council’s planning proposals for the Aston Area of Birmingham under the Aston, Lozells and Handsworth Area Action Plan. The plan makes proposals for one site in particular which is the Serpentine site in Aston Hall Rd, Aston. This site consists of a large car park and a 2000 seated sports and community centre known as the Aston Arena which is under caretaker management and is hardly used by the community in the area at the moment.

The site has been designated as a Regional Investment site under the AAP with the most recent proposed amendments outlining its use for more shopping facilities and a gym. Local shop keepers are opposed to the plans and an overpriced Gym will not be accessible to many local residents. Local groups are afraid that only private developers will benefit from the plan for the site.

Fears now persist that as a prelude to the AAP plan the site will be cleared and the Aston Arena will be demolished. This would be a great loss to the local community and in particular to the committed group of local charities and voluntary organisations who have put together a vision and draft plan for the site to turn it into a key community asset with the help of Locality the national asset transfer body. Many industrial brownfield sites of similar size exist in the area so why do council plans seek to demolish the only site of community interest.

The proposal by Bidgley Powe,r a community based charity and 15 local and regional and national stakeholders sets out a compelling vision for the  site which would see amongst other things:

•Jobs created

•New homes built

•A vibrant sport and community Hub

•A community police station and library developed

The motivation of the group came from a strong voluntary sector being stifled by a chronic lack of facilities and funding in an area of high deprivation. The council’s leisure services decision to cut the funding to school based sites decimated local sports clubs, adult education and community meeting places in one stroke. Currently on 2 sites in the Aston area exist where these activities take place and these are very heavily oversubscribed.

Consultation by local stakeholders document how people living in the area feel disenfranchised from the political and planning process with many siting how the council does not listen to their voices and the lack of facilities affects their standard of living.

As a matter of clarification as to the future of the site can the council confirm the following?

•That the site is being transferred into the councils portfolio of property

•The buildings on the site and in particular the Arena will be demolished

•whether it has considered any other brown filed sites within the locality for its plans

•With current spending being cutback what plans do the council have replace sports and community facilities which have been lost in the area.

•Would the council support more consultation with local  groups on a community led vision for the site

Does the council really believe in the government ethos of localism through decentralization empowering individuals, local agents and communities through the big society or just ignore if it hinders commercial development of property for a profit.

I urge the council to listen to the voices of the people in the area, capitalise on the strength of the voluntary sector there and restore their faith in the political process by supporting this community led bid to transform the site into a vibrant hub leaving a lasting legacy in this Olympic year.