Comments on: Save Birmingham City Council Conservation Department: Sign the Petition

By: Rachel Trinder

Rachel Trinder — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 14:59:26 +0000

You commented on an FOI request I sent to Birmingham City Council about their planned cutbacks and possible disbanding of the Conservation Department altogether.

As someone who write for an environmental news website, Birmingham Recycled, I found the issue to be one of interest and concern. What will happen to Birmingham’s many conservation areas if the department that deals with them vanishes?

They responded back to be and seem to think that if a department restructure happens then the conservation officers expertise won’t be lost and will still be put to good use. Thought you might want to have a look at exactly what they sent me http://tinyurl.com/yyo2d8u

By: Julia

Julia — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 22:49:40 +0000

We couldn’t agree more!

By: Janet Partridge

Janet Partridge — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 21:41:02 +0000

We need to support our conservation department – we know only too well that merging them into the general planning deoartment means that they will cease to have any future role using their particular skills. It will be a travesty.

By: Some links for March 20th through to March 21st | Birmingham Conservation Trust

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 20:04:49 +0000

[...] Save Birmingham City Council Conservation Department: Sign the Petition | Acocks Green Focus Group – Great concern has now been expressed by Birmingham’s conservationists at the 23rd February 2010 Council approved Budget plan to disband Birmingham City Council Conservation Department, in order to save £350,000 a year. [...]

By: Julia

Julia — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 10:22:04 +0000

Hi Paul

It is actually 350,000 not £305,000 – typo that was corrected yesterday, but sorry! However, in answer to your main point, I think we can assume that if the conservation officers are absorbed into the main planning department, as Cllr Neville Summerfield is suggesting, they will NOT be working all the time as conservation officers. This is where the saving is likely to come in. Acocks Green initially understood that there would be a Conservation Area in Acocks Green, in six months. This became more than eighteen months. The Conservation Department have now been told that their current eighteen month work program is ‘optimistic’ in the present climate. We have been advised that this ‘… will also have an impact on any future designations etc, such as Acocks Green.’

By: Michael Starkey

Michael Starkey — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 09:55:41 +0000

An absolute travesty. We should be treasuring our heritage in Birmingham, not treating it as an inconvenience, which is what the Council appears to be doing with these cuts.

By: paul smith

paul smith — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 08:07:12 +0000

So, let me get this straight No on is being made redundant the conservation officers will still be conservation officers but will be working as conservation officers under the general umbrella of the planning department but by getting rid of the conservation department the are going to save £305,000 it doesnt quite seem possible somehow perhaps i am being Naive

By: Colin Troth

Colin Troth — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:24:30 +0000

A disgrace if disbanded our heritage is under more threats than ever.

By: Save Birmingham City Council Conservation Department: Sign the Petition – Acocks Green Focus Group - Birmingham: It's Not Shit

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 01:03:10 +0000

[...] Birmingham: It's Not Shit loves Birmingham and has loads of news and features. If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to our RSS feed.Great concern has now been expressed by Birmingham’s conservationists at the 23rd February 2010 Council approved Budget plan to disband Birmingham City Council Conservation Department, in order to save £3050,000 a year. [link] [...]