We agree that what is happening is heartbreaking. As you say, it is becoming clear that we need good local organisation. It seems it will be down to Birmingham groups to work with, and support what will be left of the Conservation Department – two officers -good ones but there were eight! – but they will need well organised groups and all our help … guess Birmingham Conservationists need to stick together! Any more thoughts anyone?

How many times have they betrayed the trust of us, the electorate, on matters we hold dear to our hearts? I love the city I grew up in, and am sick of our politicians not have the guts and commitment to do what we elected them for.

Not only do we need a Conservation Department, we need a strong representation from us, the people who really care, so that we can steer decisions. Individual gems of our architectural heritage are becoming severely endangered through a lack of will by the council – Moseley Art School, Moseley Road Baths, The old Moseley Road Tram Station – all abandoned to become further ruined by a lack of maintenance.

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

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.’