Coventry Times

20 CITY SCHOOLS FACE LOSING REVAMP CASH

2010-06-10T10:15:00.002+01:00

A MULTI-million pound scheme to improve secondary schools in Coventry could be under threat.

The Building Schools for the Future (BSF) scheme was introduced by the previous Labour government and aimed to improve secondary schools across the country.

In Coventry 20 secondary schools were up for getting a slice of £330million that was awarded to the city.

But Tory MP Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Education, said the BSF scheme is under review, which has caused concern to Coventry MP Geoffrey Robinson.

The Labour representative for Coventry North West, has highlighted two schools that desperately need funding in his constituency and raised this at a House of Commons education question time on Monday.

He said: “I asked: Will the minister confirm as soon as possible that two schools in my constituency – President Kennedy and Woodlands, where the buildings go right back to the late 1960s and early 1970s, and one of whose buildings is being held up on all four sides by scaffolding, will figure in the programme, and when can he confirm that to them?

“He replied the BSF project had been allocated on the basis of deprivation, not of the state or
dilapidation of the building and he will consider the two schools I mentioned and write back to me.

“So I guess I will have to wait to see what his response is.

“I don’t mind it (BSF) being reviewed but there needs to be structure and this is what concerns me.”

In a Hansard report of Monday’s question time, MP Michael Gove said he wanted to get “better value for money” as a lot had already been spent on consultations that haven’t resulted in schools being re-built yet.

He said: “My department is currently reviewing the BSF programme to ensure we can build schools more effectively and more cost-efficiently in the future.

“I intend to ensure we prioritise capital spending to ensure in areas of real need, the taxpayer and teachers are given better value for money.

“Under the last government a significant amount of the cash was devoted to BSF and was spent on consultancy and other costs, which did not contribute directly to raising standards or to employing a single builder or plasterer, or anyone else whom he would no doubt wish to continue to see employed.

“I therefore hope we do everything possible to ensure that we obtain better value for money from this programme.”

Woodlands School, in Broad Lane – which has one of its school blocks supported by scaffolding – was due to be one of the first schools in Coventry benefiting from BSF funding.

But headteacher Neil Charlton is worried the money could be lost.

“We have had scaffolding on one of the blocks for four years now, but I’d like to add that the school is structurally safe,” he said.

“Having said that, because we are an old building it needs improving – it’s an eyesore because it is more than 50 years’ old and doesn’t have double glazing.

“In the past four years I have personally put in hundreds of hours in meetings and proposals with this.

“Because the school is a listed building we’ve had to convince English Heritage that we should be able to modify it.

“And we should be getting £20.5million in BSF funding to re-build one block and re-design the other two.

“My school needs doing and it needs doing now, otherwise the fabric and quality of education to children will be detrimental.

“I can understand the BSF scheme may need to be reviewed, but I think schools like this one, which has gone so far down the road – we’ve even got planning permission – should be given the go-ahead.

“We’re down to two bidders at the moment, who would carry out the work, that is likely to start next February.”

No one from President Kennedy School was available for comment.

What do you think? Write to us or email timesletters@mrn.co.uk.

100 CYCLISTS NEEDED FOR GIANT LADY GODIVA

2010-06-10T10:10:00.001+01:00

PEDAL power will be needed to push a 10-metre high Lady Godiva float from Coventry to London for the opening of the London 2012 Olympics.

Coventry’s Imagineer Productions has created a giant version of the city’s first lady through a project called the ‘Godiva Awakes Cycle Team’.

A team of 50 cyclists will be needed to transport Lady Godiva from Coventry to Rugby, Northampton, Milton Keynes, Luton, Waltham Abbey, Hapfield and finally London in July 2012.

The £500,000 project has been funded by the Arts Council England and is being commissioned through Artists Taking the Lead scheme – part of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad.

The journey will begin in Coventry’s University Square where a giant chamber will be built, which Lady Godiva awakes from. It will be marked by a performance involving 2,000 dancers, actors, aerialists, musicians, pyrotechnicians and carnivalists.

The chamber will then remain permanently.

And to kick-off the project a recruitment drive for cyclists took place on Saturday at the Transport Museum.

In all, 100 people are needed to alternate during the 100-mile journey to the capital city that will alternate between locations.

On Saturday people were invited to cycle for three minutes and have their name entered into a draw for places on the cycle team.

Claire Maddocks, director of Imagineer Productions, said: “Godiva Awakes is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for people off all backgrounds from Coventry and the region to be part of London 2012.

“We want everyone – from people who have never cycled before to real cycling enthusiasts – to sign up to be part of the team that will power Godiva to London in 2012.”

About 100 people joined in at the launch event on Saturday and postcards will soon be available for cyclists to enter their name into the draw.

Entrants should be aged 14 or over –families can enter with parents taking responsibility of children under 14 – with the results being announced in autumn 2010.

For more information visit www.imagineerproductions.co.uk.

CRACKDOWN ON ILLEGAL TABACCO

2010-06-10T10:05:00.000+01:00

MORE than 115,000 counterfeit or smuggled cigarettes have been seized over the past year, in a crackdown on illegal tobacco across the city.

Trading standards officers have been carrying out regular raids on shops and car boot sales in Coventry, as part of a concerted effort to stamp out sources of illegal tobacco.

In the past month, raids have uncovered around 37,000 illegal cigarettes, as well as 400 packs of hand-rolling tobacco, and 150 sachets of fruit tobacco – which is often smoked in Shisha pipes.

Officers have also unearthed stashes of illegal tobacco hidden underneath floorboards, behind mirrors, and even in adjacent premises where a person passes the tobacco through a small hole in the wall.

Hamish Simmonds, manager of the city council’s Trading Standards office, said: “Despite fraudsters attempting to become more creative in their attempts to conceal their activities, we are achieving significant rates of detection.

“Those tempted to make a quick buck are warned the penalties for supplying such items are severe, and can include up to 10 years’ imprisonment.”

Trading Standards said that tell-tale signs tobacco is counterfeit include: an unusual taste, a cheaper price, poor quality printing on the packets, and the absence of health warnings.

They also said that many products found often contain dangerously high levels of poisonous ingredients – such as six times the amount of lead, and three times the amount of arsenic found in ordinary cigarettes.

Councillor Joseph Clifford, chairman of Coventry’s Smokefree Alliance, said: “It’s important to remember that it’s not just illicit tobacco which can endanger your health – there is no such thing as a safe cigarette.

“If you want help to quit, you can locate your nearest Stop Smoking Service by calling 0800 051 1310.”

Anyone with information about where counterfeit cigarettes or tobacco may be being sold, should contact Trading Standards via Consumer Direct on 08454 04 05 06.

WORLD CUP LOUTS WARNED TO BE ON BEST BEHAVIOUR

2010-06-10T10:00:00.001+01:00

FOOTBALL louts are being warned to be on their best behaviour as Coventry Police is appealing to landlords, supermarkets and community shop bosses to back the World Cup bid.

Officers have written to licensees to remind them of their responsibility as England strive for glory in South Africa, so they play their part in ensuring a trouble-free tournament.

Chief Inspector Ryan Howat, heading the police handling of the World Cup in Coventry, said: “Our licensing team will be working closely with licensed and off-licensed premises during the World Cup.

“We hope the tournament will prove to be a good opportunity for our communities to come
together and get behind the England team in a positive way.

“The nature of football is that it is an emotional game, and as such we are prepared for the possibility of fans becoming tense and agitated.

“Across the West Midlands, there have been sporadic outbreaks of trouble where major England games have been shown before, but as a region our fans are increasingly heeding the message.

“We want people to enjoy the games in a safe environment with, hopefully, England going all the way.

“If they can’t and allow themselves to become involved in disorder either through drink or a misplaced sense of patriotism, then they can expect to be prosecuted.”

Councillor Jack Harrison, chairman of Coventry City Council’s licensing and regulatory committee, added: “The key issue for us is that premises showing the World Cup do so in a safe
and responsible way while not ruining the enjoyment of their customers and the wider public.

“Bars showing the big games have been asked to ensure they have enough identifiable door staff and that their CCTV is working.”

The force is working with the Coventry Community Safety Partnership and will be distributing posters and beer mats to licensed premises across the city bearing the message ‘Not in My City’.

They encourage people to report aggressive and violent behaviour during the World Cup.

TIME CAPSULE TO BE BURIED IN DEVELOPMENT SITE

2010-06-10T09:52:00.000+01:00

A TIME capsule giving a snapshot of Wood End in 2010 will be buried on site of a £360million redevelopment scheme.

Yesterday (Wednesday) the head of the Homes and Communities Agency Sir Bob Kerslake was due to visit Coventry to see first hand how the project has been coming along.

And the chief executive of England’s housing and regeneration agency was also due to help with the finishing touches to a time capsule that will be buried on site.

The capsule will demonstrate to future generations what life was like before the redevelopment took place and includes photographs of the site as it looks now, pictures of some of the oldest and youngest members of the community, press coverage on the project so far, coins, details of the current government and the price of living, such as a pint of beer, petrol, milk and bread.

Sir Bob also visited the location of the new Castle Wood School, due to open its doors in September 2010.

In total, the redevelopment of the area will see more than 3,000 new homes built over 15 years. Work will also take place to improve environment, including the construction of new roads, shops, green spaces and play areas.

The project is being led by Whitefriars Housing Group, in partnership with Coventry City Council, Coventry New Deal for Communities and developer partners.

Martin Smith, chairman of the Regeneration Action Team, said: “Residents have been closely involved in the plans since the beginning. We have taken part in everything from selecting the developers and architects to choosing the designs for the homes and neighbourhoods.

“The start of work on June 9 will be a day of real celebration for us, and the fact that Sir Bob Kerslake is visiting us, showing us that the Homes and Communities Agency is both interested and committed to our regeneration and redevelopment scheme, is just the icing on the cake.”

SPEND YOUR £20 BEFORE THEY GO OUT OF DATE

2010-06-03T12:34:00.000+01:00

COVENTRY spenders are being warned the clock is ticking to spend old £20 notes.

The Bank of England is reminding residents from June 30 the £20 note carrying a picture of composer Edward Elgar is to be finally withdrawn from circulation.

It will be replaced by £20 note that was introduced in 2007 that bears the picture of economist Adam Smith.

The number of Elgar notes in circulation has already decreased significantly since the withdrawal date was announced in March, but people are being reminded to have a final check at home for the old notes, which can be paid into a personal bank account or used as a cash payment over the coming month.

After June 30 the Elgar note will no longer have ‘legal tender’ status. It is less likely to be accepted in payment, or in change, in retail outlets after this date.

For more information visit www.bankofengland.co.uk/banknotes.

TRIBUTES PAID TO CRASH DUO

2010-06-02T14:32:00.001+01:00

A COVENTRY flying club has paid tribute to a father and son who died in a plane crash in Spain.

Former RAF man Bruce Hook, 63, and his son Ian, 26, died on Saturday shortly after taking off from San Luis aerodrome in Menorca.

It is thought the plane had just taken off when it nosedived, crashed and exploded, killing the pair instantly.

Mr Hook Snr, who lived in Worcester, was flying his own plane – a Beech Baron 55 in RAF colours – when the accident happened.

He was a member of the Armstong Whitworth Aircraft (AWA) Flying Group, in Coventry Road, Baginton, who said he was an “excellent pilot”.

John Stockley, AWA’s chief flying instructor said: “Bruce was a real gentleman who helped students through their flying courses.

“Everybody was shocked by the loss and it’s a real tragedy.”

Mr Hook and his son had entered a Beech Baron twin engine plane in the Air Race Menorca 2010 and were practicing when their plane nose dived and exploded.

Mr Stockley said the planes had to complete between 15 to 20 laps of a triangular aerial course.

The winner would have been the first plane to cross the finish line, but the competition was cancelled following the deaths.

Mr Hook, a father-of-two, had owned the Willpower Garage in Lapworth, Warwickshire, for 32 years.

Ian Hook, of Kenilworth, who was unmarried but had a girlfriend, was described as “the apple of his father’s eye” by a friend of Mr Hook Snr.

Stephen Esslemont, 44, who rents the garage forecourt in Lapworth, said: “He (Mr Hook senior) was well known in the community and everyone liked him. What’s happened is a shock to us all.

“He was a very quiet young man – kind and well-liked, like his father. A lovely young man. He adored his father and they had a good father and son relationship.”

A friend of Ian’s said: “I, along with many of Ian’s friends, are absolutely gutted and shocked at the news of the plane crash that has robbed us of Ian and Bruce. They loved their flying together.

“Ian was such a lovely guy, loyal to his friends, warm and caring to all who knew him, he will be missed by us mates and their families, to whom our thoughts are with at this tragic and very sad time.

“Bruce was a sound bloke too.

“They will both live long in our memories, memories that can never be taken away. The Aero Club has lost two great characters and members.”

Post-mortem examinations are being carried out on both men.

A Spanish government spokesman said: “A judge in Mahon (capital of the Balearic island) is overseeing the judicial investigation.

“He will be given the results of the autopsies and is likely to look at all the information about the accident and speak to witnesses.

“The investigation could take two or three months.”

MORE JOBS AXED IN THE CITY

2010-06-02T14:21:00.002+01:00

ANOTHER 500 Coventry jobs are to be axed by the new government.

The Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency – based at The Butts – will be scrapped. It follows the government’s announcement last week that it is to axe Coventry-based government agency Becta, with 330 job losses.

With a jobs freeze expected at a third city government agency – the Skills Funding Agency in Cheylesmore – about 1,000 jobs will be taken out of the city’s economy.

Labour politicians reacted with fury, saying it could plunge the city and country back into recession, with the West Midlands already suffering the country’s highest jobless rates.

The QCDA only moved into its award-winning new building at The Butts earlier this year, after relocating from London. Staff were told the grim news last Thursday.

The axe has been hovering since Prime Minister David Cameron announced last year the QCDA was top of his hitlist for abolishing such arms-length government agencies, called quangos.

Some staff had hoped for a reprieve after it was left out of chancellor George Osborne’s first round of £6bn public sector cuts announced on Monday May 24.

But education secretary Michael Gove wrote to QCDA bosses on Thursday May 27 confirming legislation to axe it will be introduced this autumn.

One worker, a Coventry resident who asked not to be named, said hundreds of workers gathered to hear Mr Gove’s letter read out.

He said: “Afterwards someone said it’s a bit like your husband having an affair and you’re denying it and denying it until he actually sits you down and tells you.

“There was an eerie silence and I saw one pregnant member of staff with tears in her eyes.

“That’s 500 jobs lost in Coventry. It leaves the people who’ve just moved here from London in a real mess.”

The QCDA closure is expected to be pushed through the Commons with majority support from the ruling coalition of Conservative and Liberal Democrat MPs.

The coalition government believes it can cut government waste and bureaucracy to help pay down the £156bn budget deficit, while seeking to protect frontline services.

Before the election, the Lib Dems supported Labour in arguing such cuts should be postponed until next year when better economic growth is forecast, to prevent renewed recession.

Some of the QCDA’s work overseeing schools testing and the curriculum could now pass to the Department for Education and other organisations.

The Public and Commercial Services union has vowed to fight any redundancies.

Labour Coventry City Council leader John Mutton said: “The Tories are trying to decimate Coventry, just like they did last time, when we lost 60,000 jobs in one year and 20,000 in one day.”

Labour Coventry North West MP Geoffrey Robinson said the Tories hated the state, and were driven by dogma to “take a machete to civil service jobs”, which would plunge the country back into recession.

Teachers’ unions in Coventry contest the closures will produce savings, saying the support of the city’s education quangos had saved individual schools time and money.

WARNING OVER WORLD CUP LOTTERY SCAM

2010-06-02T10:08:00.000+01:00

COVENTRY Trading Standards officers are urging residents to be extra cautious for World Cup related lottery scams.

People are being warned to look out for bogus letters or emails that claim to be part of the Euromillions FIFA World Cup Super Lottery.

Councillor Phil Townshend, cabinet member for corporate and neighbourhood services, said: “Most scams like this can be recognised because they are received out of the blue, promising something for nothing and usually requesting money up front.

“A question to always ask yourself is ‘if you’ve never entered into a competition, how can you have won?’

“This scam is based on the well-known Spanish lottery scam which Trading Standards has warned about in the past and their advice is to bin any such mailings.

“You should never respond to such requests and should certainly never give personal information such as back account details. Remember, if an offer seems too good to be true, it usually is.”

Mike Lynn, of Coventry Trading Standards, added: “We have received a number of enquiries concerning this mailing which claims that the recipient has won £800,000 and asks them to forward bank account details for the prize money to be paid into.

“The mailing also contains a warning, asking the recipient to keep their win quiet and should not be publicised in any way so as to prevent fraudulent acts from the criminally minded.”

For more information on how to recognise a scam visit www.coventry.gov.uk/tradingstandards.

If you believe you may have been a victim of one of these scams or would live advice, then call Consumer Direct on 08454 04 05 06.

FUTURE OF FIRESTATIONS STILL UNCLEAR

2010-05-20T11:08:00.002+01:00

FIREFIGHTERS and residents are still being kept in the dark about proposed plans to axe seven fire stations across Warwickshire.

Campaigners are calling for a date to be announced when the results of the consultation on the future of Kenilworth, Warwick, Studley, Bidford, Brinklow, Fenny Compton and Bedworth fire stations will be made.

But until this date has been given, campaigners say they will not give up their fight.

Karen Scarrott, a protester who organised a march in Warwick, said: “They (the council) had put the decision on hold hoping that any point of complacency would set in, but residents are still passionate and I hope in my heart of hearts that all these fire stations are kept open.

“The stations provide a vital service when there’s an emergency, such as a fire or a flood, and we need them to be on our doorstep to react quick enough.

“There is a massive amount of public support, which was evident in the last march we did from Warwick Racecourse to Warwick Market, where 600 people turned up.

“We need to let common sense prevail, we want all the stations saved, not a situation where one might close, because that could cause a snowball effect for others to close.”

Fire chiefs first announced the modernisation plans last September and said it was not a cost-cutting exercise, but one to make services more efficient. But if the stations were to close the Fire Brigades’ Union (FBU) said that about 100 jobs could be lost, and this has left morale low among firefighters.

Marcus Giles, chairman of the Warwickshire branch of the FBU, said: “Everyone has been quite worried because they have been left in limbo for so long.

“We were expecting a decision at some point in January, but now almost five months later, we still don’t know what is happening.

“Morale among the team is low, but they have to carry on with their job. We hope the proposal is changed so all the fire stations remain.”

The FBU said it was also concerned about plans to centralise five regional fire control centres to Wolverhampton, as this could lead to a further 100 job losses.

Chris Downes, regional secretary for the FBU, said: “It is just total uncertainty at the moment, and coupled with a potential move of the regional fire control centre to Wolverhampton, adds to the fear factor.

“The plan was to move five regional offices to Wolverhampton in 2007. But these plans have been delayed time and time again, plus there is a massive overspend on it.

The project started off costing £100 million, but this has quadrupled to around £420 million.

“The whole thing needs to be scrapped, someone needs the gumption to say so.”

A Warwickshire County Council meeting is taking place on June 18 at Shire Hall to discuss a proposal to keep all seven fire stations.

Chris White, new Conservative MP for Leamington and Warwick, is also backing the campaign to save the stations.

He said: “I’m not 100 per cent sure about what is happening, I am meeting with the leader of the county council (Alan Farnell), and chief fire officer Graeme Smith on June 18 to discuss things further.

“I will be putting a very vigorous case forward because there are good reasons to keep the fire stations open.

“In this area we have one of the most united groups of support for this cause from all sorts of levels, such as district and county.

“We have to make sure this consultation is about putting the best case forward, and get these proposals off the table.”

What do you think? Write to us or email timesletters@mrn.co.uk.

NURSERY CONSULTATION HAS STARTED DESPITE PROTESTS

2010-05-20T11:05:00.000+01:00

A MOTION to stop a consultation on six nursery schools in Warwickshire, was defeated at a council meeting.

Six nursery schools – Warwick, Whitnash, Kenilworth, Stockingford, Bedworth Heath, and Atherstone – are now undergoing a consultation to see how best they should run in future.

At a full council meeting in Shire Hall yesterday Councillor John Whitehouse, (Lib Dem, Kenilworth Abbey), asked for the consultation not to go ahead, but it was voted against.

The consultation will explore three options for the schools: amalgamation with a local
primary school; developing them as children’s centres; or developing them as nursery school centres of excellence.

Councillor Izzi Seccombe, cabinet member for children, young people and families, said: “We want to hear the views of all maintained nurseries before any decisions are made.

“We are determined to keep the knowledge, professionalism, and expertise contained within our current nursery schools, to ensure they have a better future.

“We have been working closely with representatives from the nurseries, and we are now keen to hear the views of parents and families about the good experiences that they have received.

“This will help us to secure, improve, and build on the outstanding education and good practice
that is currently available to produce the best possible outcomes for children.

“I must stress to parents that we expect that our proposals will secure long-term, sustainable nursery education and services for families and children.”

But Cllr Whitehouse said the consultation is a “time-wasting exercise.”

He added: “The decision that needs to be taken is how we are going to turn these nurseries into centres of excellence, because that option has been clear since January.

“We are wasting time and money with this unnecessary process.

“We tried to stop them, but I regret to say we failed.”

Members of the public can send in their comments to: Nursery School Consultation, Warwickshire County Council, Children Young People and Families Directorate, Early Years and Childcare, Saltisford Business Park, Ansell Way, Warwick CV34 4UL or via email at consultations@warwickshire.gov.uk.

What do you think? Write to us or email timesletters@mrn.co.uk.

GREENBELT VICTORY FOR RESIDENTS COULD BE CLOSE

2010-05-20T11:01:00.000+01:00

VICTORY for campaigners opposing swathes of greenbelt land being bulldozed for housing could be closer than ever.

Councillor John Mutton, the newly-appointed leader of Coventry’s now Labour-run cabinet, has said he is strongly against building on greenbelt land around the city.

Cllr Mutton, who represents the Binley and Willenhall ward, said: “The Labour group has opposed the core strategy since the beginning as we don’t believe there is any need to build on greenbelt land.

“At the moment we are waiting for the government inspector to come back with their report following the consultation, which should be anytime now.

“We, as a council, will oppose any recommendation to build on greenbelt.

“I have no problems with building 22,000 homes on brownfield sites, but we do not endorse on building anywhere else.”

Under the previous Labour government’s Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS), Coventry,
Solihull and Warwickshire would have to accommodate 82,000 homes – around 32,500 of this figure going to Coventry as it was identified as a ‘growth point’.

Under the RSS – now set to be scrapped by the new coalition government – the homes would have to be built on brownfield or greenbelt sites that were highlighted by the city council’s core strategy, by 2026.

This included a 3,500-home “eco suburb” in Keresley, areas near Longford, Eastern Green and Ash Green, and a 3,500-home estate on greenbelt land next to Finham which falls under Warwick District Council’s core strategy.

Sandra Camwell, chairman of the Keresley Parish Council, said: “Thank heavens Cllr Mutton has seen some sense in all of this. At the end of the day Coventry cannot support the amount of housing that was being asked to be built.

“We need to look after what we have got at the moment and improve that before we start adding bits here and there on greenbelt fields.

“A lot of people who live near these sites chose them so they could be near the countryside, not so they can see it turn into a concrete jungle.

“I very much hope greenbelt won’t be used, there are plenty of brownfield sites the council can build on.”

Isobel Jacques, of Ash Green, added: “This is what we have been saying all along and we are glad to hear this news.

“Since the beginning we have never felt the consultation had been very good – as far as I’m concerned there wasn’t any consultation.

“Of course we’re still worried that building on greenbelt could still happen, but it’s
reassuring to know John Mutton is sharing our views.”

Conservative MP for Meriden Caroline Spelman, who has been appointed secretary of state for environment, food and rural affairs, said the new coalition government plans to scrap the RSS altogether.

“When I have visited Coventry, one of the biggest concerns felt by residents was on this
issue and rightly so,” she said.

“There are unfortunately too many brownfield sites in the city and these should be used first.

“We are planning to scrap the RSS, in which the previous government said how many houses should be built by 2026.

“Instead we are now going to leave it up to local authorities to look at their housing lists, to look at the demands, and work out how many homes they need to build in the area and how many.

“We also want development to be mixed, so it will include homes, retail parks and economic uses.”

What do you think? Write to us or email timesletters@mrn.co.uk.

STRANDED MOTHER TO RETURN TO COVENTRY

2010-05-20T10:59:00.000+01:00

A MOTHER who has been stranded in Africa for the past five months is due to be reunited with her husband and three children.

Asha Omari, of Gerard Avenue, Canley, flew out to Tanga, Tanzania, to attend her mother’s
funeral in December last year.

She was due to fly back to England on January 13, but only got as far as Nairobi, Kenya, as she did not have the correct paperwork, and was sent back to Tanzania.

The paperwork was proof the 37-year-old had been granted Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) in the UK. This allows a person to live in the UK as long as they do not leave the country for more than two years.

Her husband Dessa Makoko, 57, frantically began to collect evidence she had ILR status,
and she had not been living in England.

Dessa, a part-time cleaner, said: “We accept we had lost the original document proving her ILR, she only had a photocopy, but she was granted ILR in November 2007.

“When she heard her mother had died, she wanted to be with her family.

“On her way back she got as far as Nairobi when she was told she couldn’t prove she had ILR, or that she had been in the UK two years previously.

“Straight away we sent doctors’ records and pay slips to prove it, but we didn’t hear anything back.”

Mr Makoko, who has been married to Asha for 16 years, had to explain to his three children, Farashuu, 13, Abdul, 10 and Aisha, seven, that their mother was stuck in Tanzania.

“My children were missing their mother so much, the youngest would cry herself to sleep.

“But now we are all so happy to hear she will be back within 10 days. We don’t know what’s changed, but it doesn’t matter.”

A UK Border Agency spokesman said: “A foreign national who has been granted indefinite leave to
remain in the UK will lose that entitlement if they cannot prove that they have been in the UK during the last two years.

“In light of new evidence provided in support of her claim, Ms Omari has now been granted an entry clearance.”

INCINERATOR PLAN COULD BE ON THE SCRAPHEAP

2010-05-20T10:49:00.000+01:00

THE new leader of Coventry City Council has suggested plans for a new £1billion incinerator could be put on the scrapheap.

Project Transform – a joint scheme between the city council, Solihull Borough Council and Warwickshire County Council – would see the incinerator in Whitley, Coventry rebuilt to cater for more waste.

These plans have been bitterly opposed by many, including Warwickshire Liberal Democrats and green campaigners Friends of the Earth.

But there could be hope the plans are scrapped altogether after the recent elections saw Coventry’s Tory-run cabinet turn red as Labour took control.

And new leader of the council, John Mutton, said he wants to consider alternatives, including refurbishing the current Whitley incinerator.

He said: “If we put money into this PFI then we will have to look at cutting frontline services to fund it.

“The present incinerator can last until 2015 to 2020, so I have asked officers to work out the costing to improve the existing one.”

Councillor John Whitehouse, (Lib Dem, Kenilworth Abbey), who had put forward a motion at a county council meeting to delay the incinerator plans, said he welcomed the news.

He added: “I would very much agree with this idea, if we can refurbish the current one so we have more time to see where the targets for housing growth are going.

“If there isn’t the growth that’s expected and if recycling rates increase then we won’t need such a big incinerator.

“So yes, I’m very much in favour of this idea.”

The idea is also being backed by Friends of the Earth member Keith Kondakor.

He said: “I think it’s a great idea not to go ahead with it.

“There is a similar incinerator in Nottingham that was rebuilt for £14million last year so it’s obviously very do-able.

“Eventually we’d like to see it close down, but until there is new technology to make recycling easier, we have to keep the old one going.

“Fundamentally we are making less and less waste and our rubbish is becoming more valuable as natural resources are drying up.

“So it’s in everyone’s best interests to recycle more.”

What do you think? Write to us or email timesletters@mrn.co.uk.

ABIGAIL SET TO STRUT HER STUFF DOWN THE CATWALK

2010-05-20T10:35:00.002+01:00

COVENTRY student Abigail Botcham is ready to make the grade as a design diva after impressing top fashion names Karen Millen and Anthony Campbell with her work.

The 20-year-old has made an early name for herself after winning just one of 11 places to show off her designs at London’s Graduate Fashion Week.

Abigail, of Davenport Road, Earlsdon, was among students who showcased their work to a panel of judges that would decide whether they would win a place at the event.

And fashion big guns Karen Millen and Anthony Campbell who were on the panel were so impressed with her work, they gave her a “golden ticket” to the prestigious show.

Abigail, 20, who is a studying fashion design at De Montfort University, in Leicester, said: “I’m really excited to see my work and it will be really good to see it on proper models going on catwalks.

“I have been interested in fashion since I’ve been at school and did a fashion design btec at City College, before going to DMU.

“For our final year project, we had a show selection for students’ graduation work that consists of six outfits.

“These have been designed and created by each student and my collection has taken
inspiration from the Russian Revolution – my clothes take some of the opulence the Russian tsars had by using Swarovski crystals and I have incorporated a military theme too.”

Fashion designer Karen Millen said: “What was impressive about the students was the really varied techniques they were using to create some really individual pieces that will look fantastic on the catwalk.

“It’s good to see the passion and involvement they already have within the industry they want a career in and that will definitely stand them in good stead once they graduate.”

Freelance designer Anthony Campbell, who has previously worked with Richard Nicoll, was also on the panel to help choose the students who should make the final cut.

He said: “It was a pleasure to be a part of a process which has helped to launch so many careers in the past.”

Abigail said she is inspired by designers Miu Miu and Louis Vuitton and after graduating wants to secure an internship in London.

LORD MAYORS' APPEAL RAISES £100,000

2010-05-20T10:31:00.001+01:00

A MASSIVE £100,000 has been raised for the three charities chosen by Coventry’s Lord Mayor.

Councillor Jack Harrison is delighted after his civic appeal produced the highest total in
recent years – four times the average amount raised.

He has paid tribute to the efforts of businesses, residents, community groups and individuals who have supported the cause in the past year.

At the start of his mayoral term, Cllr Harrison picked three organisations that would benefit from fundraising events from May last year to May this year.

And the beneficiaries, who will each get around a third of the money raised, are the neo-natal ward, in Coventry’s University Hospital, in Walsgrave, the Transplant Games and children who are in the care of the local authority.

Cllr Harrison (Lab, Lower Stoke) said: “I am absolutely delighted with the fundraising efforts by everyone that has contributed.

“To raise £100,000 is great, but to know the average is usually £25,000, and to have done so during a recession, is even better.

“There have been so many memorable fundraising moments that have bought a smile to my face.

“Earlier this week I was visiting children at Davenport Lodge, who had organised a cake sale, but a lot of the three and four-year-olds had fallen asleep during the assembly.

“Chief executive Martin Reeves took part in the Coventry Half Marathon to raise money and Stoke Aldermoor held their own version of Britain’s Got Talent to raise £300.

“The Sikh community also donated £1,000 – I thank them all, this has been a real community effort.”

The money at the neo-natal ward will be used to improve the facilities for parents who are visiting babies in the ward and to buy soft toys.

Funds going to the Transplant Games – events run for those who have received a transplant – will go towards people’s accommodation to get to the games.

And the money going to children in local authority care will be used to fund school trips which parents can’t afford.

Today (Thursday) the new Lord Mayor will be taking part in his mayor-making ceremony.

Councillor Brian Kelsey (Con, Bablake) will take over the reins from Cllr Harrison.

FLOOD-PROOF FURNITURE DESIGNED BY STUDENT

2010-05-20T10:00:00.001+01:00

FLOOD-proof furniture that will help people safeguard vital documents has been designed by a Coventry University student.

For his final year project, Peter Miller has created a set of sofas that are able to rise 1.5metres above the ground and have water-tight compartments.

The sofa has been designed with special drawers built under a panel of the sofa that can be used to store paperwork and electrical goods.

Peter, a final year industrial product design student, said: “The seats of the sofa also fold down creating more space for items, maybe even as large as a television, to be stored.

“It also rises 1.5metres above the ground if the flood levels are increasing in the house to keep the sofa dry.”

Peter, from Leamington, has been working on the design since September last year and will be displaying a prototype of the furniture at a university show next month.

The 22-year-old said the idea for the design first came about when he was asked to do a research project.

“Every year we see on the news that in certain parts of the UK flooding is a recurring problem. There are some households in the UK that are still trying to get their homes back in order since the last floods,” he said.

“So when we did our research project, flooding was a big issue and I decided to theme my final year work on that.

“With five million households at risk from flooding, the furniture in our homes should have some practical element and the furniture I have produced will be able to protect items which would have previously perished in the floods from water damage.”

Peter’s work will be on show as part of the Coventry School of Art and Design Degree Show from June 5 to June 11 in the Maurice Foss building between 10am and 5pm.

Admission is free and open to the public.

TOP TEN PARKING TICKETS ISSUED 2009/10

2010-04-28T21:33:00.001+01:00

TOP TEN PARKING TICKETS ISSUED 2009/10:

*Friars Road - 1,261

*Lower Holyhead Road - 1,055

*Daventry Road - 944

*Greyfriars Lane - 910

*Foleshill Road - 725

*Whitefriars Street - 674

*Queen Victoria Road - 577

*Cuckoo Lane - 456

*Warwick Lane - 421

*Much Park Street - 401

CITY CENTRE STREET IS HOTSPOT FOR PARKING TICKETS

2010-04-28T21:25:00.001+01:00

MOTORISTS parking in a city centre street beware – it’s the number one hotspot for parking tickets!

Traffic wardens issued a whopping 1,261 tickets to drivers flouting the law in Friars Road in one year, the Times can reveal.

The number of tickets handed out, which equates to nearly 25 tickets each week from April 2009 to March 2010, were for parking on double or single yellow lines or for parking longer than permitted.

Other reasons why drivers were slapped with an instant fine of £70 – reduced by half if paid within 14 days – was because they had parked in a taxi rank, parked incorrectly or parked in a clearway.

A number of motorists have also been fined for parking in a disabled spot with no badge and parking in a bus stop.

Foleshill Road, in Foleshill, which is the fifth highest in the table, saw 10 people penalised for parking in a bus stop. A total of 7,424 tickets were issued in the top 10 Coventry streets favourite with parking wardens.

Martin Yardley, director of city services and development, said: “We make no apologies for issuing penalty notices. We do it to keep traffic moving smoothly and to keep pedestrians and other motorists safe.

“We all know how frustrating it is to be stuck in traffic because you’re having to wait to edge round someone who has parked where they shouldn’t.

“It also beggars belief when people think they can get away with parking in spots that are specifically designed and located for blue badge holders.

“Any revenue made from the collection of parking fines in Coventry is reinvested in improving traffic management and keeping the roads flowing.”

Coventry City Council took over as parking enforcers from West Midlands Police in 2005. But so far any money made from parking fines is being used to clear hundreds of thousands of pounds of debt which has mounted up setting the operation up.

In the last financial year (April 2008 to March 2009) the council raked in more than £1million, but only pocketed £27,000. It was the first year the scheme had made a surplus.

What do you think? Write to us or email timesletters@mrn.co.uk.

CITY'S NIGHT TIME HOTSPOT SHUTS

2010-04-28T21:22:00.000+01:00

CITY centre nightlife has taken a hit as the biggest Coventry nightclub has shut with the loss of
nearly 30 jobs.

The 2,735-capacity Lava and Ignite venue, at the Skydome complex, closed suddenly with no warning after 10 years.

The final day of trading was Easter Sunday but employees were not told until an emer-gency staff meeting the following week.

Thirteen people have been relocated to other Luminar venues but 27 people have been made redundant.

The nightclub was owned by Luminar Leisure, which also runs Skydome-based JJs and the former Chicago Rock Cafe which closed a few weeks ago.

In February the group announced a rigorous cost-cutting exercise after reporting like-for-like sales for 2009 were down by nearly 10 per cent and that trade had been affected by the bad weather, although JJs is safe after Luminar said they were “very pleased with its performance.”

Peter Turpin, operations director at Luminar Leisure, said: “The decision was taken following consultation with the club’s management and staff.

“We have chosen to focus our attention on JJs, our other neighbouring club in Coventry.

“JJs is the busiest late night entertainment venue in the city and we are very pleased with JJ’s ongoing performance.”

JD Wetherspoon is understood to be interested in the vacant Chicago Rock Cafe, and another nightclub operator is interested in taking over the Lava and Ignite site.

Ian Fox, managing director of Targetfollow, which owns the Skydome, said: “As a landlord we have been marketing this space and got some good initial interest from another nightclub operator.”

The nightclub opened as Ikon and Diva in 1999 and changed to Lava and Ignite following a £2million revamp in 2005.

It won the Best Bar None Godiva Award the following year for customer safety.

Mick McLaughlin, of city centre promotions firm CV One, said the closure was a “real shame”.

He added: “We are hoping that whatever moves into the units will be able to add a new dimension to the locale.”

What do you think? Write to us or email timesletters@mrn.co.uk.

GODIVA FESTIVAL OUTRAGE

2010-04-28T21:18:00.001+01:00

MORE than 2,000 people have joined a group attacking organisers of the Godiva Festival.

Creators of Facebook group CV One Stole our Festival have accused the company which manages the city centre, of killing the local element of the popular city festival.

They are angry because acts from outside Coventry and Warwickshire will be competing for this year’s Godiva Unsigned title.

The group has excelled in attracting more members than a general fan group of the Coventry festival.

Group organiser Martin Eaton wrote: “Our main aim is to get the Godiva Festival back to how it was when everyone loved it and to recognise and respect local talent.”

Thousands of posts have been left on the social networking site.

One reads: “The really annoying thing is Martin Reeves, chief executive of Coventry City Council, was in the paper a few weeks ago calling the people of Coventry unambitious.

“But, excuse me, Godiva started as a local community festival if I am not mistaken? It is now supporting the arts of another city which he wants us to get out from under the shadow of.

“CV One is partially funded by the city council. Anyone see the hilarity and yet total annoyance of this fact?”

Another said: “There are loads of bands in Coventry which would benefit from going on a stage and this chance is being taken away by random bands from Birmingham who no one knows. I’m very outraged.”

But CV One has said they were only reacting to suggestions the competition should encompass the rest of the region.

Mick McLaughlin, marketing and communications manager, said: “We are very disappointed by the Facebook campaign, as we responded to the public’s request to encourage a wider range of live acts to apply to the Godiva Unsigned competition.

“We are also saddened that a proportion of these Facebook entries have resorted to personal criticism of CV One’s services, products and individual staff members.

“We appreciate that people can and should have the opportunity to voice their opinions but to single out individual staff members is, we believe, completely unnecessary and potentially libellous.

“This year, of the bands that entered the competition, only 19 per cent of the original entrants lived in Coventry.

“The remaining 81 per cent came from across the West Midlands region.

“It is wholly erroneous therefore to suggest that there is no Coventry representation in this year’s competition as some of the Facebook contributors seem to believe.”

What do you think? Write to us or email timesletters@mrn.co.uk.

SECOND BAN GIVEN TO PET OWNER WHO LET DOG STARVE TO DEATH

2010-04-28T21:06:00.000+01:00

A MUM given a lifetime ban on owning animals after letting her dog starve to death was previously given a 10-year ban for a similar offence, the Times can reveal.

Wendy Shaylor, aged 41, of Coventry, appeared before city magistrates last Thursday because she abandoned her spaniel at her previous home in Achal Close, Foleshill.

The court heard she had left it there with hardly anything to eat or drink for two months, along with two cats, when she moved to Coundon with her children last year.

Shaylor, who now lives in Three Spires Avenue, Coundon, admitted two counts of causing unnecessary suffering to a dog from July 1 to September 19 last year and six counts of failing to meet the needs of two cats and a dog between August 23 and September 19.

She received an 18-week prison sentence suspended for 12 months and was ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work.

She was also disqualified for life from owning, keeping, or being in contact with any animal.

The body of the spaniel was discovered by RSPCA officers on September 18 last year after a neighbour alerted them to two cats scratching on the front windows of the home.

Gaynor Sutton, prosecuting, said both cats survived the ordeal, but officers later discovered the dog wrapped in a blue and white jacket and dumped in a black bag in the upstairs bedroom.

The decomposed body had been left to rot for at least a month.

The court heard that hunger pangs had hit her so hard she ended up eating bits of rubber and tried to munch on empty tin cans of food. She also made scratch marks on doors of the house.

Andrew Sharp, defending, said: “She admitted she had responsibility of the dog and cats at that address. She is very much to blame in this matter. She made attempts to feed them but it was woefully inadequate.”

He said Shaylor had been seen visiting the premises but “didn’t visit often enough”.

Herchran Boal, RSPCA officer for the Midlands, said in 1991 Shaylor was given a 10-year ban on owning animals.

She said: “I’m extremely pleased with the result, especially because she had got a lifetime ban.

“I know she got a suspended sentence, maybe because she has kids to look after, but I think she more than deserved being in custody for what she did.

“It was so horrific and callous to leave the animals in that condition.

“Going outside is what saved the cats, they probably caught a pigeon or two to survive.

“The whole thing was so inhumane.

“In 1991 Shaylor was actually given a 10-year ban from owning, keeping or being in contact with any animal.

“But yet she has done the same thing again, so that is why this is a pleasing result for the RSPCA.”.

DRUG ADDICT BURGLES HOUSE TO FEED HABIT

2010-04-15T12:50:00.000+01:00

A DRUG addict who burgled a house to feed his habit, even though his sister died from an over-dose, has been sent to jail for two years.

Scott Bates, 26, appeared before Coventry Crown Court last Thursday charged with burglary.

The court heard how Bates, who lived in Clennon Rise, Henley Green, smashed the windows of a property he burgled last October and made off with about £600 worth of items which included a Playstation and jewellery.

Police investigating the incident found the offender’s fingerprints on a bag that was at the address.

When they interviewed Bates he claimed to have no recollection of the evening’s events because he had taken drugs.

He couldn’t explain how his fingerprints got on the bag.

Prosecutor Blondol Thompson told the court Bates had committed his first burglary when he was just 13.

Richard Murray, defending, told of Bates’ troubled upbringing, which involved his parents separating at an early age.

He said: “There is no secret as to what drives him to come before the criminal courts.

“His parents separated at an early age and since then he has lived a transient lifestyle.

“In short it’s a long road that Mr Bates has to travel to get himself law abiding and drug free. And he is starting to show the first shoots of doing just that.

“For the first time really he is looking at his life and wanting to change it.

“The last thing he wants is to be like his brother who has an entrenched drug addiction, or be like his sister, who died from an overdose – he nearly died himself.”

Bates, who had just finished a 36-week sentence for a different offence two weeks ago, had pleaded guilty to his charge of burglary six weeks into that sentence.

Judge Philip Gregory sentenced Bates to two years in jail.

He said: “You have been committing criminal offences since you were 13.

“You’ve proved yourself to be a determined thief.

“If you commit an offence of this nature again sentencing will start at three years and will
probably be a lot longer.

“I’m satisfied that nothing other than a custodial sentence can, in this case, be justified.”

SPEEDING DRIVERS CLOCKED

2010-04-15T12:48:00.000+01:00

SPEEDING drivers in Westwood Heath are being targeted by residents using speed guns.

A section of Westwood Heath Road, between Cromwell Lane and Bockendon Road, is a 30mph zone, but motorists are regularly thundering past at speeds nearly double the limit.

To tackle the problem, residents have teamed up with West Midlands Police and have been using speed guns to clock fast cars all this week.

Residents and police community support officers have been monitoring traffic between 8am and 10am and then again at 3.30pm to 6pm since Monday.

In the first two sessions – held at peak times on Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning – 122 drivers were clocked travelling at 35mph or above, with the fastest clocked at 57mph.

The community speed watch week, which finishes on Saturday, is spearheaded by PC Tony Ashton, of the Westwood neighbourhood policing team, who has welcomed residents’ interests.

“I have been made aware by residents that some vehicles are travelling in excess of the 30mph speed limit,” he said.

“It can be quite appealing for motorists to speed – it’s a long, straight road that only has houses on one side. But that’s not an excuse to break the limit.”

In the past three years there have been four accidents near Cromwell Lane.

The Times joined the team on Monday where about 70 vehicles were recorded travelling at 35mph or above.

Diane Holden, 52, a driver and Mike Holden, 54, a director, moved into the street almost three years ago.

They said: “As soon as we moved here we realised it was a fast road. We are on it every day and people are always speeding down it.

“It’s dangerous because there are children, people walking pets and other motorists that are at risk from speeding drivers.

“Hopefully our clear presence will send out a message to those drivers to be aware of their speed to stop future accidents.”

A ‘football’ system of notices has been created to warn drivers caught breaking the limit – speeding drivers will first receive a ‘yellow’ letter, then if they are caught again they get a ‘red’ letter warning them.

A third time means action will be taken.

Councillor David Skinner, (Con, Westwood), said: “For as long as I can remember this road has always caused problems.

“On one occasion two drivers were racing down Westwood Heath Road, one on either side of the road. If anyone was attempting to cross the road they would’ve been killed.

“Something needs to be done, I know the junction cannot be re-built because the costs would be absolutely astronomical, it would run into hundreds of thousands of pounds.

“But surely there must be a cheaper option.”

Coventry City Council, which maintains the city’s roads, said the accident rate is not high enough for any intervention.

Paul Boulton, highways network manager, said: “Our intervention level is six accidents in three years, but four accidents is not something to be ignored.

“The junction near Cromwell Lane is in a Y shape, which is not one we use anymore.

“If that road was to be built now it would be in the T shape.

“Any work like that will require a minimum of £20,000 and depending on how much work under the road would need to be done, for example, if we disturb drains or power lines, could mean the figure goes up to what Cllr Skinner quoted.

“There are hundreds of other roads in Coventry that need work on first, but if we had extra money then it’s certainly something we can look at.

“In the meantime a short term solution could be to improve line markings and have warning signs.”

This year the city council has £350,000 to spend on improving city roads.

What do you think? Write to us or email timesletters@mrn.co.uk.

DAD GREW CANNABIS NEXT TO DAUGHTER'S TOYS

2010-04-15T12:47:00.000+01:00

A DAD who grew about £10,000 worth of cannabis plants next to his daughter’s toys avoided a prison sentence by the “skin of his teeth”.

David Ward, aged 32, grew between 50 and 60 plants when he was living in Dunrose Close, Wyken.

He appeared before Coventry Crown Court last Thursday and was given a 52-week prison sentence
suspended for two years.

The court heard neighbours alerted police to the situation on September 8 last year because they initially thought the home, which Ward shared with his partner and her three children, was being burgled.

But when officers arrived they discovered the plants growing in a tent in an upstairs bedroom.

As the house was unoccupied at the time, they decided to lie in wait to catch the offenders. And the next morning Ward entered the house with another man who escaped.

Blondol Thompson, prosecuting, said: “In a police interview Ward told officers he was forced into cultivating the plants at his home when he had taken some drugs, but could not afford to pay for them.

“He said the man had told him to grow some drugs in his house to wipe the debt. One of the lamps in the room used had his fingerprints on it, which Ward said could’ve got there because he kept his daughter’s toys in that room.”

Ward, father of three and an ex-fairground ride operator, refused to say who was forcing him into it and pleaded guilty to a charge of cultivating a class B drug.

Judge Philip Gregory told Ward: “You played an important role in cultivating a small cannabis factory. Anybody who operates or cultivates a cannabis factory should go to jail.

“And whether this was a gardening role, as you claimed, or a more serious organisational role you could not complain about a custodial term.

“It is only with the greatest of hesitation that I have been persuaded by your barrister that I can just suspend your sentence.

“You have avoided going down those steps to prison by the skin of your teeth.”

Ian Speed, defending, described his client as “educationally inadequate”.

“He has little understanding of what he is doing and the serious nature of it,” he added.

Ward claimed his drug dealer delivered the plants to his home and forced him to set up the drug factory.

Police estimated his crop was just three weeks away from harvest and expected to produce more than a kilogram of cannabis.

HERBERT COULD WIN £100,000 ART FUND PRIZE

2010-04-12T16:57:00.000+01:00

JUDGES deciding which British museum or gallery should win a £100,000 cash prize have been on a tour of the Herbert.

The venue, in Jordan Well, is one of 11 across the country in the running for the prestigious Art Fund Prize.

It has made it onto the long list and now the judges have to decide whether it will make it onto the final shortlist of four.

The cash prize would be a major boost for the museum, which has suffered from a £30,000 funding cut from Coventry City Council.

The Art Fund judges will decide which museum or gallery demonstrates originality and imagination based on a project completed last year.

They are basing their decision on their visits and also comments from the public on why their favourite venue should win.

Chief executive Ludo Keston said: “Being nominated is another way the people of the city can see the way their museum is valued in the wider world.

“It is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our staff team who work tirelessly to ensure that we bring history and the arts to life in the city every day when we open our doors. The visitor’s response to our work has been astounding with over 310,000 visitors passing through our doors in the last year alone.

“We hope to have even better news to announce when the judges of this prestigious award have finished their deliberations later in the year.”

After the tour, judge Kathy Gee, said: “It’s a tremendous achievement to be on the list.

“It’s wonderful to see so many families enjoying the variety of stories and treasures that The Herbert has to offer.”

The Herbert was recently named the Best Family Friendly Museum in Britain by The Guardian Family Friendly Awards.

Voting and commenting for the long lists closes on May 7, announcement of the shortlist opens on May 17 until June 18, before a winner is titled on June 30.

For more information, or to vote, visit www.artfundprize.org.uk.

PUB LICENSEE IS FINED £600 OVER FLYTIPPING

2010-04-12T16:53:00.001+01:00

A LICENSEE has to pay £600 for failing to prevent flytipping.

Balwinder Singh Thukral, aged 51, of Burbages Lane, Rowleys Green, was fined and ordered to pay the costs for failing to take appropriate checks to prevent flytipping, which included a sofa being dumped and bags of rubbish.

The case was brought after Coventry City Council’s environmental crime unit received a complaint that a large amount of waste had been dumped in Church Walk, Allesley and Jubilee Crescent, in Radford, last April.

Officers visited the site and found evidence among the waste which linked it to The Vault public house in High Street in the city centre.

A visit to the premises showed the public house was closed and undergoing extensive refurbishment.

Mr Thukral was served with a notice under the Environmental Protection Act that told him to provide evidence regarding who he had employed to remove the waste.

During the investigation it was found Thukral had not taken appropriate checks to prevent the flytipping.

He pleaded guilty at Coventry Crown Court on Wednesday April 7 where he received a fine of £250 and ordered to pay costs of £350.

Joy Adams, the council’s principal environmental health officer, said: “All businesses have a legal duty of care to ensure their waste is taken to a licensed waste site by a registered waste carrier.

“As part of their duty they must also keep a record through waste transfer notes so as to prove that their waste has not been flytipped.

“As part of the city council’s fight against flytipping, officers from the environmental crime unit are regularly visiting businesses to check they have got appropriate waste contracts.”

Any business wishing to check whether a waste carrier is registered or for further information can call the Environment Agency on 08708 506 506 or visit www.environment-agency.gov.uk.

COVENTRY'S CAR INDUSTRY GETS A BOOST

2010-02-11T19:55:00.000Z

DUTCH firm Spyker Cars looks set to create 40 new jobs as it began its production of supercars in Coventry this week.

The group switched assembly of its new Aileron supercar from Holland to a new plant at CPP Limited, in Wheler Road, Whitley.

In order to meet new production targets, CPP will look to create around 40 new jobs, taking its workforce to about 150 workers.

The news follows Spyker’s announcement last November to scale up production and reduce costs related to the manufacturing process.

Spyker founder Victor Muller, chairman Vladimir Antonov and managing director of CPP, Brendan O’Toole, visited the plant based on the Seven Stars Industrial Estate earlier this week.

Mr O’Toole said: “Against a general backdrop of decline in UK car manufacture in recent years, this provides very positive news, not just for CPP but importantly for Coventry.

“Spyker is a world renowned name in the design and production of exclusive cars and CPP is extremely pleased to now be playing a larger part in that success story.

“We have established a very good working relationship over the last decade and this announcement allows us to take this relationship to the next exciting stage.”

CPP has established a new bespoke 20,000 sq ft assembly plant close to its headquarters and can produce five cars a week in one shift.

Mr Muller said the move was a “landmark in the history of Spyker” which was founded in 1875.

He added: “This move makes sense on many different levels.

“CPP has been producing our body panels for 10 years and we have an extremely close working relationship with the company.

“More than half our components are sourced from the UK, so moving here will bring us considerable efficiency savings which is vital for a car company of our size.

“In addition, this area has probably the richest heritage in car production of any region in the world.

“CPP has shown that the tradition of quality is very much alive and well in the Midlands region and in Coventry in particular.

“Coventry has been at the forefront of quality automotive design and production and Spyker wants to be a lasting part of that. We are already starting to establish links with the two universities in the city. This marks a new and very exciting era for Spyker.”

What do you think? Write to us or email timesletters@mrn.co.uk.

POTHOLE HELL IN COVENTRY STREETS

2010-02-11T19:54:00.001Z

COVENTRY has finished nearly bottom of the pile when it comes to filling potholes that are plaguing the city’s streets.

This is the finding of a new league table published by CTC, a national cyclists’ organisation.

It shows that Coventry has only managed to fill 16 per cent of the potholes reported on the site, placing it 192th out of 212 authorities across the country.

The table is drawn up online at fillthathole.org.uk and allows
road users to report a pothole, which is then sent to the local authority in charge to fix.

Debra Rolfe, CTC campaigns’ coordinator, said: “Potholes pose a significant risk to cyclists, they’re a nuisance to car drivers but if you cycle over a deep pothole, you could be seriously injured.

“It’s essential that highway authorities and councils get road defects fixed as quickly as possible. That’s why CTC is asking all road users to report potholes on our website as it will make it safer for everyone using the roads in Coventry, as the council will know where the problems are and should be able to fix them faster.

“Our website has received
a record number of hazard
reports this January – the
highest monthly total we’ve ever seen.”

Coventry has had on-going troubles with potholes and the recent cold spell has led to more opening up across the city.

Residents of Woodway Lane are so fed-up with the situation they have likened the potholes in their street to the surface of the moon.

Retired resident Derek Jones, 79, said the road can be “treacherous” for motorcyclists who are unfamiliar with the road.

He added: “The road has never been properly maintained, they patch it up again and again, but don’t do the job properly.

“It is really very bad, when you’re driving along it’s so bumpy and dangerous for
motorcyclists, especially those that aren’t familiar with the road. They might fall off their bikes.”

Councillor Ed Ruane (Lab, Henley) is calling for an urgent review of road maintenance in the city to combat the growing problem of potholes.

He said: “Woodway Lane is in a shocking condition and is very dangerous to drive on due to the number and size of
craters in the road.

“This is a serious issue which has been reported to the council time again by residents and myself.

“Many motorists in the city have become used to swerving around the potholes in the road to prevent repeated damage to their tyres and suspension on their cars.

“This sort of driving will
inevitably lead to accidents.

“It would be safer to drive a moon buggy down Woodway Lane and many other roads in our city which have more
similarities with the surface of the moon than a city road.”

Elsewhere in the city,
residents in Jobs Lane, Tile Hill, have been collecting hub-caps which have fallen off the tyres of cars which have hit potholes in the road.

But Coventry City Council maintains it is doing all it can to repair the uneven roads that have left motorists potty.

A spokesman said: “We are aware of this website, however we don’t know whether the figures accurately reflect how many potholes have actually been fixed.

“More than 2,000 potholes have been filled, compared to almost 1,500 last week, while the Bobcat planing machine was used in various locations to help resurface stretches of road where there are a number of potholes.

“This brings the total number of potholes filled to more than 4,700 in the past three weeks.

“Plans for work include Kingfield Road, Foleshill, as well as continuing to repair priority potholes. To report a pothole call Coventry Direct on 0500 834 333.”

What do you think? Write to us or email timesletters@mrn.co.uk.

NEW BREATHE EASY GROUP LAUNCHED

2010-02-11T19:52:00.000Z

A NEW service to help people living with lung conditions will be launched in the city.

The Breathe Easy Coventry group will help patients that suffer Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. COPD is the name for a collection of lung diseases including chronic bronchitis, emphysema and chronic obstructive airways disease.

The move comes after NHS Coventry, which is bringing the service with the British Lung Foundation, conducted a survey to seek the views of COPD sufferers in Coventry.

They found that patients wanted a support group in the city as the closest ones were in neighbouring Leamington or Warwick.

Esther Peapell, head of patient and public involvement for NHS Coventry, said: “We are pleased we have been able to respond to the needs expressed by these patients.

“The setting up of this group is a good example of what can be achieved when we work closely with the community.

“This process benefits not just the service users, it also helps us to learn how to be more responsive and provides services that the community needs. Next year we will be developing this partnership process and setting up similar groups for people with other conditions.”

Marina Harbin, 74, of Tile Hill, said: “I’ve been suffering from emphysema for the past five years and used to feel isolated and alone.

“My friend and I previously travelled to Leamington Spa to get support. I’m really pleased – not just for myself, but for other people in the community who are suffering from a lung condition they will also benefit from the support.

“It’s marvellous to have this group in the city.”

The group’s launch takes place on Friday February 12 at the Methodist Central Hall, Warwick Lane, city centre, at 2pm.

After that the group aim to meet on the second Friday of every month at the same venue.

For more information call Roy Goddard, on 07752 657223.

'LEWD MAYOR' TOLD TO APOLOGISE

2010-02-11T19:51:00.001Z

COVENTRY’S former “Lewd Mayor” Andy Matchet has been instructed to sign a letter of apology to an ex-council equalities officer who lodged a complaint against him.

Last week a standards committee panel issued a 10-working day deadline on the already suspended Earlsdon councillor to sign a letter by Friday February 19.

Failure to do so could lead to further penalties by the standards committee.

The letter is one of the two sanctions that was imposed on the Conservative party member last November when the council standards sub-committee issued a three-month ban on him as councillor.

It ruled he had broken the code of conduct with an “inappropriate” conversation about sex at his own Lord Mayor’s Ball in 2008.

Cllr Matchet’s ban began on January 5 after he lost an appeal. But he is yet to agree to sign any apology letter ahead of his return to office in April.

He has also been suspended from the Tory party.

It comes after 27-year-old former equalities officer Laura Slegg complained about his alleged conversation with a 45-year-old charity chief executive Ms X, after the pair had danced “flirtily” and discussed sex, allegedly initiated by him.

Ms Slegg accepts she also took part in some of the conversation. She then went home after the talk and made notes about what had been discussed.

Ms X did not want to complain, but Ms Slegg provided the only evidence of the boozy chat with her notes.

Cllr Matchet had told the appeal tribunal he felt Ms Slegg had been prejudiced against him because of his age and sex.

The proposed letter was sent to Cllr Matchet’s solicitors, with a return date set for January 22.

But the office is yet to receive the letter, which will be passed onto Ms Slegg, and so a new date has been set.

Christine Forde, the council’s monitoring officer, told the standards committee: “Should Andy Matchet fail to provide the letter of apology, that could amount to a further breach of the member code of conduct and be the subject of investigation.”

DANCE WORKSHOPS CREATE A SPLASH

2010-02-11T19:47:00.000Z

A GROUP of girls have put on their dancing shoes to give them more confidence.

Regular evening dance sessions have been taking place at the Broad Street Young People’s Centre, in Broad Street.

It has enabled about a dozen 11 to 17-year-old girls to become accomplished performers and grow their confidence.

Clare Loughlin, senior youth worker at the centre, said: “The dance workshops have given the girls so much more self-belief than they had before. They create their own routines, which range from flapper moves to street dancing, and choose the music.

“As well as developing new skills, they feel they are being taken seriously because they can see their ideas are being listened to, and they have gained the confidence to perform on stage.

“They also have the opportunity to use other facilities here, such as the recording studio.

“We are now planning to hold street dance and hip hop workshops for boys later this year.”

And because of this success dance workshops will be featuring in Splash – a half-term holiday programme for 14 to 19-year-olds in Foleshill.

A dance workshop will be held next week on Tuesday evening and another on Saturday afternoon.

Other activities young people can take part in include drama and cookery workshops, art and crafts, music recording sessions and football.

Staff from Coventry Connexions will also be on hand during half-term to provide advice and information on health, careers, money, education and much more.

About £5million of government money has been made available to young people in Coventry between 2008 and 2011 through the Positive Activities for Young People programme.

PAYP provides intensive activity-based activities, targeted at young people at risk of negative outcomes, such as involvement in anti-social behaviour and crime, as part of Department for Children, Schools and Families’ Aiming High for Young People strategy.

The girls taking part in the dance sessions will perform at the Ricoh Arena on Friday March 26 to celebrate the achievements of PAYP in the city.

For more information about the Splash programme or the term time dance workshops, call the centre on 024 7678 5179.

NEIGHBOURS FROM HELL EVICTED

2010-02-11T19:46:00.000Z

A FAMILY who made their neighbours’ lives a misery have been evicted from their Radford home.

Louise Brown, 35, who lived in Bulwer Road with her three children, was served the eviction order at Coventry County Court last December. She left the property last week.

Whitefriars Housing Group sought the order and an injunction against her brother Kevin Brown – who didn’t live at the address but was a regular visitor – following reports of abusive behaviour.

The court heard claims that Mr Brown, 33, was verbally, physically and racially abusive to his sister’s neighbours.

His sister’s failure to ensure any visitor to her home did not commit a criminal offence and her own anti-social behaviour, led the judge to make the eviction order.

The move follows more than 30 serious incidents reported by neighbours, between February 2008 and August 2008, including loud music being played throughout the night, stones and eggs being thrown, damage to cars and fences and threatening and abusive behaviour.

Despite warnings and advice to stop the behaviour, it continued and Whitefriars, supported by neighbours, served notice on the tenancy.

An injunction was also placed on Mr Brown, stopping him from returning to the area.

Gail Cooper, manager of Whitefriars’ specialist anti-social behaviour team, asb4, said: “This family has caused a lot of misery to a number of residents. From missing appointments as they were too scared to leave the house, to being physically punched, they have had to cope with ongoing incidents which have impacted heavily on their own enjoyment of their home.

“We hope the court’s decision and our action will now mean they have a far more peaceful and happy 2010.

“We take all reports of anti-social behaviour seriously. It is never an easy decision to seek an eviction, but in this case the persistent nature of the incidents, and the repeated decision by the tenant to ignore all advice to stop her and her family’s behaviour, meant it was the only option available to us.”

COVENTRY HOSPITAL DOES PIONEERING SURGERY

2010-02-11T19:44:00.000Z

A PIONEERING technique has helped a woman save her sister from kidney failure.

A ground-breaking freezing method has been used for the very first time at Coventry’s University Hospital, which has allowed an ‘incompatible’ kidney transfer to take place.

Maxine Bath, 41, from Wolverhampton, developed kidney failure when she was 20, and has been on dialysis for the past 15 years.

Ten years ago family members were tested to see if any of them would make suitable donors, but none were compatible because Maxine’s body produced antibodies against the ‘living’ donor tissue.

Then 12 months ago Maxine’s blood pressure suddenly dropped. She needed treatment quickly to stop her going blind.

So, surgeons at University Hospital, in Walsgrave, decided to take drastic action, freezing Maxine’s blood, and skimming off the guilty antibodies, so she could be given her younger
sister Michelle’s kidney – without it being rejected.

Michelle Titmus said: “It’s been very difficult to see Maxine getting slowly worse, knowing that there wasn’t anything we could do to help her. When it started to sink in that I was actually going to be able to do this for my sister, I was so excited.

“I just keep thinking she doesn’t have to have dialysis anymore – how great is that?”

Maxine’s blood pressure was so low, University Hospital could not use its normal machine to remove the antibodies, in case it made her condition even worse.

So, renal consultation Rob Higgins and his team used a ‘cryofiltration’ system to remove the plasma from Maxine and Michelle’s blood.

They chilled it to zero degrees, and filtered off the antibodies, before re-warming the plasma, and returning it to the patient.

Both sisters had their blood skimmed five times before the transplant in November last year. Hospital bosses think this is the first transplant to use the process, which allows the patient to receive a ‘non-matched’ organ.

Maxine said: “I already feel healthier.

“Rob told me I was the first kidney patient in the world to try this, which is really exciting. It hasn’t quite sunk in yet.”

Mr Higgins said: “This opens the doors of donation for more kidney patients awaiting transplants.”

TEMPLE COMPLAIN OVER SALLY ARMY DECISION

2010-02-11T19:33:00.001Z

A LETTER of complaint has been sent to the city council’s chief executive and local government ombudsman following plans to convert a car park into a homeless shelter.

Last month the council’s planning committee approved plans for a £60million Salvation Army hostel to be built on a public car park in Hillfields.

The 80-bed hostel will replace the Salvation Army’s existing building in Lincoln Street, which is being demolished as part of the council’s Swanswell Area Regeneration development.

The hostel will be moved to the car park in Howard Street and Harnall Lane West that is used by residents and congregations of the Shree Krishna Temple, GNP Gurdwara and St Stanislaus Kostka Roman Catholic Church.

But Coventry and Warwickshire Hindu Council has written to the ombudsmen after claiming proper procedures were not followed in passing the planning permission where councillors approved the plans by six votes to four.

Harish Dhokia, chairman of Coventry and Warwickshire Hindu Council, said: “We feel we have been mislead by the whole process. The council did not even tell us that it was considering selling it to private developers otherwise we would have signalled a potential interest. Questions need to be raised as to why there was this level of secrecy about the information given by the local authority.”

Two letters were sent out this week, one to Martin Reeves, chief executive of Coventry City Council and the other to the local government ombudsmen.

And a petition with around 2,000 signatures will be handed into a council meeting that was due to take place this week.

“We have no personal objection to the hostel,” added Mr Dhokia. “I cannot stress that enough. It will give a home to the people that need it and it’s a good service to provide. We just haven’t been consulted properly. A meeting was going to be held on February 9, but instead of saying it was going to be postponed the council said it was cancelled. The word cancel concerns me in that things will get approved without people being able to raise questions and objections.”

A spokesman for Coventry City Council said: “The petition will now go to cabinet member’s city development meeting on February 18.

“This is because the cabinet member will be asked for approval to publish a statutory notice to close the car park. This will start a consultation process to allow for views on this proposal.”

CITY'S COUNCIL TAX CLAWBACK

2010-02-03T14:53:00.000Z

COVENTRY City Council is still trying to claw back council tax debts that have risen to nearly £13million.

The worrying figure obtained by the Times shows that the amount of council tax outstanding is £12.8million – this is after more than £1million of debts were written off in 2009.

And this year’s figure is an increase of £700,000 from last year’s deficit of £12.1million when the deputy leader of the council warned the amount was likely to rise because of the recession.

Cllr Kevin Foster, cabinet member for finance, procurement and value for money, said: “The more money we have the more we can spend on services so it’s important we get it.

“The money collected goes towards helping some of the most vulnerable people in our society, such as children and elderly people.

“It also goes towards the more visible services such as bin collections, roads and parks – all of which people enjoy.

“We knew there would be difficulty in collecting some money, which is why we
reduced our collection target from 98.7 per cent from last year to 98.5 per cent this year.

“But it is important we get as much money in as possible to deliver services.”

If people fail to pay their council tax then dodgers could face bankruptcy proceedings, charging orders or even prison.

But despite these warnings the council wrote off £1.1million last year, an increase on the £900,000 written off from April 2007 to March 2008.

Circumstances such as a person dying and leaving no estate, a person declaring themselves as bankrupt or leaving the city with no trace, means the debt cannot be repaid.

A council spokesman said: “Debts are written off for a variety of reasons.

“In all areas extensive verification is undertaken, for example to chase absconders we use both internal and external sources such as tracing agents.

“When all avenues have been exhausted the debt will be written off, however if the whereabouts of any absconder subsequently comes to light then the debt is re-raised and pursued for payment in full.”

Cllr Foster said new systems to try and detect fraud have also been successful.

He added: “There have been the more memorable instances where we used social-networking site Facebook to catch council tax dodgers.

“Two examples that spring to mind are the woman who said she was living alone when her Facebook page revealed her partner was living with her and a man who was claiming
benefits while enjoying a cruise.

“That aside we also work with other departments, such as the Department for Work and Pensions and neighbouring councils to share information.

“Once someone is caught we do all we can to make sure they pay.”

But Cllr Foster said the recession has meant many people have faced losing their jobs or declaring themselves bankrupt, which effects council tax payments.

“Of course there are people who are genuinely struggling with payments and we want to help them,” he said.

“We do this by asking people to contact us and we can sort out weekly payments rather than monthly, see if they are eligible for any benefits to help with other payments and check their payment history.”

What do you think? Write to us or send an email to timesletters@mrn.co.uk.

OLD BOYS CLUB FACES CLOSURE

2010-02-03T14:50:00.000Z

THE future of a building belonging to an old boys’ club is under threat of closure as members aren’t using it.

Crunch talks will take place in March to see if money can be raised to keep the Coventry Schools Former Pupils Association, also known as the Bablake Old Boys club, in Fleet Street, city centre, open.

Bosses will bring the matter up at the annual general meeting, which takes place on Thursday March 4.

Chairman Geoff Eames said: “We are running at a loss at the moment and if this continues then we will have to close the venue.

“We have to cover the rents and rates of the premises as well as other costs like cleaning bills and we aren’t raising enough money.

“I don’t know exactly how much is needed to run the club.”

The association charges a £20 fee for members to use the building, which dates back to the 19th century and was built as a school house for Bablake School.

At the time the school was boys only and had only a small number of pupils. The fee-paying selective school is now on larger premises in Radford and open to both boys and girls.

Geoff added: “The biggest trouble is we are unable to attract the younger generation who want this sort of club to go down to and drink. If they do then it’s still available to them now.

“In the meantime we are looking at ways we can get more people to come along.

“A Facebook group has been started that has more than 700 people joined saying the club should remain open, but they don’t seem to be using it.”

PARENTS MEET WITH MP TO DISCUSS CRUMBLING SCHOOL

2010-02-03T14:49:00.000Z

PARENTS who want a crumbling primary school rebuilt took their plight to a city MP.

Members of the parent action group met with Coventry North East MP Bob Ainsworth to discuss John Gulson School in George Street.

Campaigners are calling for the Foleshill school to be rebuilt because of its poor state.

They met with Mr Ainsworth, who is also the defence secretary and is backing their campaign, last week.

Parent Sam Begum, who has three children attending the school, spoke to Mr Ainsworth.

She said: “He was very insightful and helped by giving suggestions on how we can take our campaign further.

“He suggested getting a resolution from all councillors and getting them to vote on our cause.

“Mr Ainsworth is on our side and said that the school is irreparable.

“Our next step is to contact all councillors and see if children’s secretary Ed Balls will visit the school.

“Failing that we would like to meet him in London.”

Last month more than 30 mums and dads demonstrated outside the council house with placards and carried pictures of the school’s peeling paint, leaking cisterns and cracked plaster.

They handed in a petition with 1,346 signatures to a cabinet meeting which was headed by Councillor John Blundell (Con, Wainbody).

Councillor Blundell, the cabinet member for children, learning and young people, said there wasn’t enough money for a new building and pledged a programme of maintenance and improvements instead.

n What do you think? Write to us or email timesletters@mrn.co.uk.

EASTENDER STAR ORGANISES FUNDRAISER AT RICOH

2010-02-03T14:47:00.000Z

SOAP star Adam Woodyatt is organising a fundraising event at the Ricoh Arena to help victims of the Haiti earthquake.

A family fun day will be held at the stadium’s Jaguar Exhibition Hall on Sunday February 28 featuring cast members from EastEnders.

Adam, who plays Ian Beale in the BBC1 soap, and lives in Southam, south Warwickshire, wanted to organise a fundraising event in the Midlands and started brainstorming ideas on his Twitter page.

EastEnders’ stars set to appear so far include Pam St Clement, Samantha Womack, Scott Maslen, John Altman and Michelle Collins.

There’ll be live music by local bands, dancing, indoor fair attractions, question and answer sessions with soap stars and opportunities to pick up autographs and signed photos in return for donations to the Haiti earthquake relief appeal.

Liz Cooper, marketing director at the Ricoh, said: “The number of people getting involved is growing by the minute.

“We’re looking at real key stars from EastEnders and maybe even actors and actresses from Coronation Street, Holby City and Hollyoaks – this is going to be a really big day.

“It’s great that people like Adam are giving up their time to raise funds and the Ricoh will do its bit as well.”

Ticket details will be announced shortly. The day will begin at 10.30am and finish around 5pm. All of the proceeds will go to the Haiti appeal.

COVENTRY MARKET SCOOPS TOP AWARD

2010-02-03T14:46:00.001Z

COVENTRY’S beloved indoor market has won the title of Britain’s favourite market.

The city centre market won the top national award after securing the most votes of shoppers anywhere in the country.

It was the only category in the awards organised by the National Association of British Market Authorities (NABMA) which was decided by public vote rather than a judging panel.

Traders publicised the awards and urged regulars to register their vote for the market online.

Coventry Market officials, who attended the awards ceremony in Birmingham last week, said that it was a testament to how well regarded the market is by its customers.

Brian Sexton, market manager, said: “Market traders have worked very hard to collect the votes and there was a huge campaign to get everyone behind us. We came close to winning it last year and it’s great that we’ve won it now.

“Coventry people should be very proud and hopefully it will attract more people from across the country to visit the city.”

But the news comes as the market faces an uncertain future as it battles plans by English Heritage to award it Grade II listed status.

Council chiefs have joined forces with market traders to oppose the listing as it would hamper plans to redevelop the market as part of the £1billion Jerde development.

A review of the decision is due to take place in March.

Councillor Kevin Foster (Con, Cheylesmore), deputy leader of Coventry City Council, said: “I’m really delighted for the market traders and those who use the market.

“The next bit of good news would be for the government to overturn the listing and allow market traders to look forward to being able to become part of the 21st century city centre and the regeneration plans we would like to create.”

n What do you think? Write to us or email timesletters@mrn.co.uk.

MP URGES TO BULLDOZE RUNDOWN HOME

2010-02-03T14:45:00.001Z

A COVENTRY MP is backing a campaign by residents to get a derelict house knocked down.

Coventry North West MP Geoffrey Robinson is supporting a bid by neighbours to get the problem house in Tay Road, Radford, bulldozed and the area around it cleaned up.

He has written to Martin Reeves, chief executive of Coventry City Council, urging the authority to use its full powers to help remedy the situation.

Mr Robinson said: “The council has allowed this situation to drag on for far too long. The council has the power to take strong action on grounds that this derelict building is having a severe impact on the surrounding area in terms of the social environment.

“Coventry City Council also has the power to undertake clean-up work themselves under section 219 and recover the costs from the owner. I would urge the council to take positive steps sooner rather than later as these residents deserve to live in peace.”

The issue was being discussed at a council meeting today.

'SCAMNESTY' MONTH IN COVENTRY

2010-02-03T14:43:00.000Z

RESIDENTS are being urged to report any bogus letters that promise prizes as part of a ‘Scamnesty’.

The Office for Fair Trading began its Scam Awareness campaign this week, which runs until February 26.

It comes after an influx of bogus companies who call, send letters or emails claiming people have won big prizes and ask for cash up front.

In Coventry, a 66-year-old woman lost £40,000 to various lottery scams while another resident lost about £30,000 to a Spanish lottery company.

Councillor Hazel Noonan, city services cabinet member, said: “Scams can be recognised because they are received out of the blue, promising something for nothing and usually ask for money up front.

“Typical scams to be aware of include fake foreign lotteries, prize draw notifications, bogus psychic predictions and ‘phishing’ scams which involve email messages appearing to be from a genuine organisation, such as a bank or building society asking for personal information.”

Coventry residents are being encouraged to take part in ‘Scamnesty 10’ and report any scams they receive to Consumer Direct.

Mike Lynn, from Coventry Trading Standards, said: “Last year we received more than 100 mailings from residents, with foreign lotteries topping the list of most complained about.”

For more information visit www.coventry.gov.uk/tradingstandards or call Consumer Direct on 08454 04

POPE MAY VISIT COVENTRY

2010-02-03T14:42:00.001Z

THE POPE has officially confirmed he will visit the UK this year for the first time, bringing a widely tipped trip to Coventry one step closer to becoming reality.

In a speech to the Catholic bishops of England and Wales to mark the end of their pilgrimage to Rome, Pope Benedict said: “On the occasion of my forthcoming apostolic visit to Great Britain, I shall be able to witness that faith for myself and, as successor of Peter, to strengthen and confirm it.

“During the months of preparation that lie ahead, be sure to encourage the Catholics of England and Wales in their devotion, and assure them that the Pope constantly remembers them in his prayers and holds them in his heart.”

No dates or an itinerary have been given at this stage.

He is widely expected to visit the archdiocese of Birmingham, which contains Coventry, for the beatification of Cardinal John Henry Newman.

And despite Newman spending half of his life in Birmingham, Coventry Airport has been mooted as a possibly location for a visit. Last week a leading promoter of Cardinal Newman’s cause suggested that Coventry Airport would be an ideal location, because it had already proved itself as a suitable venue during the visit of Pope Benedict’s predecessor Pope John Paul in 1982.

If a visit to the city is announced it is expected to be on either September 12 or 19 and will form the finale of the entire three-day Papal visit to Britain.

CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED TO HELP 'HIDDEN CARERS'

2010-02-03T14:32:00.001Z

A CAMPAIGN was launched this week to help thousands of ‘hidden carers’ in Coventry who look after loved ones without any support.

Of nearly 30,000 people in the city who care for someone without any help from health and care organisations, more than 20,000 do not see themselves as carers, and do not register on the radars of such organisations.

The worrying figures come from newly launched NHS service, Carers Direct, which is promoting a new helpline to these carers to find out what practical and financial support may be available to them.

Pauline Dye, manager of Coventry Carers’ Centre, said: “So many carers take on the role without even realising it. Often it starts with offering to help elderly relatives with shopping, or checking if they’ve taken their medication, which can quickly develop to caring for several hours or more a week.

“On the other hand, becoming a carer can happen overnight as a result of a medical emergency, an accident or the birth of a child with disabilities.

“Without help and support, before long, carers can find themselves struggling with what can be very physical and mental demands, trying to balance work and home life, and potentially risking their own health and wellbeing as a result.

“It is important that carers are aware that there is help out there from local organisations like Coventry Carers’ Centre or the Carers Direct helpline, whether it’s just having someone to talk to, guidance on financial assistance or simply understanding the support available to them.”

It is estimated that 6,000 people become a carer every day across the UK, often doing so out of love, devotion or duty.

The campaign is being supported by Dr Hilary Jones and celebrities Sir David Jason, Paul O’Grady, Tony Robinson and Arlene Phillips.

Carers can obtain free information, support and advice by calling the Carers Direct free phone helpline 0808 802 02 02, or visiting website www.nhs.uk/carersdirect.

MURDERED COVENTRY MUM FAILED BY POLICE

2010-01-28T12:39:00.002Z

WEST Midlands Police failed a “vulnerable” Coventry woman who was stabbed to death in front of her seven-year-old daughter, an independent investigation has revealed.

Rabina Bibi, 35, was murdered at her home in Leicester Causeway, Foleshill, by an ex-partner during an attack in September 2008.

Just half an hour before the city mother was stabbed at least 15 times, she had made a 999 call to police at 7.36pm, complaining her ex-partner was banging on her front door.

Six minutes later, she made a further call to police stating the man had left and she no longer required help.

A third emergency call was made from the Foleshill house at 8.09pm, this time by Ms Bibi’s young daughter Aisha, who could be heard saying: “A man is trying to kill my mummy. He’s my mummy’s friend and he is trying to kill her with a knife.”

When the police arrived, they found Ms Bibi’s body.

Following a trial at Warwick Crown Court in August last year, Zakarya Rezaie was jailed for life for the murder of Ms Bibi. After the trial, the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) launched an investigation into West Midlands Police’s conduct.

Last week, the commission revealed the force had failed Ms Bibi by not despatching police officers when she first called for help, contrary to force’s policy on domestic abuse. It has not been determined if the failure was due to human error or an IT failure.

The IPCC recommended West Midlands police review its IT systems and training.

IPCC investigators interviewed operator staff from the police control room, supervisors and IT specialists in the course of the investigation, and examined computerised incident logs.

The commission concluded that police should have attended Ms Bibi’s home within 30 minutes of her first call. It also determined the second and third calls made from Ms Bibi’s home were dealt with appropriately.

IPCC Commissioner Len Jackson said: “Regardless of whether there were IT faults, human
errors or performance failings, regrettably West Midlands Police failed a vulnerable woman in Rabina Bibi. She was entitled to a police response within 30 minutes based on the information she provided and it failed to happen.

“It will never be known whether she would still be alive today had police officers been despatched to her in accordance with force policy.

“I am glad West Midlands Police has accepted our recommendations to review their IT systems and user training so every effort is taken to prevent any reoccurrence of this very sad event.”

COVENTRY'S SUPER HOSPITAL'S PARKING CHARGES SLAMMED IN ONLINE CAMPAIGN

2010-01-28T12:33:00.001Z

AN INTERNET campaign slamming high parking charges at Coventry’s University Hospital has been backed by thousands of people.

Members of the Socialist Party formed the “Stop the £2.7 Million Parking Robbery at Walsgrave Hospital” group on social networking site Facebook.

Last year car park chiefs, at the super hospital in Walsgrave, raked in £2.7million in parking fees – the second highest amount in the country.

More than 3,000 people have already joined the online group and a further 2,000 signatures have been collected on a petition.

Councillor Dave Nellist (Soc, St Michaels) said the response to the campaign site has been “overwhelming”.

He said: “We had public meetings in different parts of the city and one of the biggest issues coming up was the cost of parking at the hospital.

“We thought launching this online campaign would be a good way of bringing the community together and encourage people to submit to the national consultation.

“And the petition we have been doing on the streets has given us a massive head start.

“Nurses were among those stopping to sign in the city centre. One told us that staff have to pay for parking in advance but are still not guaranteed a parking space.”

Cllr Nellist said that the petition would either be presented at a council meeting, at a health scrutiny meeting or at a University Hospital board meeting.

“It’s important to note that this PFI (Private Finance Initiative) agreement is not only effecting us, but our children and grandchildren will also be paying for it,” he added.

“We should find a way of funding public and private transport to help get people in and out of hospitals.

“We pride ourselves on having a free health service, well it is not free if you pay for parking. At the moment this is a tax on the ill.”

Hundreds of messages have been posted on Facebook.

One resident said: “Through my ongoing ill health problems I have to visit various departments on a regular basis, over the past few years I have been admitted several times.

“My family have had to fork out quite a few pounds on parking charges. I am disgusted that a privately-run firm can coin it in to the tune of several million pounds.

“I class it as a tax on the sick and infirm, I would even go as far as saying taxing the relatives of the dying – shame on them.”

Another said: “When my 16-year-old son was in hospital for three weeks, for the car park charges, food and drink the total bill came to well over £250. How is that justifiable?”

ISS Mediclean was given the right to run the car parks in return for part-funding the new hospital under the PFI).

Money made on parking fees, which range from £3 to £10 a day, goes to ISS, but they have to account for costs including full repairs and maintenance over a 35-year period.

ISS Mediclean spokesman Craig Smith said: “All the details agreed in the PFI still stand and until that changes there’s nothing further we can do.”

Scotland has already abolished parking fees at hospitals while the Welsh government announced plans to phase them out by 2011.

A consultation as to whether charges should continue in England is running until February 23.

What do you think? Write to us or email timesletters@mrn.co.uk.

RECYCLING BIN REVIEW IN MARCH

2010-01-25T14:26:00.002Z

A COMPREHENSIVE review of the recycling bins that have been rolled out across the city will be taking place in March.

The date was revealed at a Coventry City Council city services cabinet meeting, in which more than 80 residents signed a petition over the lack of space outside their homes because of the bins.

Resident Rita Norman, of Stoke, said that the recycling scheme did not consider disabled people, who struggle to get past bins on pavements and have difficulty pushing their receptacles out.

She added: “I don’t think this was thought through properly. You can’t get past the pavement anymore. It’s putting the public in danger.

“Some people who are disabled struggle to push the different bins out on the various collection dates and they can get quite heavy.”

Councillor Sucha Bains, Labour councillor for the Upper Stoke ward, added: “There are people in Upper and Lower Stoke and St Michaels that are not entirely happy with the bin collections.

“Some people don’t have big enough gardens to hold all these bins so need some help.”

During the meeting Dilip Chauhan, waste services manager, said that smaller bins are available for those who want one.

He said: “We already acknowledge some difficulties that residents face with the introduction of recycling scheme.

“We have recycling ‘champions’ visiting residents to see what specific problems they have. There will be a comprehensive review in March looking at many of these issues.”

PARENTS MEETING MP TO TALK ABOUT CRUMBLING SCHOOL

2010-01-25T14:24:00.001Z

ANGRY parents campaigning for a crumbling Coventry school to be re-built will be meeting with a city MP this week.

Members of the parent action group are meeting with defence secretary Bob Ainsworth, MP for Coventry North East on Friday (tomorrow).

Campaigners are calling for John Gulson Primary School, in George Street, Foleshill, to be re-built because of its poor state.

Last week more than 30 mums and dads, who’s children attend the school, demonstrated outside the council house with placards, and carried pictures of the school’s peeling paint, leaking cisterns and cracked plaster.

They handed in a petition with 1,346-signatures to a cabinet meeting that was headed by Councillor John Blundell (Con, Wainbody).

The cabinet member for children, learning and young people said that there wasn’t enough money for a new building and pledged a programme of maintenance and improvements instead.

He pledged that the council would team up with governors and an architect to plan maintenance and improvements. He also said there is a proposal to install modular buildings or “huts” in the grounds to cope with an expected increase in pupil numbers and to accommodate existing pupils, while their classrooms are improved.

He said: “We will use what money we have got and any additional money we get to alleviate the problems as much as possible.

Member of the parent action group Sam Begum, who has three children that attend the school, said that some progress is being made.

She said: “We have got a little bit further because at first we were told their is no chance the school will be re-built but now we’ve been told that if it is economically viable it might be considered.

“What we don’t want is this architect to make everything colourful and give the illusion of extra space, he’s not a magician, either there is extra space or there’s not.

“We don’t want children being crammed into small spaces or being taught from huts.

“This is why we’re meeting with Bob Ainsworth because this school is not in an acceptable state and we will continue our campaign.”

What do you think? Write to us or email timesletters@mrn.co.uk.

MOTORCYCLE THEFTS

2010-01-25T14:22:00.000Z

TWO motorcycles were stolen from a garage in Stoke.

Burglars broke into a garage in Watersmeet Road on Tuesday January 12 between 7pm and 10pm.

The motorcycles were then stolen and removed using either a trailer or a van. The motorcycles are described as a white and black Ducatti ‘Monster’ registration BX58 NHP and an orange and white endurance style bike with ‘176’ stickers on it, registration FJ09 DDN.

Anyone with information about the burglary or who might know the whereabouts of the motor cycles are asked to call Pc McHugh at Stoney Stanton Road police station on 0845 113 5000.

CANLEY CREMATORIUM WORK CAUSES DELAYS

2010-01-25T14:21:00.000Z

GRIEVING families that use Canley Crematorium to say a final farewell to loved ones will have to wait until August before ongoing repair works are completed.

The project, which has taken nearly four years to complete, involves replacing cremators and building new ones that comply with government guidelines.

But it has meant families are restricted access to view the charging of the coffin because the area is currently under construction.

The restricted use of the crematorium has resulted in many people using services in Nuneaton and Leamington.

A petition carrying 270 signatures, most of Hindu and Sikh faith, was handed in to Coventry City Council at a city services cabinet meeting last week to see if work could be completed earlier.

Sandra Turner, bereavement services manager, said: “We can update people in the community if there are any delays. We can’t guarantee it will be done on time in case anything goes wrong but that’s the same for any project.

“This is a big project. The roof of the crematorium has to be re-lined with steel for the new filtration system to go in.

“There is an awful lot of equipment to install. We’ve had to re-configure the whole building.

“When we applied for funding in 2006, there were other major projects across the city and we couldn’t have all the funding in one go.

“This has meant we’ve been receiving the money slowly over the past few years.

“We aim to get work completed by August, but we never know about setbacks that could occur.

“For instance, work stopped while we had heavy snowfall.”

Three of five phases have been completed, which involved modifying the existing cremators with electrical wiring, a new sub station and replacing gas pipes.

Two more cremators will be completed by May with high-level floors, emergency exits, and a new filtration system. Work is expected to finish in August.

Councillor Sucha Bains (Lab, Upper Stoke) and Councillor Malkiat Auluck (Lab, Foleshill) had been campaigning on behalf of the petition-signers. They said people are very upset that work has taken so long and were hoping it could be completed sooner.

Cllr Bains added: “The Hindu and Sikh families want to see the body cremated before they go to the temple to do their prayers.

“It should be done on the same day. They need to know their loved ones are at peace.”

TALK ON WOOD'S FALL

2010-01-25T14:17:00.000Z

THE FALL from grace of Tiger Woods will be the subject of a talk by a Coventry University professor on Friday January 29.

The talk, part of the Coventry Conversation series, will look at the possible long-term damage to the golfer’s career.

Professor Simon Chadwick, director of the Centre for the International Business of Sport, will give his talk at 1pm in the Ellen Terry Building, Jordan Well, Room ETG 34.

Admission is free and open to the public.

PARKING FINES COST COVENTRY £1m

2010-01-20T11:29:00.002Z

COVENTRY City Council raked in more than £1million in parking tickets last year – but only pocketed £27,000.

And that money will be used to plug a deficit of thousands of pounds racked up during the set-up of the scheme.

A report, which is being presented to the council today, shows that between April 2008 and March 2009 traffic wardens issued nearly 31,000 tickets, generating £1,064,031.

But once costs, such as wages and overheads were paid off, the council was left with only £27,544.

Since the council took over parking enforcement from West Midlands Police in 2005, money paid in fines went towards set-up costs.

This is the first time the scheme has produced a surplus and should go into improving it.

But during the first three years the council ran up a debt of £437,000 and Councillor Hazel Noonan (Con, Cheylesmore) warned it would take a further three years to pay this off.

The portfolio holder for city services defended the scheme and said that it is helping to keep roads safer.

She added: “We want all roads in the city to be as safe as possible for drivers and we have seen an improvement.

“The extra money generated will be going towards paying off the deficit from the past few years.

“Now we have extra powers, such as putting more parking enforcement officers near the zigzags at schools, we are becoming more efficient.”

Currently, drivers must pay £70 for a serious parking offence, such as parking on double yellow lines or parking without a valid permit.

This charge is reduced to £35 if paid within 14 days.

The report also highlights possible plans to introduce CCTV to bus lanes across the city in a bid to catch motorists using it illegally.

“We know about the hot spots and want to make sure those areas are safer,” said Cllr Noonan.

“One of the issues is drivers using bus lanes.

“The police control the camera under the Whittle Arches but we’re hoping to take over and introduce more cameras.

“This is all about making sure our roads are safe.”

But Councillor Lindsley Harvard (Lab, Longford), shadow cabinet member for city services, said the scheme will only be value for money if it does deter “irresponsible motorists”.

He said: “The priority is to make sure there are no irresponsible drivers as I get so many complaints about reckless driving and parking.

“The council also needs to make sure that any surplus money made goes back into the scheme and isn’t used elsewhere.

“They also put in too many bus lanes around the city that aren’t needed and as a result we see an increase of people breaking the rules.”

Last November the Taxpayers’ Alliance revealed Coventry collected the most money in parking fines in the region.

Jennifer Dunn, policy analyst at the TA, said: “While the council has taken a huge amount in parking fines from motorists, the council is clearly running a very expensive parking enforcement system.

“Parking enforcement systems should be run in a fair manner and should not be used as a means to raise revenue.

“Fair enforcement systems will not place an unnecessary heavy burden on drivers and won’t produce such a waste of money, saving money for Coventry taxpayers.”

What do you think? Write to us or email timesletters@mrn.co.uk.

SALVATION ARMY HOSTEL GIVEN THE GO-AHEAD

2010-01-20T11:25:00.001Z

COUNCILLORS have given the go-ahead to build a homeless hostel on a car park used by worshippers.

Despite protests from scores of residents and religious figures, planning permission was approved by six votes to four, to build a £60million Salvation Army hostel, in Hillfields.

Representatives from the Shree Krishna Temple, who spoke at the planning meeting last week, said the loss of the neighbouring car park between Howard Street and Harnall Lane West would hit hundreds of worshippers.

Nearby GNP Gurdwara Temple and St Stanislaus Kostka Roman Catholic Church, which serves the Polish community, also agreed it would affect visitors.

The area, which has space for 65 vehicles, has been used as a car park since being given temporary permission for such use in 2004.

The 80-bed hostel will replace the Salvation Army’s existing building in Lincoln Street, which is being demolished as part of the council’s Swanswell Area Regeneration development.

Council officers said worshippers could use the 460-space multi-storey car park at City College, 350 metres away.

But there are concerns this will cause traffic problems in the area.

Chandubhai Thaker, secretary of Shree Krishna Temple, said: “We knew what the outcome was going to be anyway, but we had to try for our members.

“The council said that we can use the City College car park, but a lot of the visitors that we get are elderly and come in the evenings, so it won’t be easy for them to walk over.

“Also, you have to pay to use it, which a lot of the students can’t afford and they’re already leaving their cars in side streets – now we’ll have to add more cars to this.”

Resident Ian Pollock, of Harnall Lane West, said: “I don’t know what to say other than what can you do?

“We don’t get a say in the matter, even though hundreds of us signed a petition against the plan.

“We’re going to have so many problems with parking on this street and ones close by.”

Richard Bradbury, the Salvation Army’s deputy director of research and development, said: “We want to ensure that our services can lift people out of homelessness. Our excellent staff are currently fighting against a building that is no longer fit for purpose.”

Are you affected by the plans? If so write to us or email timesletters@mrn.co.uk.

WORKERS AT COVENTRY RAILWAY STATION TO STAGE SECOND STRIKE

2010-01-20T11:22:00.001Z

TICKET staff are planning the second of three strikes in a dispute over the future of booking kiosks at Coventry train station.

Virgin Trains workers held a protest on Friday against the closure of counter windows and introduction of more automated ticket booths.

Members of the union Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association fear more staffed ticket counters face closure.

But Virgin Trains’ chief executive Tony Collins said the true reasons for the industrial action were about extra payments and insisted they had no plans to cut ticket office jobs and were recruiting to fill vacancies.

But a TSSA spokesman said: “Before we released pictures showing a queue of 100metres at the station, they had closed two of the windows. Since then they have reopened the windows and now we are fighting for staff at other stations who are still under that threat.”

The next strike takes place on Monday January 25, between 5am and 8.30am, before staff walk out on February 5.

"SUPER SURGERY" OPENS IN FOLESHILL

2010-01-20T11:18:00.001Z

THE DOORS for a new “super surgery” that can offer blood tests and minor operations have opened in Coventry.

The surgery, in Station Street West, Foleshill, offers late opening, Saturday sessions, blood and ECG testing and minor surgery, alongside the usual family doctor services.

Sexual health, family planning, weight management and stop smoking services are also provided at the centre which opened last week.

Juliet Hancox, acting director of primary care for NHS Coventry, said: “It really is bringing services much closer to people’s homes and is part of our Equitable Access to Primary Care scheme to improve health in areas of high need.

“Besides the usual range of family doctor services, the new practice is able to provide facilities like blood testing that people used to have to go to a hospital for – and this convenience and open access will help to improve the health of the local population.”

The practice, part of a multi-million pound improvement programme by NHS Coventry, is run by Malling Health Ltd, a primary care provider service managed by NHS general practitioners, who also run the Stoke Aldermoor practice.

Dr James Swallow, regional medical director for Malling Health, said: “Our ethos is to make primary health care more accessible to the general population, with extended opening hours and an enhanced range of services.”

Both the Stoke Aldermoor and Foleshill practices will move into purpose-built new surgeries within the next few years.

The new surgeries are part of a major development plan announced by NHS Coventry in February last year, which created the Walk-In Centre, in Stoney Stanton Road.

It also includes the creation of three new dental practices.

COVENTRY CATHEDRAL START ENTRY CHARGES

2010-01-20T11:16:00.001Z

ADMISSION fees into Coventry Cathedral started this week as voluntary donations were not enough to keep the building running.

The decision was made by the cathedral’s governing body last November as running costs of around £1.5million a year were not being met.

Last year visitor numbers fell from 100,000 to 80,000 and in the past two years the cathedral has suffered a funding shortfall of £200,000.

From this week visitors will have to pay up to £5 to enter.

Nick Chavasse, director of tourism, heritage and events, said that it was a “difficult decision” to start charging people, but something they must do to remain open.

He said: “It’s very sad that we are having to charge people to visit, but if we want to keep the cathedral open then that’s what we’ll have to do.

“It costs more than £4,000 a day to keep the cathedral running.

“We used to get £5million from English Heritage but that’s stopped now and we don’t, and never have had, funding from Coventry City Council.

“It’s unfortunate we’re having to charge people, however we’re bringing in exhibitions all year round to try and give visitors ‘value for money’.

“We have arranged for work to be shown around the theme of peace and reconciliation and have a new film theatre too.”

Despite requested donations of £3, the average donation from visitors was £1.87.

Mr Chavasse said: “We need to try and attract more people from Coventry to visit the cathedral. At the moment two-thirds of our visitors are from outside the city.

“We’re hoping that by showing short films and exhibitions around the year, more local people will come.”

Under the new scheme, entrance fees for adults cost £4.50 or £5 – with the extra 50p going to Gift Aid – from Monday to Saturday.

There is no charge for children under 10, members of the congregation, members of Friends of Coventry Cathedral and Sundays are free.

Anyone wishing to come to pray can avoid the charge by entering through a separate entrance.

What do you think? Write to us or email timesletters@mrn.co.uk.

HEALTHY EATING ADVICE

2010-01-20T11:11:00.000Z

RESIDENTS are being invited to take a free Well Now course focusing on how to improve health and well-being.
The six-week course, starting on Tuesday February 2 and will provide information on healthy nutrition and enjoyable eating, alongside other strategies for improving health and well-being.
The course is suitable for everyone whatever their size and is taking place at the Central Library, from 10am to 12pm.
To register for a place contact Lucy Aphramor on 024 7625 2506.

GOOD SAMARITANS

2009-12-18T10:31:00.001Z

POLICE are tracing two good Samaritans who helped a young woman that was assaulted.

The pair, described as being Eastern European or possibly Polish, separated two women near the Swanswell Tavern, in Primrose Hill Street, Hillfields.

The 17-year-old victim from Radford was assaulted by another woman who was walking by just before 7pm on Sunday December 13.

The victim was not seriously hurt but she shaken up, the offender left the scene heading towards Swanswell Park.

Police are appealing for any witnesses, especially the two men who intervened, to come forward.

Anyone with information can officers at Little Park Street police station on 0845 113 5000.

'POPPY' THEFT MAN JAILED

2009-12-16T16:02:00.000Z

A “DESPICABLE” thief who stole a poppy collection tin on Remembrance Day in Coventry has been jailed.

Trevor Kelly, of Wellington Street, Hillfields, swiped a British Legion charity box from Barclays bank, in Daventry Road, Cheylesmore, just two hours after people across the city stood in respectful silence to commemorate fallen war heroes.

The 33-year-old had already stolen two other poppy donation boxes in the days leading up to Armistice Day. He took one containing £30 from the Belgrade Theatre on November 6 and another, estimated to have held about £50 in spare change, three days later from Hogans Bar and Bistro in Keresley.

Kelly also made off with a collection jar for charity Water Aid from the Premier Inn hotel, in Kenpas Highway, on November 28.

He was arrested on December 10 by a police officer who recognised him from CCTV stills that had been circulated among cops.

Last Friday, Kelly appeared before Coventry Magistrates Court and was sentenced to 15 weeks imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to four counts of theft, and a further five weeks for failing to appear for an earlier court hearing.

Sergeant Greg Richards, of Little Park Street police station, said: “Kelly always dressed smartly to avoid arousing suspicion but, when left alone or out of view, he’d tear the tin free and conceal it under his clothing.

“We’d always encourage charities to secure collection boxes securely with a metal chain, rather than with string, and certainly not to leave them free-standing.

“To steal money destined for the families of soldiers who have either been killed or injured in conflict is despicable – and even more so on the one day we’re asked to respect their
sacrifices.”

LIFE-SAVER SONGS

2009-12-16T16:00:00.001Z

BURSTING into song while trying to save someone’s life might not seem appropriate – but it
could lead to a successful resuscitation according to
boffins at Coventry Univer-
sity.

Research by a team at the
university found that singing Nellie the Elephant while
performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) might help keep recommended compression rate of 100 beats per
minute.

A total of 130 untrained CPR staff and students were given a brief demonstration on a resuscitation manikin and had one minute to practice while listening to a metronome – a device that produces regular beats.

Then participants were asked to perform three sequences of continuous chest compressions each lasting one minute.

One was accompanied by no music, another with repeated choruses of Nellie the Elephant and finally listening to That’s the Way (I Like It) by KC and the Sunshine Band.

Both songs were chosen for their tempo – 105 beats per minute for Nellie the Elephant and 109bpm for the latter.

Results found just under a third of those listening to Nellie delivered compression rates close to 100bpm compared with 12 per cent for no music and nine per cent for KC and the Sunshine Band.

But it also increased the proportion of compressions delivered at an inadequate depth.

Professor Malcolm Woollard, Coventry University’s director of the pre-hospital, emergency and cardiovascular care applied research group, has been carrying out the research with a team.

The serving paramedic of 25 years said: “Nellie the Elephant along with The Archers has been recommended by resuscitation trainers for as long as I can remember, so people get the right compression rate.

“Although the method is a bit tongue-in-cheek the results are genuine and will hopefully help people to carry out CPR correctly.

“It’s important people are trained because it’s usually a friend or family member that will need CPR, so everyone should be motivated to learn.

“Although difficult to remember, there isn’t a bad way of
doing it, just ways of doing it better. You cause more harm by not attempting CPR at all and it’s a myth the procedure gets the heart going again. It doesn’t, it only keeps the blood pumping until paramedics arrive.

“Behind all this we are trying to find a good rhythm to help carry out CPR. But we’re still looking for that tune so
welcome any suggestions!”

What do you think? If you have any songs that could work write to us or email timesletters@mrn.co.uk.

DELAYS AT RAILWAY STATION

2009-12-15T10:04:00.000Z

PASSENGERS queued for up to 30 minutes at Coventry railway station to get a ticket claim union leaders.

They have launched a fresh attack over the closure of railway ticket offices after claiming the queue in Coventry reached a record 100 metres over the weekend.

The Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA) said passengers had to wait up to 30 minutes on Saturday December 12 to buy tickets, with “harassed” staff telling some travellers to pay at the end of their journey.

The union is balloting more than 120 Virgin Trains workers at 14 stations between London Euston and Glasgow on strike action in a row over closures, with the result due on December 23.

Stations include Watford, Milton Keynes, Rugby, Birmingham New Street, Wolverhampton, Stafford, Crewe, Manchester, Preston and Carlisle.

Any industrial action will not be held until the New Year.

The union said the Coventry queue snaked 100 metres across the concourse to the entrance door, and would have stretched out on to the pavement if many passengers had not bought tickets from machines.

Gerry Doherty, TSSA’s general secretary, said: “It’s simply outrageous passengers are now forced to wait 30 minutes to even buy a ticket and face an even worse service in the New Year.

“They already pay the highest fares in Europe and yet they are treated like cattle. A standard return from London to Manchester costs £247 - it is cheaper to fly Virgin to New York than it is to get a return ticket on one of their trains to Manchester.

“Last week Richard Branson talked about flying tourists to the moon. He should concentrate on planet earth and provide an affordable railway where the passenger comes first, not last.”

A spokesman for Virgin Trains said: “Despite the best efforts of station staff to sell tickets, passengers were being asked to purchase tickets on trains. A message was sent to on-train staff advising of the situation. We apologise to any customer who was inconvenienced.”

Were you effected by long queues at the train station or have an opinion? If so write to us or email timesletters@mrn.co.uk.

MORE TURBULENCE AT CITY AIRPORT

2009-12-01T11:27:00.000Z

COVENTRY Airport could be forced into liquidation amid rumours of spiralling debt.

The airport, in Baginton, is facing an uncertain future after the company that owns it was served a petition to ‘wind up’ its business.

Bosses at the city’s airport – which has been up for sale since May of this year – are due to appear in court next week.

The petition was handed over to airport owners, West Midlands International Airport, on October 23 and a hearing is due to take place at London’s Royal Courts of Justice on Wednesday December 9.

The application was made to the High Court by HM Revenue and Customs.

If the court grants the petition and makes the winding-up order, Coventry Airport will be placed into compulsory liquidation.

Brian Cox, airport director, said: “West Midlands International Airport is aware of the High Court petition and is actively seeking a solution. No further comment will be made at this time.”

The airport has had an unsettled year.

In November 2008 the Times exclusively reported that Thomsonfly would be pulling out all its flights from Coventry, just one month after Wizz Air pulled its flights from the city to Poland.

Thomsonfly operated 35 flights to eight destinations across Europe each week and the airline had been due to launch four new routes this summer.

But airport bosses remained optimistic and continued to insist that the company was still open for business.

In August the company invested in an Executive Jet Centre to handle the growing number of executive aviation movements and cargo.

Coventry Airport teamed up with luxury chauffeur drive company, First Class Cars, to provide top of the range ground transportation for clients using the centre.

A month later, airport bosses revealed they were in discussions with an interested buyer, but refused to say who it was.

CONSULTATIONS OF SCHOOL EXPANSIONS

2009-12-01T11:26:00.001Z

CONSULTATIONS on plans to expand 17 primary schools in Coventry got underway this week.

The proposals have been drawn up in response to a rising birth rate over recent years.

As the Times reported in December last year, an influx of families moving into the area and the city’s booming birth rate has caused education bosses to look at expanding several primary schools to cater for extra children.

Figures released by Coventry’s Primary Care Trust showed that in 2000 there were 3,600 babies born – this increased by nearly 30 per cent in 2008 to 4,500 births a year.

Now the PCT and information from GP surgeries have indicated there could be a deficit of 411 reception year places in September 2012.

Work has already gone into addressing this issue with 15 primary schools due to be expanded by September 2010.

During the consultations officials will also be looking at 17 schools, which have been identified as having the potential to expand either by September 2011 or 2012.

These range from utilising existing accommodation, installing modular classrooms and partial and complete new builds.

The consultations, which last until January 25, 2010, will include a public meeting at each of the 17 schools, where people can see an outline of proposals and have a chance to give views and opinions.

Councillor John Blundell, cabinet member for children, learning and young people, said: “The consultation is very important as it gives us the opportunity to get a variety of different views on how our primary schools should evolve in the future and I would encourage people to find the time to take part and let us know what they think.”

For more information on the proposals and to take part in the consultation, visit www.coventry.gov.uk/schoolconsultation.

The primary schools involved in the consultation are:

September 2011

*Allesley

*Hearsall

*Henley Green

*Holbrook

*John Gulson

*Moseley

*Southfields

*Spon Gate

*Stoke Heath

September 2012

*Alderman’s Green

*Grange Farm

*Howes

*Moat House

*Sacred Heart

*St Augustine’s

*St Bartholomew’s

*St Osburg’s.

TRUST HITS BACK AT HEALTH REPORT

2009-12-01T11:23:00.000Z

THE HEALTH trust running Coventry’s super hospital has been named as the country’s third worst performing in the country.

The Hospital Guide, published by the Dr Foster organisation, lists University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire Trust (UHCW), as one of the worst for patient safety standards.

It put Coventry joint third based on 13 separate criteria which includes a range of mortality figures, the overall death rate and that for heart attack and stroke patients, the death rate for people admitted with hip fractures and those who were taken to hospital for low-risk procedures or diagnoses.

But Coventry’s University Hospital has challenged the findings of the report.

It has been rated “good” by the official health regulator, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and a spokesman for the hospital trust said various inspections over the last year prove it is not failing patients.

Kerry Beadling, communications officer for UHCW, said: “Dr Foster uses the results of a questionnaire survey, as well as other submitted data. However, the methodology used for overall assessment has not been shared and the Trust believes the data on which the analysis was run was incomplete in relation to UHCW Trust.

“We would like to reassure our patients and public that UHCW prioritises patient safety at all times and the Dr Foster rating does not accurately reflect this, as evidenced by a number of in-depth, onsite, independent reviews.”

She added that in 2008/9 there have been 40 per cent fewer cases
of C.Difficile than in the previous
year while mortality rates have decreased for three years in a row.

Paul Jennings, chief executive of NHS Warwickshire, also defended UHCW.

He said. “We know UHCW very well and we have a much more complete picture than that given just by statistics. The new data from Dr Foster only adds a tiny fraction to that. UHCW is a good hospital trust and patients can be confident of high-quality NHS care when they go there.”

But Roger Taylor, the director of Dr Foster, defended his guide and said more information about trusts should be made public.

He said: “No hospital in the world would claim to be free of these kinds of errors but what has been learned is that recording what is happening and making that information public is the best way to start tackling the issues.”

What do you think of Coventry’s University Hospital? Write to us or email timesletters@mrn.co.uk.

LOWEST COUNCIL TAX RISE IN 10 YEARS

2009-12-01T11:22:00.000Z

BUDGET plans have revealed next year’s council tax rise of 2.4 per cent will be the lowest in over 10 years.

Band A households – 41 per cent of all Coventry homes – will pay around £20 extra on top of this year’s £923.89 bill.

Council leaders say it amounts to 40p a week more and Band B households – a third of Coventry homes – will pay about 46p a week more.

It will be the lowest rise since 1997 and is down on last year’s 3.8 per cent increase.

Final council tax bills will be calculated after the emergency services set their portion of the rates – a small percentage of overall bills.

But under the same plans, around 80 more jobs will be lost at the council as part of a £10 million cuts programme to balance recession-hit books.

This includes “streamlining management structures” by cutting 10 senior management posts and 69 other jobs.

This follows 190 job cuts from this year that included 33 vacant posts.

Council services and outside bodies asked to make cuts or savings include adult social care, community centres and youth services, libraries, the performing arts service, neighbourhood services, grounds maintenance and the trusts running museums and sports centres.

The budget will also help fund multi-million pound borrowing and preparations for private finance initiatives, including the £1billion plan for a new waste incinerator, a £300million schools rebuilding programme, and replacing the city’s street lights.

Charities will take another cut of three per cent in council funding.

Councillor Kevin Foster, cabinet member of finance, procurement and value for money, said: “I’m delighted we’ve managed to protect frontline services and keep the rise in council tax below the rate of increase in state pensions, despite immense pressure on public spending expected over the next few years.

“Our priority has been to support our residents as much as possible during these difficult economic times.”

The budget plans are expected to be approved by the Conservative cabinet on Tuesday December 8.

CHRISTMAS DRINK/DRIVE CRACKDOWN LAUNCHED

2009-12-01T11:20:00.000Z

WEST Midlands Police launched their Christmas crackdown campaign to stop drink and drug drivers this week.

Since Tuesday Coventry officers have been on high-visibility patrols and they will also be setting up a number of static checkpoints at various locations to carry out roadside spot checks throughout the Christmas and New Year period.

Those arrested for drink driving may also find themselves drug tested as part of the Drug Interventions Programme.

PC Steve Rogers, from the force’s traffic unit, said: “Drink driving is an issue all year, but with the more relaxed atmosphere during the Christmas and New Year period, the temptation to offend becomes greater.

“We urge people not to put their friends, families or members of the public at risk by drink or drug driving.

“Passengers can also help by refusing to be driven by someone who has been drinking or taking drugs, and by appointing a designated driver.

“Remember that by drinking alcohol the night before you could still be over the drink drive limit well into the following day. There is no such thing as a ‘safe’ limit and the answer is not to drink at all if you are driving.

“If you are caught drink driving or driving while under the influence of drugs, the consequences could be wide-ranging, including the loss of your driving licence, which will in turn affect your career and family life. Ultimately you could go to prison. It’s not worth the risk.

“Driving while unfit through drugs is just as dangerous; this includes driving under the influence of prescribed medication and over-the-counter products as well as illegal substances. These can affect perception, concentration and reaction times.”

In last year’s campaign more than 20,000 drivers were stopped, of which 4,155 were breathalysed, compared to 3,420 tests carried out in 2007.

Of those, 12.7 per cent tested positive, a drop on the previous year’s percentage of 12.8 per cent.

Nationally, almost one in seven of all road deaths involve drivers who are over the legal limit.

Research shows men in their 20s and 50s are most likely to offend.

ENVIRONMENT GROUP UP FOR NATIONAL AWARD

2009-12-01T11:18:00.000Z

AN ENVIRONMENTAL group set up in the Wood End area of Coventry is up for a prestigious national award.

Eco - Way To Go, which started up 18 months ago in the New Deals for Community area, is up for the Phillips Lawrence Award.

It celebrates outstanding contributions made by young people in their community and who also challenge negative stereotypes and perceptions.

Eco - Way To Go consists of 14 members aged seven to 18. They meet once a month and tackle environmental issues such as making the area look clean and green and encouraging wildlife.

Roles such as chairman and secretary are undertaken by younger people to provide them with an opportunity to learn new skills, gain confidence and have trust placed on them.

Nicole Heaney, a youth support officer, who started the group, said: “I am really proud of the members and this nomination is completely about them and their hard work.

“It would be so great to win just because of the sheer hard work everyone puts in.

“It’s really helped to build their confidence and would be good if they were recognised for it.”

Some of the activities the young people have taken part in include, four litter picking days where they collected around 100 bags of rubbish and meeting with two government ministers to talk about local issues.

Group member Luke Bates, nine, said: “I like doing the cleaning things because I want to look after the environment. I have lots of fun working with the group, like when we’re litter picking in Henley Green.

“I would like to stay a member for a long time.”

The award ceremony, which takes place on December 8, was set up in 2007 in memory of head teacher Philip Lawrence who was murdered outside his school, in December 1995.

Frances Lawrence, widow of Philip Lawrence and founder of the awards, said: “It is always inspiring for judges to read nominations from across the country which describe how young people are working to improve their communities.

“In remote rural areas and in the midst of large cities they create projects which imaginatively tackle problems of crime, discrimination, and anti-social behaviour.”

Winners of the award, hosted by Sir Trevor McDonald, receive £1,000.

DEFIBRILLATORS FOR CITY

2009-12-01T11:17:00.001Z

COUNCIL venues across the city will stock defibrillators to provide vital life-saving help to people suffering heart attacks.

Coventry City Council is to spend £15,000 on 15 automated external defibrillators (AED) that can be used if someone suffers from a cardiac arrest.

West Midlands Ambulance Service will be training staff members to use the AED, which is a computerised device that check heart rhythm and recognise if it needs a shock.

A decision to buy the equipment was made at a council meeting last week.

Councillor Kevin Foster, cabinet member for finance, procurement and value for money, said: “If the victim of a heart attack gets the right kind of help as soon as possible, then their chances of survival are vastly improved.

“Many people either work in, or visit council buildings everyday, so it makes sense for us to invest in buying the AEDs.

“The cost of this equipment is £15,000, but the value of one life saved cannot be estimated.”

The 15 locations, which are given below, have been selected based on factors, including the number of staff and visitors and the ambulance response times to different areas.

*Council House

*Civic Centre One

*Broadgate House

*Faseman House

*Registrar’s Office

*Central Library

*Maurice Edelman House

*Harry Caplan House

*George Rowley House

*Cottage farm Lodge

*Canley Community Centre

*Bell Green Community Centre

*Coombe Country Park

*Allesley Hall Park/Golf Course

*War Memorial Park

RATE QUALITY OF LIFE IN COVENTRY

2009-12-01T11:15:00.000Z

THOUSANDS of Coventry people are being interviewed as part of one of the biggest surveys looking at the quality of life in Coventry.

Around 3,500 people will have face-to-face household interviews during December, with an opportunity for residents to complete the survey online too.

The poll will collect views on community involvement, housing, environment, health and wellbeing, community safety and transport, with results being announced in February 2010.

The research, being carried out by the Coventry Household Survey, will also gather information to assess physical and mental well-being, as well as any potential health or lifestyle inequalities.

Councillor Ken Taylor, leader of Coventry City Council said that local services should be tailored to meet the needs of a changing population and the survey will help improve the quality public services.

He added: “People know what their priorities are and it’s important to provide the right services at the right times. Public services must improve and become even more effective and efficient. This survey will help us deliver them in the best way possible.

“For the first time the community can reply online and we really do value their opinions.”

The survey, in its sixth year, is funded by Coventry’s Primary Care Trust, the council and has been commissioned by the Coventry Partnership.

Stephen Banbury, chair of Coventry Partnership, said: “This survey gives Coventry people the opportunity to let us know their views of local services and it is important that as many households as possible complete the survey, so that partners know where to improve services.”

The online survey is for people aged 16 and over until December 24.

Visit www.coventry.gov.uk/householdsurvey.

CITY CLIMBING GREEN LIST

2009-11-24T15:36:00.001Z

COVENTRY has just missed featuring in the top 10 list of being one of the most sustainable cities in the country.

But coming in at 11th, Coventry has risen three places from last year and is top of the table for cities representing the West Midlands.

The third annual Sustainable Cities Index by Forum for the Future published last week also shows the city is making a steady progress, as in 2007 Coventry was 17th.

Every year Forum for the Future, a sustainable development charity, tracks the progress on sustainability of Britain’s 20 largest cities.

Cities are ranked according to their performance against 13 indicators based on environmental performance, quality of life and planning for the future.

On environmental performance the city was ranked fifth due to its strong performance on ecological footprint, in particular on biodiversity as 49 per cent of sites in the city have undergone conservation in the past five years.

In the area of quality of life, the city improved its performance from 18th to 13th because of an improvement in the accessibility of public services such as schools and GPs via the transport network.

Councillor Nigel Lee, cabinet member for climate change, housing and sustainability, said: “I’m very pleased Coventry has continued to improve its sustainability performance against the other major cities in Britain.

“We recognise we still have a long way to go.

“It’s critical Coventry is seen as a sustainable place to live, work and invest so we can both, raise the quality of life for residents and attract new businesses to transform the city.

“I look forward to seeing our ranking in this sustainability league improve further next year as initiatives like the blue bin recycling scheme and our activities on climate change really start to feed in to the assessment process.”

On how well-prepared the city is for the future and how central sustainability issues are to the city’s plans, Coventry was ranked 10th improving from 16th in 2007.

PUB UNDER MACHETE ATTACK

2009-11-24T15:33:00.001Z

TWO men wielding a machete and a sword burst into a Coventry pub.

Around 35 people were enjoying a Saturday night drink in the Devonshire Arms, in Seawall Highway, Wyken, when the two men stormed in wrestling the doormen.

An eye-witness, who had been at the pub with friends contacted the Times.

The witness, who wishes to remain anonymous, said: “It was about half-past 10 when two men burst into the pub, fighting off the security guards at the door.

“One was carrying either a machete or a large sword and the second guy was definitely carrying a machete.

“There was a great, big, kerfuffle at the door, but the management were just fantastic.

“They managed to keep everyone calm and some of the customers even helped the bouncers push the men back out.

“It happened quite quickly, it was over in five minutes, but I didn’t feel threatened.

“The men were shouting something, but because of the music we couldn’t hear what they were saying.”

A spokesman for the pub said: “The Devonshire Arms is a popular and friendly local pub and this was a completely isolated and unmotivated incident involving a small group that had been refused entry by our door supervisors.

“Some of the group used force to temporarily enter the pub, but were quickly made to leave by the quick actions of the door team.

“We have contacted Police and provided CCTV footage to them to help with their investigations.”

FIREFIGHTER'S FUNERAL

2009-11-24T15:32:00.001Z

HUNDREDS of firefighters are set to line the streets of Coventry to pay their respects to city fireman Paul Gibbons.

Up to 200 West Midlands Fire Service officers, dressed in ceremonial uniform, are expected to form a guard of honour at Mr Gibbons’ funeral at Holy Family RC Church, in Parkgate Road, on Thursday.

A small contingent of firefighters will accompany the coffin inside the church.

A representative from the service will also be among those speaking at the service, which is due to begin at 11am.

Mr Gibbons died after an attack at Millsy’s Cafe Bar in Earlsdon Street, Earlsdon on Sunday October 25.

The husband and dad-of-two died the next day, as a result of his injuries.

The 41-year-old joined West Midlands Fire Service 12 years ago after a career in the navy.

He was stationed at Canley Fire Station which was inundated with flowers and messages left by those wanting to pay their respects.

Mr Gibbons was also a manager at city football club Sphinx FC.

Coventry operations commander Simon Shilton explained there will be a large fire service presence at the funeral upon the request Mr Gibbons’ family.

He said: “Paul was very well respected and very popular within the service – he had many, many friends.

“We are expecting a high turn out.”

Mr Gibbons’ family have requested that donations, if desired, should be made payable to A J Lloyd Charity Account to be distributed between a trust fund for Mr Gibbons’ children and The Fire Fighter Charity. A J Lloyd can be contacted by calling 024 7633 1900.

Shane Walford – also known as Shane Junior – aged 33, has been charged with the murder of Mr Gibbons.

He is due to appear at Warwick Crown Court in the New Year.

KIDNAP WARNING

2009-11-24T15:29:00.001Z

A KIDNAP warning has gone out to parents after a nine-year-old Coventry schoolgirl was approached by a strange man in a car.

Police are investigating the incident that happened near Alderman’s Green Primary School, Alderman’s Green Road, between 8.30am and 8.50am last Thursday.

The girl was approached by a man in a blue car but she made off and told a teacher.

Anyone with information should call Coventry police on 0845 113 5000 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

OFFICE STAR TO SWITCH ON CHRISTMAS LIGHTS

2009-11-19T11:39:00.001Z

THE Office star Martin Freeman will be switching on Coventry’s Christmas lights this year.
The 38-year-old actor will join Midlands soul queen Beverley Knight and Coventry acts Harmony Hood and Eliot Evans on Sunday November 29.
Freeman, who is also noted for his role as Arthur Dent in the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, is no stranger to the city.
He is one of the lead characters in Coventry-born director Debbie Issit’s Christmas blockbuster called Nativity that was filmed in and around the city.
He plays Mr Maddens, the headteacher of a primary school that rivals a private school and desperately wants his kids to have the best nativity play.
Mick McLaughlin, marketing and communications manager for city centre manager CV One, said: “We are absolutely delighted that Martin Freeman is returning to Coventry to switch on the Christmas Lights this year.
“It really is fitting as he’s appearing in the Christmas blockbuster Nativity which was filmed right in the heart of the city. It really is the icing on the cake for what promises to be a spectacular day of family entertainment.”
The musical showcase will take place on the Travelodge as Merica FM presenters kick things off at 3.30pm. It follows an array of live performances and entertainment before the lights are switched on at 5pm.

NEW PLANS FOR OLD JAG SITE

2009-11-19T11:25:00.001Z

THE former Browns Lane Jaguar site is to be renamed Lyons Park and turned into a high-tech business and industrial park.
The development is named after Sir William Lyons, founder of the Swallow Sidecar Company, which evolved into Jaguar Cars after the Second World War.
Developers Goodman, who bought the site in 2007 and Advantage West Midlands, have put the plans together.
Plans for the 39 hectare site include 800,000 sq ft of space for industrial and distribution use, 75,000 sq ft of office space and 172 homes.
Graham Pardoe, Goodman’s development director for UK Logistics, said: “Coventry has a long and proud legacy as a city of innovation, industry and technology.
“Lyons Park will provide the opportunity for organic growth of this heritage, offering the opportunity for small to medium businesses as well as national companies to locate to a first class development.
“In re-branding the site we were determined to create a new identity while recognising the site’s heritage. We feel that Lyons Park is a fitting name which gives the development a strong identity.”
Steve Holland, head of asset management at AWM, added: “The planning permission for the development of Lyons Park marks another important milestone in the regeneration and redevelopment of Coventry.
“Alongside other major projects such as Ansty Park, Lyons Park will play an important part in strengthening the city’s contribution to the West Midland’s economy by attracting manufacturing companies to the region and creating more jobs for local people.”
Consultations with Coventry City Council have been held and work on the site’s infrastructure is expected to be finished by April 2010.
Jaguar Land Rover director Julian Hetherington said: “It is excellent news that the plans to redevelop the former Jaguar site at Browns Lane in Coventry have been approved and we are of course delighted that Sir William Lyons’ achievements are remembered with the choice of name for the development.”

THIRD SECTOR COULD BE SILENCED

2009-11-19T11:08:00.000Z

CHRISTMAS parties and fundraising events could be
silenced by music scrooges who will charge voluntary organisations for playing music.

A new system, which starts in April 2010, means community groups will have to apply for a licence that pays for artists’ royalty fees – or not play music at all.

The fee, which is still being
decided, will go towards to the composers, protected by the Phonographic Performance Ltd (PPL) and performers protected by the Performance Rights Society (PRS for
Music).

But it has left small groups outraged that precious money raised to help their cause will be wasted on buying the licence.

The Mercia MS Therapy Centre, in Macefield Close, Aldermans Green, needs around £130,000 a year to run its centre for people with multiple sclerosis.

Terina Fellows, centre administrator, said: “It’s always difficult to raise money, but this year we are finding it even harder.

“It’s not fair that charitable groups have to pay. Even if it doesn’t cost much, it will soon add up.

“We regularly have get-togethers with ex-members or Christmas
parties where we play music.

“I guess we’ll have to have the party in silence or sing to ourselves if we can’t afford the licence.”

And homeless charity Emmaus, based in Brinklow Road, Binley, echoed these thoughts.

Kieron Dunne, of Emmaus, said: “We want any money we raise to go to our cause and not to pay the
artists.

“I guess they have been hit hard
because of downloads and I can appreciate they need to claw back money from that, but it seems
harsh they’re targeting charities.

“We want to be law-abiding, but if the price is quite high then we might have to re-think any summer fetes or events we were planning that would involve music.”

The National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) is asking for PPL and PRS to review the decision.

Stuart Etherington, chief executive
of NCVO, said: “It is shameful that money intended for charitable causes will go on paying royalties for
playing music.

“Events like these often raise no more than a few hundred pounds but this is vital income for charities.

“This scheme will make it
impossible for small community-based charities or organisations to play music at their social and fundraising events because of the cost involved.

“It will effectively spell the death of the charity tea dance in a village hall or a fund-raising disco in aid of a good cause.

“We call on PPL and PRS for
Music to review this decision and not charge organisations who are fundraising for the good of their com-munity.”

But the music companies have
defended their decision and said they are conforming to EU laws that were passed in the ’90s.

Fran Nevrkla, PPL’s chief executive
officer, said: “This is a welcome move by the government which gives our performers and record companies equivalent rights to those enjoyed throughout the rest of Europe.

“We have already started the
dialogue with the charity umbrella organisations and we are determined to reach an agreement with them which is both easy to administer
and fair to the charities and to the musicians and labels who produce the music they wish to use.”

What do you think? Write to us or email timesletters@mrn.co.uk.

TASER GUNS USED TWICE IN CITY

2009-11-19T11:05:00.000Z

POLICE used their Taser guns on two suspects during the first week of a city-wide roll out.

Officers say two potentially violent incidents were calmly resolved in the Wood End and Willenhall areas of the city after the Tasers were deployed.

On Thursday November 12 cops were called to a third-floor flat in Willenhall following reports of a man smashing windows.

The man, who is understood to have mental health problems, at first refused to leave his flat.

When he did come out onto the landing, the man threatened to harm officers and himself, prompting officers to use the device.

Two days earlier one of the devices were used by officers in Wood End.

Officers were called to a house in Winston Avenue after a man was seen brandishing two large knives.

Police arrived at the scene just after 11.30pm and attempted to get the man to leave the house.

Officers deemed the man was a danger to himself, the public and to police and a Taser was used.

Once the situation was resolved the man was arrested and later charged in connection with the incident.

Previously the 50,000 volt device, which temporarily incapacitate targets and cause them to “freeze” or fall to the ground, had only been used by firearms officers.

But from November, 80 Pcs have been trained to use the weapons, which means officers in Coventry now have 24-hour access to them for use in certain situations.

The Taser uses an electrical current to temporarily disrupt the control of a suspect’s muscles.

But a spokesman for the force says in nearly half of the cases, the mere presence of the Taser was enough to deter a violent offender from becoming more aggressive.

Chief Superintendent Steve Glover, of Little Park Street police station, said: “These are two incidents that have been resolved with no-one getting hurt.

“Before Tasers officers used batons and incapacity spray.

“Officers think they are wonderful - they allow them to keep a safe distance between them and the suspects.

“And no-one has been hurt, which is what we want.”

SHOOTING UPDATE

2009-11-17T12:18:00.001Z

FOUR people have been quizzed by detectives investigating the attempted murder of a businessman that was shot in the legs.

In the horrific attack, the 28-year-old dad was blasted as he sat in his car outside his home in Narrowboat Close, Longford.

He was fired at in the leg four times.

The shooting happened just after 9am on Saturday October 10. Detectives believe the attacker waited for more than two-and-a-half hours for the victim to come out of his house and get in to his car.

They say the gunman strolled over to the car, smashed the driver’s window and shot him four times in his right leg.

The attacker drove away in a red Ford Focus Flight, which was discovered abandoned the following day.

The close-range shooting left the victim’s leg broken.

After a several weeks in hospital he was allowed to return home, but is still receiving medical treatment.

A visible police presence has remained in the quiet residential area ever since.

On Monday three men and a woman were arrested on suspicion of conspiring to commit murder and were being questioned by Warwickshire detectives.

Two of the men - aged 26 and 24 - were arrested in Solihull, while a third, aged 24, was arrested in Winson Green, Birmingham, and a 26-year-old woman from Edgbaston in Birmingham was also taken into police custody.

While the suspects are being questioned, officers are continuing to appeal for witnesses to the shooting to come forward to help them with the inquiry.

Anyone with information is urged to call Warwickshire Police on 01926 415000.

Information can also be passed to police in confidence via Crimestoppers, on 0800 555 111.

TRADERS WELCOME RE-OPENING OF ROAD

2009-11-17T12:16:00.000Z

A CITY centre road that has been shut for two years was re-opened at the weekend to the delight of traders in the area.

After a lengthy campaign by retailers in the Lower Precinct, City Arcade and Coventry Market, the city council has re-opened Croft Road’s junction with Queen Victoria Road.

The junction next to Ikea was closed to traffic, except buses and taxis, when the Swedish furniture giant moved in.

The intention was to divert all traffic apart from Ikea customers to the next junction of the ring road amid fears there could be traffic chaos with scores of customers visiting the store.

But traders and shoppers who signed a petition for the road to be re-opened said that its closure cut off the south part of the city centre to traffic and damaged trade.

Shop owners are now happy about the decision.

Kewal Talwadia, joint partner of natural health shop Drop In The Ocean, in the City Arcade, said: “This is a positive step and I thank the council for re-opening the road.

“When it closed two years ago we definitely noticed fewer numbers of people coming through but hopefully this will increase footfall again.”

Jackie Logan, manager of Silver Glade jewellery store in the City Arcade, added: “This will help get people into this area of the city centre. We needed to get the traffic flowing to this part and get some life back.”

The petition, which will be considered at a council meeting in the new year, also calls for other measures to help reverse a decline in business, including a circulatory bus route in the city centre.

Councillor Gary Ridley, cabinet member for city development, said the opening of Ikea had not generated the high levels of traffic predicted or led to tailbacks on the ring road and Allesley Old Road.

He said.: “There hasn’t been the level of traffic we initially expected and so we’ve decided to re-open Croft Road again.

“It won’t take long to change road markings and signs, so hopefully footfall will increase.”

LANDLORD LINE

2009-11-17T12:14:00.000Z

LANDLORDS that suspect their tenants are involved in criminal activity can now report information anonymously via a new police hotline.

Around 2,500 landlords across Coventry have received letters encouraging them to participate in the ‘Tenant Watch’ scheme.

Information provided this year by property owners has led to lodgers being prosecuted for a range of crimes, including drugs offences, identity fraud, vehicle crime and prostitution.

But Coventry police believe the number will persuade more landlords to come forward and voice any concerns.

Acting Sergeant Carolyn Witts, of Chace Avenue police station, said: “There is a lot of shared accommodation in the city; landlords may well stumble across evidence of, or hear about, criminal activity.

“I know of landlords who have seen stolen goods, weapons or drugs when visiting their properties. Tenant Watch makes it easier for them to reach a specialist officer and offers anonymity so they can speak to us in confidence.

“We’re not asking landlords to spy on tenants. We simply want them to be aware of what’s going on in their properties and to let us know if they’ve any concerns over their tenants’ activities or behaviour.”

Sgt Witts also said that there had been strong interest from landlords in the initiative, and has stressed they have nothing to fear from reporting criminal activity discovered in a property they own.

She added: “It seems some landlords believe they could be liable for anything untoward found at one of their properties. This is absolutely not the case and, similarly, it won’t damage their standing as an accredited landlord.

“We just want to offer a single point of contact and an opportunity for landlords to develop a relationship with our Tenant Watch officer.”

Shared accommodation tenants can also use the scheme to report issues or concerns they have with housemates.

The hotline number is 024 7653 9112 or contact crime reduction officer PC Mick Walters, who will oversee Tenant Watch, via email at m.walters@west-midlands.pnn.police.uk.

EU FUNDS COULD HELP ERICSSON WORKERS

2009-11-17T12:13:00.002Z

A MIDLANDS MEP is urging the government to apply for an EU fund to help the 700 people facing redundancy at Ericsson to find another job.

Liberal Democrat Liz Lynne has said that “UK has been dragging its feet” when it comes to applying for the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund.

It allows EU governments to apply for millions of pounds to support specialist retraining and advice for workers being made redundant due to the financial crisis.

Ms Lynne said: “This announcement by Ericsson is terrible news for Coventry and for the 700 workers affected.

“The recently reformed globalisation adjustment fund could offer real help to staff in finding other work. The threshold for applications was recently cut from 1,000 job losses to 500 and the total amount of money available to governments to fund retraining was increased.

“To qualify, redundancies must affect staff in permanent contracts, not temporary workers.

“From all the information Ericsson has released, it looks as if these conditions would be met and funding could be available, but the UK government must apply for it.

“If accepted, the EU would meet three quarters of the cost of retraining programmes, as long as the government undertakes to fund the rest.

“This would offer a real chance for staff facing redundancy to get top quality retraining and help to find new work suiting their skills as soon as possible.”

It comes after Ericsson announced it would be pulling the plug on its Research and Development site in Ansty Park.

It opened four months ago, but Ericsson wants to relocate to cheaper countries.

Public and private sector organisations came together last week to plan the taskforce in a bid to limit further damage to the region’s economy.

The meeting, chaired by the Coventry, Solihull and Warwickshire Partnership (CSWP), came as the city’s MPs met with trade union Unite to plan a fight for favourable redundancy terms, and to save as many jobs as possible.

Business secretary Lord Mandelson is urging more talks with the Swedish telecommunications giant in a government attempt to alter its cost-cutting plans to move its research and development work abroad.

The taskforce, similar to one set up when French car giant Peugeot pulled the plug on its Ryton factory, will help match any redundant workers to vacancies and provide re-skilling and training.

WORK BEGINS AT SIDNEY STRINGER

2009-11-17T12:11:00.000Z

A £27 million project to transform a Coventry secondary school began this week.

Work at Sidney Stringer School, in Cox Street, Hillfields, started on Monday by Kier Moss after they won the contract to build the school.

The new academy , which will primarily be funded by government grant, is being delivered through the national academy programme.

The main sponsors of the academy, which is due to open in September 2011, are City College, Coventry City Council, supported by Coventry University and Jaguar Cars.

It will boast features such as a large auditorium with retractable seating, new dining facilities, terracing to allow outdoor performances, an ecological area and a variety of gardens.

In addition students at Sidney Stringer Academy will benefit from the latest technical facilities and be open for the community to use.

The main academy building will be linked to a new sports centre housing a four-court sports hall and fitness suite and traversing wall.

The Academy will also have an “Enterprise and Innovation Centre” in Primrose Hill Street for students aged 14 to 19.

Wendy Tomes, Principal Designate of the new Sidney Stringer Academy, said: “It is wonderful to see work now underway in creating a new building with the facilities that young people in this area deserve.”

Sustainability is a key feature with many environmentally friendly measures, such as energy saving heating and lighting, solar control glazing and renewable sources of energy, included in the design.

LET'S TALK ABOUT SEX

2009-11-17T12:10:00.001Z

SEX education needs to be brought more into the open and not be “provocative” - that’s the message given by Coventry’s children’s councillor.

It comes after the secretary of state for children, Ed Balls, announced compulsory sex ed classes for children aged 15 from 2011.

Currently parents have the right to pull their children out of classes until they are 19.

The change is to ensure pupils get at least 12 months of sex education before finishing schooling.

And Councillor John Blundell, cabinet member for children, learning and young people, has backed this but also said there needs to be a shake-up of how sex education is taught.

He said: “Currently the sex ed message is failing.

“The term is provocative and could be offensive to certain religious organisations.

“To me the discussion of relationships and the world at large is more important.

“Sex education needs to be a wider subject so it can prepare pupils to move on to the adult world.”

A pilot scheme, changing the way relationship and sex education classes are taught, should be finalised by the end of this month and carried out in four secondary schools across the city.

It comes after a 10 year government strategy costing £2.6 million to reduce teen pregnancy rates in Coventry failed.

During that time there was only a decrease of 1.7 per cent. In the same period towns such as Oldham and Southend slashed their numbers of teen mums by more than a quarter.

In 1998 there were 352 under 18s pregnant, this peaked to 381 in 2002.

And the latest figured also show teen pregnancies have been rising in the city for four consecutive years.

A Christmas and new year safer sex and alcohol campaign will be launched in early December to enforce the message that Coventry promotes safer sex.

A joint statement from Coventry City Council and NHS Coventry said: “We are confident that the measures we are putting into place will reduce the under-18’s conception rate.

“All of our work continues to be reviewed and influenced by what works elsewhere and by what young people and parents or carers are telling us.”l sh

HAWKER SUSPECT REFUSES FOOD

2009-11-17T12:07:00.000Z

THE prime suspect in the murder of Coventry teacher Lindsay Hawker has refused to eat since he was captured at a ferry port in Japan.

According to Japanese police, Tatsuya Ichihashi has accepted only water and green tea and “has not eaten at all” since he was taken into custody on Tuesday November 11.

The local media is also reporting the 30-year-old has remained silent and is refusing to answer officer’s questions during interrogation.

A Gyotoku Police Department spokesman said: “The suspect has remained silent about the case after he initially told us he has nothing to say.”

They may now have ask a doctor to examine him if he continues to refuse food.

Officers said he could be questioned for up to 20 days before prosecutors decided on a charge.

Ichihashi was arrested on a charge of abandoning a body, rather than the more serious crime of murder and a senior police official described him as “depressed by the shock of being arrested.”

In Japan murder can be punished with the death penalty by hanging, but is usually reserved for cases of multiple homicide.

Ichihashi, who recently underwent plastic surgery to alter his appearance, was arrested as he tried to take a ferry from Osaka to the southern island of Okinawa.

The body of 22-year-old Miss Hawker was found in a sand-filled bathtub in Ichihashi’s Tokyo flat in March 2007.

The fugitive had been on the run for more than two years since he fled the scene.

Miss Hawker’s parents Bill and Julia held a press conference at their home in Brandon, near Coventry.

Bill said: “This has been a long hard battle for the Hawkers, and the battle is over.

“We worked tirelessly as a family. We have never given up for our daughter. We have never given in. We wanted justice and we have finally got justice. We are so relieved that this part of our life is over.”

Miss Hawker’s parents have also told how they asked the Japanese mafia to help them find the only suspect in their daughter’s murder case.

They told the Mail on Sunday a TV crew arranged a meeting with the top families of the notorious Yakuza in Japan to ask for their help in finding Ichihashi.

Mr Hawker said he met with the mafia in a bar, gave them two bottles of whiskey as a present and asked for their help.

Meanwhile the reward of 10 million Yen (£66,500) for the capture of Ichihashi will be paid to several people who helped with his arrest.

This includes the person at the ferry terminal who tipped off police and the doctor who provided a photo of the suspect after surgery.

The payout will be the first of its kind since the country introduced the bounty system in 2007 and will be paid by the National Police Agency.

Ichihashi’s parents told reporters they were relieved their son had been captured.

WOMAN DRAGGED FROM POND

2009-11-13T12:36:00.000Z

A WOMAN was dragged to safety after she fell into a pond in the city.

West Midlands Ambulance Service was called to reports of a woman who was in a pond off Swanswell Street, in the city centre, just before 2am on Friday November 13.

A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said: “On arrival at the scene, crews found a woman who had been pulled out of a large pond by two passers by.

“The woman was very wet and cold following the incident. Crews treated her at the scene, wrapped her in a blanket to keep her warm and monitored her condition before taking her by ambulance to University Hospital for further assessment and treatment.

“Without the swift actions of the two passers by, the outcome of this incident had the potential to be much more serious.”

MEMORIAL FOR BLITZ VICTIMS

2009-11-13T12:33:00.001Z

A MEMORIAL to remember civilians that died during the Coventry Blitz is being planned as a key part of the rebuilding of the city centre.

Coventry City Council have announced plans for the city’s first memorial to the universal suffering of ordinary Coventrians who experienced the Blitz by Nazi bombers on November 14, 1940.

The aim is for a high-profile sculpture, as significant as the Lady Godiva statue in Broadgate, to be build around the Bullyard area of the city centre.

It would be part of the £1bn regeneration plan drawn up by US architects Jerde.

The idea has come from Conservative Councillor Gary Ridley, who said that neither of the city’s two Second World War memorials mark the suffering of all ordinary civilians.

The cabinet member for city development said: “I can understand why in the 1950s nothing was done because the issue was too sensitive for people to think about.

“We now have an excellent opportunity to build a city centre fit for the 21st century, but also to recognise what took place all those years ago.

“It needs to be something quite big, not a plaque that people will just end up walking past and might get pulled down in another city regeneration scheme, but something permanent like the Lady Godiva statue.

“The Bullyard area was one of the worst-hit during the Blitz which is why it would be a fitting place for the memorial.

“It would provide a sense of continuity and community for past, present and future generations.

“But it’s up to the people of Coventry to come forward and tell us what they want, and I want people who lived through it to play a part too.”

Early next year residents will be invited to share their thoughts and ideas on a memorial and its exact location for an artist to work to.

The public will then be asked to choose a favourite design from a shortlist.

Cllr Ridley added: “If people have an idea about what they would like to see then I would welcome them to come see me in the Council House and share their ideas.”

What do you think? Write to Times Letters, Coventry Times, Times Series, Corporation Street, Coventry, CV1 1FP or email timesletters@mrn.co.uk.

BEWARE OF POSTAL PHONE NUMBER SCAM

2009-11-12T14:24:00.001Z

COVENTRY residents are being warned not to be duped by a postal premium phoneline.

The Trading Standards Office is reminding people not to call a number that is posted through your letterbox from a company called Parcel Delivery Service.

A note is delivered from PDS suggesting they were unable to deliver a parcel and that you need to contact them on 0906 6611911 - a premium rate number that if dialled can land you with a £15 bill.

Trading Standards officers have advised not to call the number as it is a mail scam originating from Belize two years ago.

Since a warning was sent out during the winter months last year there have been no new cases of people falling victim to the scam.

If you do receive a card with these details then contact Royal Mail Fraud on 0207 239 6655 or visit premium rate service regulator website www.icstis.org.uk.

BOGUS POLICE OFFICERS

2009-11-12T14:23:00.001Z

BOGUS police officers have been operating in certain parts of Coventry and stealing from residents.

And West Midlands Police are warning everyone, particularly elderly people, to be wary of the scam.

A series of burglaries were reported on Wednesday November 11, where two men, claiming to be police officers, called at the home of residents in the Stoke and Wykem areas of the city.

Four incidents were reported between 9pm and 11pm.

On each occasion, two males gained entry to houses posing as plain clothed officers investigating a crime in the area. Once inside they have stolen cash and jewellery.

One of the offenders was described a white man, aged in his 20s, between 5ft 10in and 6ft in height. His accomplice is also white but is believed to be aged approximately 40 years and smaller in height.

Both were wearing dark clothing and one of them produced a silver badge to gain entry to a victim’s home.

Bob Pettipher, acting detective chief inspector from Chace Avenue police station, said: “Residents are reminded to check identification of anyone unexpectedly calling at their door, attempting to gain entry.

“If residents are in any doubt as to the authenticity of the identification we advise them to refuse entry.

“Any legitimate official, whether they may be a police officer or from a utility company, will gladly call back at a later time if they are conducting a genuine enquiry.”

Anyone who witnessed any of the incidents, or anyone with information is urged to call CID at Chace Avenue police station on 0845 113 5000.

SWAINS GIG

2009-11-12T11:45:00.001Z

POPULAR city band The Swains are holding a fundraising gig at the Standard Triumph Club.

The event, which takes place on Friday (tomorrow) November 20, will go towards Coventry Sphinx under 14s Blue team, while a donation is also set to be made in memory of city firefighter Paul Gibbons.

The 41-year-old, known to friends and family as Gibbo, died as a result of injuries sustained in a street attack in Earlsdon last month and coached young footballers at Coventry Sphinx.

Frontman Martin Swain said: “Gibbo was a really popular member of Coventry Sphinx, and his death has shaken the club to the core.

“It was a very difficult decision for us to go ahead with what we intend to be a fun night in such circumstances, but after discussions with the club and Gibbo’s family we have decided to carry on.

“Hopefully we will get a really good turn-out which will help raise money for the team, and a donation we are planning to make to a cause of Gibbo’s family’s choice.”

The night will also feature a debut from The Kontours – a new young band led by one of the Sphinx team’s rising stars, Ollie O’Sullivan who will be providing support on the night.

Doors open at 8pm. To buy tickets, which cost £5, call the Standard Triumph Club on 024 7667 5186.

OPEN DAY IN HILLFIELDS

2009-11-12T11:44:00.001Z

HILLFIELDS Readers Group is holding it’s annual open day at the Hope Centre with a wide range of activities for all.

The free event takes place on Saturday November 21 at the Sparkbrook Street venue.

Activities will include a second hand book sale to raise money for Hillfields charities, book quizzes with prizes, food and refreshments, author talks, poetry performances, craft workshop, and a storytelling event for children and families.

For more information please contact Colin Scott on 024 7683 2457 or email colin.scott@coventry.gov.uk.

SWINE FLU ADVICE

2009-11-12T11:43:00.001Z

HEALTH bosses are encouraging anyone who suspects they have swine flu to make sure they seek treatment, as hospitals across the UK are noticing a rise in the number of patients being admitted with complications.

Over the past few weeks NHS Coventry has noted a steady rise in the number of people who are using their family GP as the first port of call, rather than the National Pandemic Flu Service (NPFS) when they have swine flu symptoms.

Coventry residents are also being reminded of what steps most people should take to get the best treatment.

Richard Hancox, flu director for NHS Coventry, said: “It is important that people with flu like symptoms should stay away from the GP practice for fear of spreading the virus to other vulnerable patients or healthcare workers.

“Patients who have an underlying health condition, babies under one year old and pregnant women who suspect they have swine flu should however contact their GP in the usual way. By using the NPFS service will free up GPs, enabling them to deal with other illnesses that need their urgent attention.

“People who have swine flu symptoms will be given a unique access number and told where their nearest antiviral collection point is. They should then ask a flu friend - a friend or relative who doesn’t have swine flu - to go and pick up their antivirals.”

For more information visit www.pandemicflu.direct.gov.uk or call 0800 1513 100.

HAWKER SUSPECT FOUND

2009-11-10T17:21:00.000Z

THE only suspect in the murder of Coventry teacher Lindsay Ann Hawker has been arrested by Japanese police.

Japanese media reported that officers detained 30-year-old Tatsuya Ichihashi at the ferry port in Osaka city after receiving an emergency call on Tuesday.

It was suggested he was waiting for a ferry bound for the island of Okinawa in the far south-west of Japan and was reported to have told officers: “I am Ichihashi.”

The fugitive disappeared after Lindsay’s body was found on his balcony in Tokyo in March 2007.

The 22-year-old former Ernesford Grange and King Henry VIII pupil had been teaching Ichihashi English in a coffee shop before she went to his house.

Ichihashi fled from police just minutes before detectives found the teacher’s body in a sand-filled bath.

At a press conference at the Hawker’s home in Brandon, near Coventry, Lindsay’s father Bill, said: “The chief investigator office told me we always get our man and they have done. This has been a long, hard battle. We have worked tirelessly as a family and have never given in for our daughter.

“We have wanted justice and we have finally got it.”

A Foreign Office spokesman said: “We are glad and relieved that the only suspect in this case, Tatsuya Ichihashi, has been found and is now in police custody.”

Earlier this month images were released of Ichihashi of how he might look after it was reported he had undergone plastic surgery.

It is thought he invested in cheek implants and lip-thinning treatments in an operation a fortnight ago.

COV KID TO BE NAMED AFTER F1 HEROES

2009-11-10T17:18:00.000Z

A FANATICAL Formula One couple from Coventry are planning to name their baby boy after two racing champions.

Motor-mad Trevor Sutton and his partner, Mandy Smith, 35, of Longfellow Road, Wyken, will be naming their tot Jenson Lewis.

It pays homage to Brit-racers Jenson Button, winner of the F1 World Champion title this year and previous winner Lewis Hamilton.

Trevor, 37, has been a fan of the sport for 25 years and is a passion he shares with his partner, who are engaged.

Trevor, who works as a controller for Rico Logistics, said: “We had already thought about names and were going to name him after a friend, but when Button won the championship we decided we should name him Jenson to celebrate him winning.

“We already think he’s going to be into his racing as we had a 4D scan and in one of the photos he looks like he’s holding a steering wheel.

“Family and friends don’t know that we’ve decided to name him Jenson Lewis so it will come as a surprise to them when they read it in the paper.”

Neither of the pair are new to parenthood as between them they have 10 children, but the baby expected to arrive on November 22 will be the first to be named after a racing driver.

“If we were able to meet Jenson that would be unbelievable,” added Trevor.

“We saw Lewis at the British Grand Prix, we were in the crowd and he was giving a speech, so the opportunity to get the two Jensons together at the show would be amazing.”

Baby Jenson Lewis will get his first taste of live motorsport at next season’s British Touring Car Championship meeting at Silverstone.

Before that Sutton and baby Jenson will see his namesake at Autosport International, which takes place at the National Exhibition Centre, in Birmingham from January 14 to 17, 2010.

For more information on Autosport International visit www.autosport-international.com.

PROTEST AT HOMES 'ATTACK'

2009-11-10T17:14:00.000Z

HUNDREDS of protesters against swathes of green belt land being bulldozed over for housing will be walking through the city centre on the anniversary of the Blitz.

The rally is taking place on Saturday November 14 as residents across Coventry are uniting to battle plans for 33,000 new homes in and around the city.

It is part of the government’s Regional Spatial Strategy that states 82,000 new homes need to be built across Coventry, Warwickshire and Solihull by 2026.

Around 33,000 homes are earmarked for Coventry and its surrounding green fields.

The rally has been organised by Keresley residents, who might see a 3,300-home “eco-town” built on nearby green belt land.

Sandra Camwell, vice-chairman of Keresley Parish Council, said that holding the rally on the anniversary of the Blitz is poignant because mass house building plans are a modern-day attack on Coventry.

She said: “We feel it’s quite poignant to have our rally on the 14th as Coventry was bombed by the Germans and now we are being attacked by the council.

“The Germans thought they could do us down but we survived that attack. Now the council thinks they can do us down but Coventry will survive this attack too.

“We will be holding a peaceful protest, but we want to get our message across, our green belt land is sacred and it shouldn’t be built over.”

Members of the rally will meet outside Central Methodist Hall, in Warwick Lane, at 11.15am. People will then walk to Speaker’s Corner outside the New Council House, in Earl Street, to arrive for the rally by noon.

They will be joined by protesters from Finham, who are opposing a Warwick District Council proposal to build 3,000 new homes near Finham.

Bob Fryer, chairman of the Finham Residents Association, said: “We urge as many residents as possible to join us in this campaign – it’s green belt land being grabbed all over the place.”

An examination of the sites by government inspectors began on Tuesday this week and will go on until Friday December

ERICSSON ANNOUNCE JOB LOSSES

2009-11-10T17:12:00.002Z

ERICSSON have announced it is pulling nearly all its operations out of Coventry taking up to 700 jobs with it.

Staff at the Swedish firm’s base, in Ansty Park, near Walsgrave, were given the news on Tuesday November 10.

It’s a huge blow for the city’s hopes to develop its economy with advanced manufacturing jobs at Ansty Park.

Ericsson became its first “anchor” tenant earlier this year and Prime Minister Gordon Brown paid a visit.

Thousands more jobs were expected to follow.

Ericsson says it intends to withdraw its UK-based research and development and global service delivery activities from Coventry.

A company statement said: “Some 700 employees are expected to be affected by the proposed withdrawal, which is expected to be implemented by mid-2010.

“The announcement is part of Ericsson’s ongoing global cost reduction activities and are subject to consultations with trade unions and employee forums.

“Staff have been informed.”

Worker’s union Unite described the announcement as a “bolt out of the blue”.

Peter Skyte, Unite national officer, said: “This has come as a bolt out of the blue for the workforce and their families who were looking forward to a promising future in this newly opened site.

“The former Marconi entity acquired by Ericsson a few years ago was among the top ten investors in research and development in the UK and successive governments have maintained the illusion that the country of ownership of a company is immaterial.

“But this decision by Ericsson to close the Ansty Coventry site and withdraw its research and development work from the UK now shatters this illusion, throws highly skilled workers out of work, and robs the UK of key technological development vital for its future.”

SCHOOLBOY'S FOOT CRUSHED BY BUS

2009-11-10T17:12:00.001Z

A TEENAGER’S foot was crushed after he collided with a double decker bus.

The incident occurred on Monday November 9, in Quorn Way, Willenhall.

At around 6.20pm it is believed the 12-year-old victim was attempting to board the bus when he fell from the stairs and collided with the bus.

The boy was taken to hospital with serious injuries to his foot. He remains in a serious but stable condition.

Police are appealing for any witnesses of the collision to come forward and contact the road policing unit at Fletchamstead Highway on 0845 113 5000.

ILLUSTRATED TALK

2009-11-10T17:09:00.000Z

A MINI tour of the islands around Britain will be given in Coventry on Wednesday November 18.

Keith Cattell, a retired architect, is to give an illustrated talk taking in features of islands from Skye to the Scillies.

It will be hosted by the Coventry HF Rambling and Social Club and takes place at the Friends’ Meeting House, in Hill Street, city centre, at 7.45pm.

STOLEN IPODS

2009-11-10T17:08:00.000Z

POLICE officers are hunting three men following the theft of two ipods from a Coventry store.

CCTV images have been released of the offenders who walked into the Halfords store in Airport Retail Park, London Road, at around 5pm on October 14.

They opened the case containing the ipods, picked two up worth a total of £250 and then walked out of the shop.

Police are keen to speak to anyone with information, or the men pictured, at Chace Avenue police station on 0845 113 5000.

APPEAL FOR UNKNOWN IDENTITY

2009-11-09T17:02:00.000Z

BRITISH Transport Police have still not been able to identify the body of a man who was killed after being hit by a train near Coventry.

The accident occurred on Wednesday October 21 at around 12.30pm, not long after the train had pulled out of the station, near the Quarry-field Lane bridge, in Cheylesmore.

The man is thought to have climbed on to the track before being hit by the highspeed train and his identity still remains anonymous.

Ambulance crews attended the incident but despite the efforts of paramedics he was confirmed dead at the scene.

He is described as being white, around 25 to 35-years-old, of average build, with longish light brown/ginger hair and a similar coloured beard.

He was wearing a black fleece top, black jeans and a grey canvas belt.

A British Transport Police spokesman said the incident was not being treated as suspicious.

He was struck by the 11.45am Wolverhampton to London Euston Virgin train.

Anyone with information can call the BTP on 0800 40 50 40, quoting log 232 of 21/10/2009 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

SIKH PEACE WALK

2009-11-09T11:19:00.001Z

COVENTRY’S Sikh Union is holding its annual charity 17km walk this weekend.

The Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji charity walk starts from Ramgarhia Gurdwara in Foleshill Road at 9am, on Sunday November 15.

The walk commemorates the martyrdom of the Sikhs ninth guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji for freedom of expression of speech.

It will move towards the city centre and onto Coventry Cathedral, before returning back through Hillfields, Stoke and then Foleshill Road to complete the charity walk.

Enroute walkers will calls at all gurdwaras, temples, mandirs and Coventry Cathedral.

Bali Singh Panesar, Sikh union’s events coordinator, said: “It is hoped that at least 200 people will take part. It is open to people of all ages, in the past we have had mums and dads with their young ones in pushchairs taking part along with grandparents.

“We urge all members of the community to come along and take part in this charitable event.”

The charity walk is to raise funds to sponsor another eye camp in India. It follows the opening of an eye camp in March this year, which as treated more than 700 patients, from minor aliments to cataract removal surgery.

Funds will also be donated to Myton Hospice, Coventry Kidney Fund and Sikh union youth academy.

People can register for the free event on the day, free hot food and refreshments will also be provided.

For more information visit www.sikhunion.co.uk.