> life in lozells

The Lozells Community meeting held on Wednesday 27 January was again a well attended affair. Tea and biscuits before the main meeting gave people a chance to mingle and chat informally. Sgt Chris Doody opened the main meeting with a report on policing issues. Once key concern for local people has been the spate of stabbings – which though minor are obviously frightening and worrying. Sgt Doody was able to assure the meeting that the case is being investigated as a major incident and that a profile of the perpetrator is being developed. He advised people to exercise caution when walking out after dark and to work with the police to report any suspicions or concerns.

The meeting then heard from Deborah Parsons, our Environmental Warden. She was able to report a number of successes in relation to areas of derelict land which have recently been cleared in response to enforcement notices. There was a discussion about dogs and dog fouling and Deborah undertook to work with local residents who are concerned that some dogs are not being properly controlled and this is also the cause of dog fouling problems in some areas.

Bertam Banton attended the meeting to introduce the work of the a number of new initiatives aimed at tackling worklessness and getting people into work. Working Neighbourhoods Funding has been used to commission a number of organisations, including COPE, Freshwinds, CMAT and the Piers Road Refugee Centre, to provide a range of new services aimed at assisting people back into to work locally.

Kate Foley, the Neighbourhood Manager then provided her report and was able to tell people about the new Neighbuorhood Apprentice team who have recently started work in the area. This initiative was welcomed and the meeting agreed to invite the apprentices to a future Lozells Community Meeting.

 It was Kate’s last meeting as Neighbourhood Manager, and Rev Jemima, Sr Helen Ryan and Cllr Hussain all expressed thanks to her for her work and best wishes for the future.

The priorities for the Police for the next 2 months were agreed as:

• Work with local young people
• Work with vulnerable people within the community
• Tacking parking problems at St Frances School