A question has been raised about the future of Cabinet Member for Transportation and Street Services in Birmingham Councillor Len “Gridlock” Gregory. His achievements in taking transport forward during his time in office has been called into question as zero progress with a metro or any serious alternative has come to a grinding halt, just like the traffic. The department is running at a deficit and has record levels of sickness, although Cllr Gregory couldn’t give details.
Friends of Len have defended him on his record of recycling, however. This was an item for discussion at this month’s Council meeting when it was noted that there had been a huge growth in the amount of green waste due to “the wrong sort of weather”. Here in Handsworth the green waste collection has become so successful that our streets are awash with (uncollected) green bags. These should have been collected last Wednesday (11th June). I phoned Environmental Services to be told that our streets would be cleared by the weekend.

A week later they’re still here. In College Road the heap has been added to by all sorts of detritus. I duly phoned 303 1112 to be told that collections have been put on hold due to a backlog. In the case of the accumulated rubbish please would I notify Environmental Health who would check for needles and anything dangerous. Dutifully following instructions I was informed that that department dealt with leaflets to residents telling them not to put rubbish out on the street. Confusion reigns in this section too for our recycling wizard.
Meanwhile the area looks like a huge dump, added to by badly overgrown bushes in two sections of College Road. These harbour rats and were due for clearance in 2004 when Len started. Perhaps it will all go when Len does.