Dutch consulate update
A brief history by David Cooper Consular Assitant

The Dutch and Belgian Consulates were for many years, a part of a family firm of solicitors in the Centre of Birmingham, but due to a change of circumstances, the Consulates had to find alternative accommodation in Birmingham.

After a couple of years in offices in Harborne, and then a similar period in Quinton, we have finally moved to larger premises in Stirchley, having the advantage that we are now in a completely self-contained office with plenty of space, and room for expansion.Our business is the acceptance of Visa applications for non-EU nationals who require Visas to visit the Netherlands, and also the renewal of passports and ID Cards for Dutch Nationals who live in our catchment area. We cover a large area, from Chester in the north, down through Leicestershire, Somerset/Devon and up the Welsh border.With the introduction of biometric passports in the near future, extra equipment and extra staff will be required, for which the extra space in these offices will be ideal.We also help Dutch and Belgian Nationals in distress in this country and generally represent Belgium and The Netherlands in the locality.We do not have our own web-site but information about The Netherlands and Belgium can be found on the Embassies’ web sites.

On a more personal note, having been made redundant when the premises were owned by Lloyds Bank, in 1993,it is rather strange coming back to the same offices, albeit in a different capacity as Honorary Consul for Belgium and, with my son, as Consular Assistants for The Netherlands.

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New site for Dutch consulate

Birmingham Evening Mail Thursday November 15th 2007
A Stirchley shopfront is to become the new base for a Dutch consulate later this month
     The Netherlands Goverment office is due to move from its current base in Hagley Road West, Oldbury. to the Pershore Road site, on November 22.
     David Cooper. consular assistant, said the whole of Central England is covered by the Birmingham branch of the London Embassy. He estimated there are about 100,000 Dutch people living in the region.    The office is also the Belgian consulate representing a much smaller number of the population. He said the move to the former First Class School Uniforms building was prompted because the lease on the Oldbury base is about to run out.

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'I remember nothing' says Birmingham diabetic death crash driver

Nov 9 2007

By Ross McCarthy, Birmingham Mail

He said in Cartland Road, Stirchley, Clarke's Renault swerved off the road, collided with Cory, who was on the pavement, before ending up in a garden. full story

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Tesco win 5-year fight to build store
Co-op bid is shelved  full story

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ALCOHOL: Bournville campaigners step up crusade after trouble at nearby pub
We don’t want boozy riots here!

By Paul Bradley
CAMPAIGNERS today vowed to keep Bournville alcohol- free amid claims a nearby pub was ‘out of control’.
A riot outside the Three Horse Shoes pub, in neighbouring Stirchley, was narrowly averted when nearly 60 police officers and a helicopter were needed to break up fighting last month, protesters claim. Full story

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Cadbury's accused of 'betraying' workers

CHOCOLATE giant Cadbury was today accused of betraying its Bournville workers by shipping hundreds of jobs to Poland.

Unions went on the attack after parent group Cadbury Schweppes stunned the workforce by announcing certain elements of production would switch from Birmingham to Poland.Around 200 jobs will be lost at Bournville, and a further 500 jobs axed with the closure of the group's Somerdale factory at Keynsham, near Bristol.

Cadbury Schweppes insisted that the Bournville factory - a mainstay of Birmingham manufacturing for nearly 130 years - remained a flagship operation and a "centre of excellence".

Full story

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Fordhouse Lane Improvements

August 2007
Stirchley's Local Councillors have recently informed residents of: Fordhouse Lane, Harvest Close, The Worthings, Barn Close, Windsor Road, Oakley Road, Dacer Close and Beilby Road of proposed improvements to their area. As part of our campaign the make Stirchley a "cleaner, greener, brighter and safer" place to live and work, your local Stirchley Councillors are pleased to inform residents that the
following Environmental Improvements have been allocated funding

The installation of cast iron bollards (painted "Stirchley" blue) along Fordhouse Lane, by the Public Open Space adjacent to Harvest Close, to prevent cars from being driven/dumped on this land. This will be jointly funded by the Bournville Ward Committee, the local Housing Liaison board and the Fire service The repainting of lamp columns ("Stirchley" blue) along Fordhouse Lane Security gating along the passageway at the top of Windsor Road to prevent flytipping at
this location (subject to the consent of local residents) Security gating along the passageway between Harvest Close and The Worthings to
prevent burglaries/flytipping (subject to the consent of local residents)

In addition, your local Councillors have also requested that the City Council Housing department demolish the garages between Harvest Close and the Railway embankment and to
secure the site pending disposal of the land and top take additional measures to combat environmental crime along Beilby Road.

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Rat Run
icbirmingham July 26 2007

THOUSANDS of commuters using one of Birmingham’s busiest roads are facing motoring misery because of complaints by a few NIMBYs.

That’s the claim made by Stirchley resident Steve Beckett, who is appalled at proposals to re-route traffic away from a local "rat run" and force it on to the already congested Pershore Road. Full Story

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Floods hit the Midlands
and Stirchley
By M.E.Jones Website administrater;

These are some of the Photographs I took on my travels on Friday followed by local photo's on Saturday morning of the river Rea and surrounding area. .... more

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Cadbury boss makes Bournville pledge
By Jonathan Walker, Birmingham Mail
Todd Stitzer, head of the the world's largest confectionery manufacturer, insisted the firm's Birmingham plant would stay open despite a drastic cost-cutting programme.
Around 7,500 jobs will be lost as Cadbury prepares to sell its drinks manufacturing arm. ...................   Full story

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Stirchley Neighbourhood Forum
Public Health Meeting

Monday 11th. June 7.30pm at the Community Centre 
The TOPIC of the forum meeting on June 11th is PUBLIC HEALTH, we have a guest speaker Caroline Stewart from the public health department to answer some of your questions and to give us an insight into her role as District Services Area Manager, Regulatory Services.
.........................more

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The Hazelwell
The facelift has been completed and the pub has been reopened to customers.
The work, has been carried out ready for the UK smoking ban on July 1.
.... Hazelwell landlord Simon Hemming, who runs the Pineapple with his wife Tina, said: "The whole pub has been revamped to create a relaxing, welcoming environment for our customers, We want to be a traditional British pub and we will be offering a great choice of food and drink and we are hoping we'll attract more people deciding to give themselves a night off from the kitchen."
Quotes taken from Birmingham Post Business May 31st 2007.
.....The refurbishment has also been extended to the beer garden, which is expected to get a lot of use when the smoking ban comes into effect.

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Brothers squeeze their way to success May 29 2007 By Tony Collins, Birmingham Mail A duet performance by the pair, of Dacer Close, Stirchley, won over judges at the National Accordion Organisation championships, in Scarborough... .more