MORE than 100 people turned out for the latest Rubery PACT (Partners and Communities Together) meeting.
Those who went along to the get together at Waseley Hills High School on Wednesday night (September 7) heard updates about previous issues raised at the last public meeting.
Among them were concerns about the village centre.
Sue Hanley, Bromsgrove District Council’s deputy chief executive, said a task and finish group, led by the authority’s Economic Development Unit, had been set up to look at improving New Road, the village’s high street.
A strategic plan developed in the 1990s for Rubery is currently being looked at to check its viability today and whether it needs altering in any way.
The state and cleanliness of the toilets had also been highlighted and, Mrs Hanley said, the glass roof had now been cleaned, the area had been weeded and the grilles were due to be painted.
One concern raised at the last public meeting which people said had not been addressed was the state of the pavements.
The problem outlined then was that each stretch of slabs was the responsibility of the owner of each premises it was outside.
Calls were made for Bromsgrove District Council to find out who owned the shops where the pavement was in a bad way and get them to improve the state of them.
Mrs Hanley also said analysis had revealed that the number of empty shops in Rubery was 8.4 per cent, which was below the national average.
Residents had asked about parking enforcement last time and figures revealed that in the last 12 months, officers had visited Rubery on 87 occasions and handed out 25 on-the-spot fines.
But, Mrs Hanley said, that did not paint the whole picture as a lot of drivers who were on double yellow lines and still in their cars had been moved on by officers.
Other updates included the fact that the railings on Callowbrook Lane would soon be replaced with better ones and that a former bank building has been demolished. That situation was being assessed and a decision would be made on what will happen with the area.
It was also announced that there will be a new Welcome to Rubery sign put up.
Coun Peter McDonald also said there was still hope of getting a farmers’ market set up in the village every few weeks.
But, he added, it was down to the Worcestershire Farmers’ Market organisers finding space in their calendar to accommodate the village.
The meeting was overseen by John Horwood, chairman of Rubery PACT, and chairman of the Rubery Village Business Association.
He said he would like to thank Waseley Hills High School for providing the venue and Mr Solly for organising and running the PA system.
