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5% of victims report their experience. Please collect any mailings and drop them into bins placed at local libraries. ANY OTHER BUSINESS Birmingham Local Development Framework: A member had found leaflets in the local library regarding Birmingham's strategy on housing development. There were enormous implications for residents and the leaflets were duly tabled. An extract from 'The Issues and Options Summary' issued September 2008 states: Option 1 - What is due to happen if we use existing plans. Option 2 - Enabling more housing growth without building in the green belt. Option 3 - Enabling more housing growth by expanding the built up area. The matter had been raised at Cabinet level, particularly with regard to the green belt; all 12 Sutton councillors had opposed it and the Cabinet rebutted it. Queslett Road East: A resident stated that a spiral box tree well entrenched in the front garden had been uprooted and stolen; the tree was worth £150 and a report had been made to the police. 'Gatepost': Greenway residents did not receive their copy of the July newsletter. Enquiries found that the usual volunteer distributor had been on holiday. Road Markings: The 'stop' line at the end of Banners Gate Road leading onto Chester Road North needs to be further back; if vehicles pull right up to the line buses from Chester Rd
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North have to go into the centre of the road in order to turn into Banners Gate Road; this was also the case at the Bakers Lane/Sutton Oak Road junction. Another hazard in Banners Gate Road was vehicles parking on the 'Keep Clear' spaces. Fake Coins: It was known that 30M fake £1 coins were in circulation. A resident tried to pay for car parking and the machine kept rejecting the coin. The Chairman said members should test their coins as spending a false coin is a criminal offence. Checks are (a) the coin is brighter than normal; (b) the Queen's head is slightly larger, (c) there is a little cross on the edge - if indistinct it is a fake, (d) hold the coin with Queen's head up and if the back doesn't match it is fake. BIRMINGHAM AIRPORT TALK The Speaker for the evening, Mr Andrew Holding, Community Manager, Birmingham Airport, was welcomed by the Chairman and the assembly and thanked everyone for the warm reception saying he was happy to take questions during or after his talk and would use a PowerPoint presentation. Mr Holding explained the size of an airport was measured by the number of passengers handled, with 9M Birmingham was the 6th largest in the UK, overtaken by Luton with 10M, but with a populace of 30M living within 50 miles and only 37% using Birmingham airport there is potential for growth. Manchester airport is twice the size; Stansted is still growing; 1st is Heathrow with 68M the busiest International airport, the world's busiest
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airport being Atlanta. Birmingham is a regional airport with 75% scheduled regular services and 25% domestic; flights being 1000 by 150 airlines with 25% for business purposes the largest business proportion of any airport. An airport was like a small town, Birmingham Airport being the biggest employer in the West Midlands with 7000 staff in different jobs and areas. People can work AT the airport but not FOR the Company owning the buildings, runways, etc, whose 630 employees engage in management and support functions including security but do not man check-in stations, customs/immigrations, airline desks, or shops or restaurants. There are 100 independent companies working in partnership to give passengers a smooth experience. Birmingham Airport is the gateway to the West Midlands, and in 2009 some 30,000 people are expected for conferences plus visitors to Stratford and the Cotswolds so income generated is important to the economy; this is perhaps an argument for development of the airport. There are 30+ airlines, low-cost carriers taking approx 50% of passengers; Ryanair started with 20 runs, this is now 32, with 5M passengers through the airport. Most business is short haul flights to European destinations, Amsterdam the busiest with Spain for holiday traffic, and Eastern Europe opening up; flights to and from Canada and America; South Asia with Amritsar and Dubai supported by Emirates; also to the Caribbean, Mexico and Egypt, but the
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busiest route is Dublin. Mergers and takeovers are rife in airline companies but traditional package deals have big programmes and people are putting together their own travel packages. On the environmental impact Mr Holding stated that the Airport Company that flying emissions were actually 0.10 of 1%, figures are exaggerated by the United Nations and Governments but aviation contributed 2% worldwide to greenhouse gases and the forecast growth is 5% - 6% by 2050. Airplanes are less noisy than years ago but airport noise cannot be completely eliminated; 6 'Noise Managers', (3 on the North of the airport and 3 on the South) record levels of aircraft noise and a series of programmes can be run to monitor noise. There is no legislation for night flying but the airport has a policy of 11.30pm to 6am within which period restrictions on the number of flights and type of aircraft are in place; modern aircraft cause no unnecessary noise but it is restricted to 87 decibels, if the noise level is more the Airport Authority will fine the aircraft £3000; such sums form a Community Trust Fund for distribution to clubs and organisations (almost £1M has been dispersed). Mr Holding then showed the 'noise band' which is a physical barrier between the airport and its neighbours e.g., Marston Green. Engine testing must take place but there are restrictions on when and where. The Airport Authority provides
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