Welcome to Selly Oak District

The District of Selly Oak is located in South Birmingham, and is made up of four wards:

Local History

There are many theories on how Selly Oak received its name, they range from 'salt ley' or saltway through the meadow because of salt traffic from Droitwich to the North Sea: to 'Sele leah' or clearing with a hall on it or a clearing on a shelf of land. Others claim that it results from the Saxon word 'ley' meaning clearing in the forest, because of its position in the Forest of Arden.

Some later sources claim that the name refers to Sarah's oak (later Sally's oak) after a local witch who was either hanged from it or was buried under it with an oak stake through her heart, which later it was claimed grew into an oak tree.

A welcome from your District Service Integration Head - Karen Cheney

Selly Oak District Team

Name	Role	Contact number
Karen Cheney	Service Integration Head	0121 675 8519
Ann Barr	Senior Service Manager - Sport and Leisure	0121 464 9185
Sajid Khan	Senior Highways Engineer	0121 464 2780
Tracey Hewitt	Performance and Support Manager	0121 303 9389
Karen Stevens	Ward Support Officer	0121 303 8738
Austin Rodriguez	Safer Places Officer	0121 303 9744
Richard Green	Street Scene Officer	0121 303 9762

How You Can Get Involved

If you live or work in Selly Oak, you can be involved in running local services. You can raise issues that concern you and contribute to decision making in a number of ways. You can:

Attend Ward Committees, which provide a mechanism for members of the public to become involved in the decisions that affect their neighbourhood.
Contact or meet your local Councillors for each of the Wards.
Contact your Ward Support Officer (WSO), via the phone number or email address below.
Send your comments to sellyoak@birmingham.gov.uk
Call us on 0121 464 9072.
All reports that have been to and agreed by committee can be found in our Democracy in Birmingham web pages.

Get in Touch

It's always nice to hear from you, so please send us any comments in the following ways:

email: sellyoak@birmingham.gov.uk
call: 0121 464 9072
visit: 1459 Pershore Road, Stirchley, Birmingham, B30 2JL

Useful Information

Cotteridge Customer Service Centre Changes

Please note that the opening times for Cotteridge Customer Service Centre changed from 8 April 2013. Find out more on the Cotteridge Customer Service Centre web page.

Stirchley Baths Development Updates

January 2013

Good news - the Council has received initial support from the Heritage Lottery Fund for the Stirchley Baths project. This means we can now go forward to apply for the Stage 2 HLF grant in June 2013.

The project will restore and refurbish the historic building, which has been closed to the public since 1988, transferring the former Bath space into a multi-purpose space for recreational activities and community functions. The new look building will incorporate a gallery area, meeting rooms, cafe and classrooms. The project will preserve key historic features including the original kiosk within the entrance area, the iconic chimney flute, balconies and tilings. There are also plans to reinstate key lost features, for example the distinctive cupola and clock that faced onto Hazelwell Street. A key element of the project is to get local people involved in the heritage of the building and the surrounding area through a range of programmes and activities. This will include events and exhibitions, volunteering opportunities, digital social media, formal and informal community learning activities and enterprise.

This first round pass for HLF funding also means that the project has been awarded development funding towards the development of the scheme. Using this money, in February 2013 Birmingham City Council commissioned Suzanne Carter from Birmingham Conservation Trust to develop the Activity Plan for the Stage 2 Bid, and Podnosh to help use social media to increase community involvement and engagement with the project. A new website www.stirchleybaths.org has now been set up for the Stirchley Baths Project.

The planning submission for the new proposals are scheduled to go to Planning Committe in March 2013. If you would like to get involved in the Community Stakeholder network or the Programme Development Sub Group please contact Karen Cheney on 0121 675 8519.

Community Stakeholder Meeting 02.08.12

Community Stakeholder Meeting 06.09.12 and proposed plans

Funding Opportunities

Community Chest

For 2013/14 all wards in the city receive a Community Chest allocation of £50,000. This allocation enables the wards to fund schemes which support wards and neighbourhood working or contribute to extending community engagement, cohesion and empowerment. Projects supported through this fund must also demonstrate that they support one or more of the outcomes in Birmingham's Council Plan and Birmingham's Community Strategy 2026.

Generally, any properly constituted organisation may submit a project proposal. You should first talk with the District Ward Support Officer to find out about what outcomes and locally identified priorities the Ward or District Committee is likely to support and the money that it has available.

Your Ward Support Officer is Karen Stevens who can be contacted on 0121 303 8738 or my email karen.stevens@birmingham.gov.uk.

Community First

The Community First programme is a national programme which runs over four years until 2015. In Birmingham, 27 Wards have funding through Community First. The programme is independent of Birmingham City Council and is managed by a national organisation, appointed by the Government, called Community Development Foundation. Community First funding is distributed by a Community First Panel established in the Ward. A list of Community First Panels, along with other information about this programme and how to access funding, is available on the Community Development Foundation website.

There may be a number of other funding opportunities available, such as Big Lottery Funding. Your District Ward Support Officer Karen Stevens can give you more information about this. Call 0121 303 8738 or email karen.stevens@birmingham.gov.uk.

Facilities in Selly Oak District

Community and Play

Billesley Play Centre
Coronation Road
Masefield Community Centre
Stirchley Community Centre

Libraries

Neighbourhood Office and Advice Service

Sport and Leisure

Activities and Events

You can now find out about events happening in Selly Oak District, or anywhere else in Birmingham, by visting our new events web site. You can even submit your own local events.