Roman Way Estate is located in the Edgbaston Ward of Birmingham.  It is situated in close proximity to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital and therefore is directly affected by the current Birmingham New Hospitals Development of this site.

The area is one of great diversity, with residents including students, owner-occupiers, council leaseholders and council tenants.

Roman Way Residents Group was established over two years ago with 6 members and covers Roman Way, Vincent Drive, Bullace Croft, Underwood Close, Leasow Drive.  In December 2005 the group was formally constituted and the group now has in excess of 100 members.

In March this year, the group became Incorporated as a Community Interest Company.

Since the group was formed it has successfully:

• Set up and continues to develop a thriving Neighbourhood Watch Scheme
• Established good communication links with local police officers in line with the Government’s ‘Neighbourhood Policing’ Initiative
• Developed a working relationship with the Birmingham New Hospitals Joint Venture Representatives who regularly update members at meetings
• Made good and effective communication strategies with local councillors who also attend meetings regularly
• Explored and continue to investigate Tenant Management Organisations through the Right to Manage Process.
• Successfully moved onto the Development Stage of the Right to Manage Process.
• Implemented Neighbourhood Tasking across the estate with Birmingham City Council, West Midlands Police and other partnership agencies addressing concerns affecting the whole estate.
• Is currently developing a web site so that residents can access information and keep them selves updated on events across their estate.
• Has made a successful bid to the Housing Corporation to undertake a Neighbourhood Study across the estate.

The estate benefits from a good working relationship with the local police. As a direct result the group has now developed a good relationship with the local police officers in line with the Government’s Neighbourhood Policing Initiative.  It is the group’s belief that the continued growth of this relationship will only serve to strengthen the partnership between police and community, a relationship that will prove beneficial to both local residents and the police. West Midlands Police have contributed £500 to the group in recognition of the achievements the group have made.

The group have achieved further success in agreeing with the city council installation of Neighbourhood Watch Area signs prominently placed on lampposts on the estate.  These signs serve as a visual deterrent, help to reduce the fear of crime in the area and also shows a community working together to combat crime and anti-social behaviour.

The group continues to work closely with all agencies and stakeholders in the area for example:

• Actively engaging with Birmingham City Council with a view to improving the present street lighting in the area, which is poor and can create ‘black spots’
• Utilising the services of the Handy Van Scheme that is run by Age Concern to upgrade security in residents homes and help them to feel safe and secure
• A presentation at a Resident Group Meeting by the Community Safety Officer from West Midlands Fire.

Burrowes Street TMO in Walsall have, through the Guide Neighbourhood Programme provided the group with a ‘seed corn’ grant. This enabled the group to:

• Purchase I T equipment to enable the group to administer it’s business more effectively
• Provide Training for residents undertaking group business to understand various aspects of funding, roles and responsibilities of council departments.
• Organise a ‘Community Bulb Planting’ day where residents were urged to add colour to the area where they live by planting daffodils and other flowers.
• Purchase Community Notice Boards across the estate, keeping residents up to date with events both on the estate and also other events of interest, also displaying useful contact telephone numbers.

As a result of a successful bid for funding under NRF new litterbins have been installed on the estate and the group has arranged a community clean up day for all residents who will be invited to a day which will promote cleanliness and pride in the area and encourage community spirit.

During the last 12 months the groups has actively been exploring the Right to Manage Process which looks at council tenants having more involvement in the management of their homes, ultimately with a view to setting up a Tenant Management Organisation (TMO).
The group is committed to the TMO process and the wider regeneration issues that affect the Roman Way Estate.  The group members seek to improve the area in which they live and ultimately are now proud of.

Roman Way Estate is proud of its achievements, it has not been easy, but with support and advice from our friends from both Burrowes Street TMO and Witton Lodge Community Association (both Guide Neighbourhood’s) our group, our residents and our estate have benefited from a complete turnaround in Community Involvement. We know each other’s names we say good morning, we keep an eye on our vulnerable and elderly neighbours.

All this would not have been possible without the opportunities given to the group by the Guide Neighbourhood, NRF Funding, support from Birmingham City Council, West Midlands Police and above all from the guidance and support that the group’s s16 Agent’s (Anthony Collins Solicitors LLP) have given to us.

We are proud of our neighbourhood and we are proud that the Guide Neighbourhood programme chose to support us in achieving our aims of a place where everybody wants to live..