Solihull
JANUARY 2017
Other Side Of
Castle Brom, Kingshurst, Chelmsley Wood, Smith’s Wood and Marston Green
Police cuts in numbers: • Around 100 call handlers short • More than 3,000 staff have left in four years • £126million cut from the budget in five years
Inferior force? A SENIOR police officer has admitted that “painful” budget cuts mean that the days of traditional foot patrols are over. Insp Allan Green, head of neighbourhood policing in Meriden, told residents in Castle Bromwich that fewer staff and changes in criminal activity had left the force with no choice but to adopt new ways of work. Addressing a packed parish council meeting, during which frustration about crime in the suburb often bubbled over, he acknowledged that
the most recent restructure, which took place in November, had been challenging. But Insp Green insisted officers were doing all they could with the resources available and remained optimistic that standards would improve once the new system had bedded in. “Some of these cuts have been brutal. A lot of people have lost their jobs. And it isn’t easy, I’m not going to lie to you,” he told the meeting. He added he was “genuinely hopeful” that the changes would bear fruit and that the situation would be helped by the end of a long-standing
Vow to stop bike bother POLICE have pledged to tackle the problem of teenagers on push bikes causing chaos on local roads In recent weeks, a group of 15-20 youths have been performing stunts along the Chester Road, infuriating motorists. Resident Ian Yeomans had told the meeting that many concerned locals had been given the impression that “it was not a priority.” Insp Green said that police policy prevented officers from pursuing the riders and that it was a growing problem nationwide. However, he insisted that officers had successfully identified a large number of the group and that all the tools at his disposal would be used to resolve the situation. He pointed to the success of a similar crackdown on offroad bikes fairly recently, although he insisted there was a
recruitment freeze. “We are far, far ahead of other forces in terms of modernising our police service going forward.” Dozens of residents had descended on Arden Hall to make their feelings known about the police response to offences in the neighbourhood. One local man, from Springfield Road, criticised the handling of an attempted break-in at his home earlier this month. He revealed that two masked men had attempted to force entry through the front door while his terrified teenage daughter was alone in the house. She had dialled 999, but Chester Road is a popular a call handler based in West route for the riders Bromwich had cancelled the emergency response. The family were also frustrated that police had not collected evidence from the address – the men’s car was caught on CCTV – and claimed they had been told at one stage that the offenders may have been trying the door “because they had got the wrong house.” “People are losing faith that you will respond… and criminals are gaining a little bit more confidence as they know you are not going to be there,” said the resident. marked difference between the two groups. Coun Pauline Allen, from “These groups on off-road bikes are nasty, hardened Castle Bromwich Parish criminals that you wouldn’t want to get in front of. These Council, had suggested that kids on push bikes… a lot of them aren’t bad kids. They are a further meeting to discuss part of a group that has got a bit too confident, a bit too brave and at the moment they haven’t seen the consequence the situation be arranged at of what they’ve done.” a future date.
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Budget cuts need reassessing SOCIAL media gives local people an unprecedented insight into what is happening in their area – unfortunately what is happening isn’t always pleasant. Reports on Facebook and Twitter of breakins, robberies and other criminal activity are disconcerting for residents and an apparent flurry of offences prompted dozens of locals to descend on a parish council meeting in Castle Bromwich. What was intended to be a 15-minute briefing from a local inspector ended up as a 90-minute grilling from residents concerned about the crimes themselves and the apparent lack of a police presence on their streets. I think it’s fair to say that temperatures were raised and not just because dozens of people had crammed into a comparatively small committee room. There was understandable anger from
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR victims of crime, who thought that the police response simply wasn’t good enough, and the usual suspicion that ordinary lawabiding people were being left to fend for themselves. For what it’s worth I thought that Insp Green was refreshingly candid. He acknowledged that a recent restructure had created problems for the force, but made clear that officers were doing all they could to deal with the issues worrying residents. The problem for front line officers is that they don’t have full control over the resources at their disposal and are in pretty much the same boat as doctors working in
l Pete’s Dunne us proud! A CHELMSLEY Wood wrestler has finished as runner-up in a major tournament. Pete Dunne (right) was defeated by the Black Country’s Tyler Bate at the WWE United Kingdom Championship Tournament in Blackpool. Twenty-three-yearold Dunne has been wrestling for over a decade and is seen as one of the UK’s fiercest competitors.
l Chance to join choir IF you like to sing then why not join the choir at Bosworth Community Centre? Members meet at the Chelmsley Wood venue every Wednesday from 2-4pm. All welcome.
over-stretched A&E departments or shop workers in stores where all the part-timers have been laid off. If you look at the figures for how many millions have been cut from the police budget and the sheer number of staff who have lost their jobs in recent years, it’s little wonder that services have suffered. The blame must be laid, first and foremost, at the Government’s door. Everyone knows it has been a difficult decade for the economy, but the austerity programme has clearly had major consequences for communities like Castle Brom. Ministers may have made great capital out of not raising taxes, but if the situation at West Midlands Police is typical of the scale of the cuts being visited on public services then maybe they need to think again. Is a penny or two more in our pockets worth the feeling of being afraid to go out in your own neighbourhood at night?
Introducing: A woman about town? Well back then it was more of a village. Mrs Cotterill – or Mrs C for short – is one of the stars of a 12minute film which was posted on YouTube earlier this month. This shot looks a lot older than that? Yes. The footage was actually filmed in and around Marston Green in the early 1930s, with local farmer and amateur film maker Howard Baylis the man behind the camera. After languishing in a loft for some 70 years, it was filmed on an iPad and posted online by Mr Baylis’
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And what does it show? The first part features Mrs Cotterill going on a shopping trip around the village, dropping in at Crawford’s Stores - a popular greengrocers - and the GE Griffin garage. The excursion ends with a visit to The White Hart pub! This is followed by footage captured at the Marston Green Horticultural Show. I dare say it brought back memories? Yes, one local man Graham Crawford, now aged 90, was delighted to see his father’s shop in the film.
Out & About A SNOWDROP walk will be taking place at Castle Bromwich Hall Gardens on February 5. Families will also be able to take part in craft activities and meet the Green Man. The event runs from 11am-3pm.
Your say
l ‘Lower age of cancer test’
TEACHERS from a Chelmsley Wood school will be travelling out to Sierra Leone this Easter. The staff from St Anthony’s RC Primary will be visiting the war-torn country to help build a classroom for refugees. Pupils, parents and teachers have raised more than £3,000 for the project.
Editor: David Irwin Design: Justine Flavell
granddaughter Stella Bunn.
A MAN died after being hit by a train at Marston Green Station on January 26. Paramedics were called to the scene at around 1.20pm following reports of a collision. British Transport Police have confirmed that the man, who has not been named, had been confirmed dead at the scene.
l Building a better future
Solihull
‘Mrs C’ – Shopper
l Man dies in train accident
MERIDEN MP Caroline Spelman has backed a campaign to lower the age of bowel cancer screening tests. Dame Caroline believes the checks should be made available from aged 50, rather than 60. “Bowel cancer is one of the biggest killers in the country and can easily remain undetected without appropriate screening,” she said.
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Month in Numbers * 100 students turned up to the CTC Kingshurst in trainers after a bogus note online suggested this was permissible if they had an excuse from parents. * £305,000 made available for a project to prevent homelessness in Solihull. * More than 1000 mourners attended the funeral of Castle Brom man Wajid Fazil, who died in a road crash on Boxing Day.
‘They don’t think of their old customers like dad... He’d never be able to walk from the car park to the bank in Solihull. So annoying.’ Cora Brocklebank on the closure of HSBC at Castle Brom.
Anniversary JANUARY 2005: A Chelmsley Wood soldier who was previously awarded the Queen’s Gallantry Medal was given a community order following a drunken fight in Birmingham.
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Plea to revoke plans to demolish homes SOLIHULL Council has faced calls to end the agonising uncertainty of residents who are unsure if their bungalows will be demolished in the years ahead.
Councillor Chris Williams (Green, Chelmsley Wood) has urged the local authority to categorically rule out plans to bulldoze around a dozen homes
in Lambeth Close. Residents have had the threat of demolition hanging over them ever since proposals to pull down the properties were included in the council’s Local Plan, which was adopted in 2013. This document is now being revised and, encouragingly, the updated version makes no mention of the cul-de-sac. Coun Williams believes, however, that it is down
Winter: the beauty and the hazard THE New Year got off to a freezing start in North Solihull... This picture, taken in Castle Bromwich, shows how beautiful the cold weather can be. But Public Health England warned of an increased risk to the elderly. If you need assistance, you can call Solihull’s Winter Warmth Helpline on 0121 704 8080. Lines are open from 9am-5pm.
Man endures knifepoint terror
We CAN make a difference A PIONEERING project is about to start in Fordbridge, with the aim of supporting people looking to make a difference in the local area. The Community Action Network (CAN) has been set up by local activists and will aim to identify community-led solutions to various issues. CAN’s first initiative is a community research project, using the knowledge of
to the local authority to clarify the situation and dispel residents’ fears once and for all. “The council owns all of the bungalows, which are managed by Solihull Community Housing (SCH), so they could rule out demolition of them right now if they wanted to,” he said. “It would really put people’s minds at rest. These are the homes of elderly people who really deserve to be left in peace and know for sure their homes are safe for as long as they want them.” Some of those living in Lambeth Close were interviewed by Radio WM last month and highlighted how difficult the past few years had been. One of the residents said: “There’s nothing fair about this at all. We here are a very happy community, we’re happy in our homes, we’ve been here for years...and nobody wants to move. “It’s not just destroying the buildings we live in, it’s destroying our lives.” Coun Ian Courts, Deputy Leader of the Council, acknowledged that Lambeth Close did not feature in the revised Local Plan, which is currently out for consultation.
residents to map the area and identify local priorities and possible solutions. This project is due to get underway in March and CAN are keen to find people who can help carry out the research by speaking to neighbours and friends. To find out more email simeon.bright@ ashrammoseleyha.org.uk or call 0121 770 8570.
Taking the air AN HOUR long walk from Marston Green Library will be taking place at the end of the month. The event, organised by Solihull Striders & Strollers, is part of a wider initiative which aims to get local people out in the fresh air. Meet at the library at 2pm on January 30.
A YOUNG man was subjected to a terrifying ordeal when he was robbed at knifepoint in Castle Bromwich earlier this month. The victim, who had a blade put to his throat, was threatened by three youths after getting off the bus near The Coach and Horses pub. They demanded he hand over his coat, trainers, phone, wallet and details for his bank account. The victim was left badly shaken by the incident, which happened on the evening of January 6. Anyone with information should call Solihull Police on 101.
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Shopping centre plan to go ahead PLANS to revamp Chelmsley Wood Shopping Centre have been given the go ahead by planning chiefs. The plans include the creation of a treelined boulevard along Greenwood Way, the centre’s main parade, and the installation of a permanent fabric canopy. This will give shelter to shoppers during bad weather, with small stalls and public seating expected to be placed underneath. The application was submitted to Solihull Council by the centre’s owners, Ellandi Ltd, who have three years to complete the work under the terms of the planning permission. Right: An artist’s impression of the boulevard [photo by Stanley Bragg Architects]
Local hero: final days of Commander Bridgeman THE extraordinary story of one of the servicemen named on Castle Bromwich’s war memorial has been retold on the 100th anniversary of his death. Richard Bridgeman, the son of the fourth Earl of Bradford, had lost his life in January 1917, while on active service in East Africa. Details of his military history and the final days of his life were recently posted on the Solihull Life blog, which is providing regular reports on the borough men who gave their lives during the First World War. There is a surprisingly detailed account of the 37-year-old’s final mission, with details provided by a captured German captain appearing in the local press some months after his death. Commander Bridgeman and a second man, Flight Commander Edwin Moon, had been carrying out aerial reconnaissance over what is now Tanzania when their seaplane ran into difficulties. Magnetic failure
More than a name on a memorial: The son of the fourth Earl of Bradford lost his life in East Africa during the First World War forced them to land in enemy territory and realising the damage was beyond repair, the two men burned the craft and fled. Aware that the Germans had seen them land, the pair hunted the jungle for a way to escape. The newspaper
report picks up the story. “After much weary wandering they discovered an empty house, and by removing the window frame and roughly fastening planks across, they constructed a raft. “They were frequently up to the
Fine for Halloween ‘Ride Out’ biker A TEENAGER who took part in a mass bike rally which caused chaos on local roads has admitted road traffic offences. Christopher Blake, 18, had come off his Yamaha while riding the wrong way along the Collector Road on October 31 last year. The defendant had attempted to hide in the shrubbery but was arrested by officers at the scene.
He subsequently pleaded guilty to driving without due care or attention, and without insurance or a test certificate, and has become the first rider who took part in the infamous Halloween “Ride Out” to have been convicted. Blake, of Acocks Green, was ordered to pay more than £200 in fines and costs and given six points on his licence.
neck in water, and the only relief they could obtain from the millions of mosquitos was continually dipping their heads under the surface. “The cocoanut [sic] milk they carried in bottles turned sour, and by the evening of the third day both officers were completely exhausted, and Commander Bridgeman was almost insensible.” Travelling downriver on the makeshift raft, the soldiers were swept out into the open sea. By this stage the craft was waterlogged and Flt Cdr Moon had the terrible task of trying to keep himself afloat and his comrade’s head above the water. Tragically Commander Bridgeman died from exposure despite his friend’s best efforts. His body was eventually washed ashore and buried at Dar es Salaam War Cemetery. You can read more about his story, and other accounts of local men who died during the First World War, at solihulllife.wordpress.com
Time will tell group’s story A TIME capsule is to be planted on parkland in Kingshurst by a local campaign group. Action for Babbs Mill have said they will put photos inside the container, as well as details about the recent battle to save part of the Local Nature Reserve from development. The project has been made possible following a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund.
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Centre closure would wreck community spirit A SMITH’S Wood councillor has said it would be “a calamity” if the estate lost its last dedicated community centre. Councillor Mark Wilson (Green) was referring to fears that Auckland Hall could be closed down as part of proposals set out in Solihull’s revised Local Plan. The loss of the Sunbeam Close venue, which is used to host a local foodbank and a wide range of community activities, would be a major blow to local residents. “If this goes, then there’s nothing, unless [Solihull Council] provide a new Auckland Hall is well-used by local community groups
hall, or rebuild a potentially bigger and better one,” said Coun Wilson. “Constant development without investment in public facilities is a step towards destroying community spirit and society.” The latest version of the Local Plan has already caused controversy among Smith’s Wood residents after it emerged that the council was considering building on Bosworth Wood playing fields. Locals had previously fought a five year battle to get access to the site and are mortified by the possibility that the land could be disposed of.
What has been less well publicised is that Auckland Hall would also be put at risk as part of the potential housing development. The question mark hanging over the facility is likely to fuel criticism that community assets are being sacrificed to find room for more homes in a ward which is already the most densely populated in the borough. Christine Iddles, of Vauxhall Crescent, summarised many residents’ concerns when she addressed Full Council last year. “It is hardly conducive to developing a community spirit if the young people have nowhere to go and nothing to do in their leisure time,” she told the meeting. “We find it hard to understand why Auckland Hall is being viewed as a likely site for redevelopment.” Coun Ian Courts, Deputy Leader of Solihull Council, said that residents would have the opportunity to set out their views in the current consultation. The deadline for comments has now been extended until February 17. To find out more go to http://www.solihull. gov.uk/lpr
Counting the cost of disposing of dog waste EMPTYING dog mess bins will cost Solihull Council just under £80,000 over the course of a 12-month period. There are currently 1,396 bins installed around the borough and the local authority calculates that each of these has an average maintenance cost of £47.80 a year. This adds up to a figure of £79,326 for the financial year 2016/17. Solihull Council said it receives dozens of enquiries each year about whether it can install containers at new sites. The local authority said that it has to be mindful of the costs involved and while a bin may sometimes be the best solution to dog fouling, there are other options to tackle the problem. Dog fouling continues to be a concern locally, with complaints on social media only this month that negotiating one Castle Bromwich street was “like playing hopscotch”.
Valentine’s disco MARSTON Green Parish Hall will be playing host to a Valentine’s disco next month. The event will be taking place at the venue on Saturday, February 11 (6-9pm). Tickets from Lisa on 07908211576 or visit www. marstongreenparishhall.co.uk
Fun for young A NEW series of sessions for local young people got underway in Castle Bromwich this month Activities will be held at the Youth Centre, in Hurst Lane North, on Wednesday evenings (7-9pm). Aimed at 11 to 19year-olds, activities include table tennis, pool, arts and crafts and video games.
Gun terror for family: Man gets 12 years A MAN who threatened a family with a gun after breaking into their Chelmsley Wood home has been jailed for 12 years. Calvin Hunt, 29, of Truro Walk, had actually fired the weapon inside the Longley Walk property, with the bullet embedding itself in a kitchen worktop. The residents fled the address and Hunt (pictured) snatched a handbag before driving away in his own car. Hours later he attempted to cover his tracks by falsely claiming that the vehicle had been stolen. He also convinced his girlfriend, Safiyah Benjamin, to provide him with a false alibi. She received a 10 month sentence for her deception. Det Con Kate Fitzgerald, from Solihull Police, said: “The robbery must have been a terrible ordeal for the family and we hope that [the] sentence brings them some comfort and that they see justice has been done. “A dangerous criminal is now behind bars and his girlfriend has also lost her liberty and will now have a police record for lying. We hope this serves as a stark warning to anyone thinking of covering up other people’s criminal activities.”
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