Solihull Castle Brom, Kingshurst, Chelmsley Wood, Smith’s Wood and Marston Green
FEBRUARY 2018
Other Side Of
Page 3: Batter choice. Community chippy set to open its doors
Page 5: What’s the frequency? Smith’s Wood hosts radio workshops
Worrying gap in living standards THOSE living in Solihull’s most deprived communities continue to have a life expectancy many years less than residents from better off parts of the borough. The dramatic difference in living standards between areas just a few miles apart was laid bare by the latest Public Health Annual Report, released last month. While the figures show that Solihull residents generally are living “longer, healthier lives”, the document acknowledged that premature deaths, poor health and disability continue to have a disproportionate impact on certain areas. Indeed, the data shows that the gap in average life expectancy between the least and most deprived groups is almost 13 years for men and just
argue are at the heart of the problem. Coun James Burn (Green, Chelmsley Wood) called on the local authority to commit to initiatives including building more affordable housing, creating better paid jobs and encouraging local businesses. “The link between poor health and living on a low income is well-proven and hugely important,” under 10 for women. he said. Responding to the latest figures, Solihull Council “The fact people in North Solihull die over a has said it is continuing to invest in a range of decade before those in South Solihull is a real initiatives to improve health across the borough. scandal, and one the council have failed to address Although councillors who represent some of the in any significant way whatsoever.” most deprived wards believe that far more should Fellow Green councillor Mark Wilson (Smith’s Wood) said that he had lived on both sides of the be done to tackle the wider inequalities which they Coventry Road and suggested there had been “a lack of resources and investment” in the North. “In [South Solihull] there are 4,000 on the books at the local GP. I’ve walked in and been seen on the same day. “At Chelmsley Wood, if you didn’t get through immediately there was no chance of an appointment.” As well as a dramatically reduced life expectancy, those from the most deprived parts of Solihull tend to be worse affected by long-term health conditions in later life. Killer diseases such as cancer and heart disease are more common, as are damaging habits such as smoking. Coun Karen Grinsell, the cabinet member for adult social care and health, acknowledged that good health “is not consistent” in the borough and said that the council was committed to a range of projects to address this. She said:“The council already commissions a number of organisations such as [Chelmsley Wood social enterprise] Gro-organic; Warwickshire Wildlife and Man v Fat, which all target communities of need and support overall wellbeing by providing in particular, good opportunities AS the temperatures plummet, spare a thought Gloucester Way. for social connectivity, and physical activity. for the squirrels who struggle to remember The creatures are a common sight in the street, “Solihull Council is working closely with where they left their lunch! a stone’s throw from Alcott Wood – which has health and community partners to develop Other Side of Solihull photographed several been the focus of a recent tree thinning project. local services that address the health and of the animals foraging for food alongside For further details about the work, see overleaf. well-being needs of all Solihull people.”
‘The fact people in North Solihull die over a decade before those in South Solihull is a real scandal...’
I’m not nuts about the cold!
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Page 2 Other Side of Solihull
Neglecting service of last resort I’M sometimes worried that I bang on a bit too much about buses. To declare an interest, I’m a regular bus user myself; the long waits on winter nights, the rattle of a stray pop bottle in the aisle and the smell of something illegal emanating from the rear seats are daily trials. But while I may gripe about my journeys, I suspect there’s more than a fair number of our readers who will be familiar with the delays, cancellations and dodgy dealings on the top deck. In areas such as North Solihull – where car ownership is below the national average – changes to timetables or routes aren’t some fringe issue, they have a real impact on people’s lives. You only need to take a look at the outpouring of anger in places such as Kingshurst about a National
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Express shake-up last year to see there’s something rotten in the state of public transport. And yet it’s an issue that gets surprisingly little coverage, in part, I suspect, because both MPs and Fleet Street journalists don’t have to worry about it. They either drive or are driven they don’t conduct lonely vigils waiting for the No 71. Yes, from London there may be the grumblings about delays on the Northern Line or the messy dispute in which Southern Rail finds itself, but the casual purgatory in the regions is scarcely mentioned. Part of the problem is that outside the capital – where the sheer chaos
l Protest over ‘grid girl’ gone A CHELMSLEY Wood model who has previously worked as a Formula One “grid girl” has criticised the decision to axe the role. Paige Aitken, aged 21, joined a protest against the decision, which took place in Birmingham city centre earlier this month. She insisted she wasn’t forced to wear outfits she was uncomfortable with and that the promotional work allowed her to see a sport she loved. F1 bosses recently announced they had decided to do away with the role, amid accusations that it was demeaning to women.
on the roads makes the Underground all but essential – public transport is seen as a service of last resort. For all the talk of getting people out of their cars, there doesn’t seem to be an appetite for building an efficient, well-run system which would offer a plausible alternative to getting behind the wheel. Instead those who are too old to drive, too young to get licences or – in my case – unable to master right hand turns – have to make do with a service in desperate need of investment and in constant danger of cuts. So while the wheels on the bus may well go round and round (as the old nursery rhyme goes), any debate about whether they’re heading in the right direction has rather frustratingly ground to a halt.
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l Staying seated at crossing
A LIFE-saving device is being placed in the centre of Marston Green. The defibrillator – which can help revive those who have suffered a cardiac arrest – will be located in the vicinity of the village railway station. The scheme is a partnership between Marston Green & District Lions and the One Stop store in Station Road.
l Anger over bikers’ antics BIKERS are continuing to cause problems in Marston Green, with reports that riders have been tearing across the island at Station Road. Residents say that their antics are damaging the grass and uprooting plants on the roundabout. While the matter has been reported to police, officers have said that concealed number plates makes it difficult to identify the culprits.
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Looking out for our feathered friends? Yes, Raymond and Keith have built a set of ten bird boxes, which have now been installed in a Marston Green beauty spot. Chris Packham would be proud... He certainly would. The boxes have been placed in trees in Millennium Wood following an agreement with Bickenhill and Marston Green Parish Council. Ready for spring? That’s right. The hope is that the new set of boxes might be used by the birds building nests in the weeks ahead.
Picture/Bickenhill and Marston Green Parish Council
Anniversary
NORTH Solihull has become one of the first areas outside of London to create special crossings that include cycle lanes. The set of five “parallel crossings” combine a traditional zebra crossing with a parallel cycle lane and have been installed in Windward Way, Arran Way and Green Lane. The aim is to end any confusion among drivers about when to give way and will mean that riders no longer have to dismount.
l Village gets a defibrillator
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Raymond Oley and Keith Gilbert – Bird box builders
l Wards’ connection coup THE three “Regeneration wards” have the fastest broadband speeds of anywhere in the Meriden constituency. Dame Caroline Spelman, the MP for the seat, noted this month that Chelmsley Wood, Smith’s Wood and Kingshurst & Fordbridge have the best connections locally. Over 99 per cent of homes in these three wards have speeds of more than 30Mb/s.
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Your Say:
“I have two dogs and would never leave the house without nappy sacks, dead cheap £1 for 150 bags.” – Sharon Houghton, on dog fouling.
Month in Numbers
10 years ago – AN unpopular “garden-grabbing” scheme in Elmdon Lane, Marston Green, gets a mention in a House of Commons debate on planning laws.
All this month’s figures come from the Solihull Public Health Report (see our front page) • One in 20 Silhillians will be aged 85 or over by 2036, according to estimates. • Two thirds of adults in Solihull are now classed as obese. • One in eight people in the borough smoke.
Out & About “KNIT and knatter” sessions are running in Chelmsley Wood. Meetings will take place at the Community Hub, Coleshill Heath School, on Wednesday mornings (from 9-11am). Coffee, tea and cakes will be served and it is hoped that knitters will be able to produce clothes for premature babies at the local neonatal unit.
Other Side of Solihull Page 3
Heartache as lifeline for our elderly residents shuts SADNESS and frustration greeted the recent closure of a facility previously described as a lifeline for elderly people. St Leonard’s Day Centre, in Elmdon Road, had shut its doors just before Christmas having previously lost funding from Solihull Council. Councillor James Burn (Green, Chelmsley Wood) said that the situation would have meant a significant hike in daily charges, which would have proven utterly unaffordable for users. He was concerned that the closure had
disrupted friendships and that those residents who had relied on the centre would find it difficult to find an alternative venue. “Government cuts are yet again hitting the most vulnerable the hardest, and are forcing a voluntary sector which is already stretched to breaking point to pick up the slack. It is a very sad and very worrying situation.” Peter Jones, from Marston Green, had got involved with helping out because his wife had been a member of staff at St Leonard’s.
“For some of these people, going to the centre was the one thing they looked forward to every week,” he said. “You have 50 elderly people, who have paid their taxes and worked hard all their life and they deserved for the local authority to cut them some slack and give them a bit of support.” Solihull Council said it had been saddened by the closure and in a recent statement said it would help users to identify alternative arrangements.
Tree thinning at Alcott to improve wildlife habitat
Alcott Wood in Marston Green.
Profits from new chippy will go to the community CHIP, chip hooray! A fast food outlet run by the local community is set to open its doors in Chelmsley Wood. The traditional fish and chip shop will be based at Chelmund’s Cross, with all profits raised from the venture ploughed back into the local area. Staff have now been recruited to run the business, with equipment including fryers and fridges having been bought in. The chip shop is scheduled to open on Thursday, March 1 at 4pm, with an item on the enterprise expected to be shown on BBC’s The One Show in the coming weeks. An official Twitter account, which has been providing updates, said the chippy had received an excellent response from local people, with residents welcoming the news that the takings will be going to community causes rather than “some shareholder’s second Mercedes”.
Postbox damaged in car chase A POSTBOX in Castle Bromwich was knocked over during a high-speed chase through the suburb last month. The red box at Whateley Green had been uprooted during the pursuit of a suspected stolen car on January 26. A 38-year-old man was later arrested when the chase came to an end near Bangor House, in Forth Drive.
Bumper year for Smokehouse A RESTAURANT group which opened an outlet in Castle Bromwich last year posted sales of £16.6million in the most recent financial year. Hickory’s Smokehouse set up at the former Coach and Horses site almost 12 months ago. The Chester-based chain, which launched in 2010, now has seven restaurants around the country.
A PROJECT to enhance an important wildlife habitat in North Solihull took place last month. Alcott Wood, an ancient woodland which lies between Chapelhouse Road and Moorend Avenue, is the first of four sites in the borough to benefit from the Solihull Habitat and Nature Improvements Project. Workers spent several weeks thinning trees at the site, as parts of efforts to let more light through the canopy and help flowers such as bluebells to thrive. The work was funded through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), following a successful application by Solihull Council last year. A council spokesman said that detailed surveys had been carried out beforehand to check for the presence of protected and priority species such as bats, badgers and hedgehogs. “Any disruption caused by the woodland management work will be short-term and the long-term aim of this work is to provide better quality habitat for wildlife. “We are carrying out the work in January and February to avoid the bird nesting season.” Alcott Wood is a 5.7 hectare site, which was designated as a Local Nature Reserve in 2002. The Woodland Trust has noted that the site contains several ancient species including wood anemone, remote sedge and wood sorrel. It is noteworthy that very little nonnative vegetation is present. Following the completion of work at the site, the project is continuing at Hillfield Park, Dorridge Wood and Elmdon Park.
Page 4 Other Side of Solihull
Two of the best schools are in our area!
Community rallies to raise funds for trashed clubhouse HUNDREDS of pounds has been raised by generous residents following a breakin at a community clubhouse last month. Thieves had targeted the Chelmsley Town Football Club premises, in Marston Green, in the early hours of January 17. TVs and laptops were stolen during the burglary, with the culprits ransacking the till and causing “needless” damage – even smashing up the venue’s jukebox. Photos posted on social media showed the door of the Coleshill Road building had been wrenched open. Solihull Ladies United FC, one of the sides to play The premises was ransacked in the early hours of the morning, prompting an outpouring of support from local people. Picture by @ct_shush at the site, were quick to player, manager and chairman,” she Ladies Team... get off the ground at a respond and set up a crowdfunding time that we were in desperate need page shortly after the break-in. said. “He is no longer with us so I They hoped to raise £500 to replace of support and funding, and came dedicate this donation in his name, so very close to folding. It is our turn some of the missing items and repair keep up the good work.” now to do our bit to give back to this the damage done; at the time of The clubhouse, also used by men’s club and to rally around in support.” writing local people had pledged side CT Shush, previously had to cope As donations poured in, the club more than £700. with two fires in a matter of months paid tribute to the “generosity and A spokesperson for Solihull Ladies during 2012. said: “It is difficult for many grassroots support” of local people. Donations following the recent Jayne Ward-Lucey, who pledged football teams to find quality facilities setback can still be made via the £100 towards the appeal, said her and when incidents like this happen it JustGiving page. If you have any father Lenny Ward had founded the affects many within the community. information about the break-in call club. “In particular this club, its owners, “He dedicated over 50 years as and locals have helped support our West Midlands Police on 101.
Hopes for solutions to Chester Road misery A CHELMSLEY Wood councillor has welcomed the recent announcement that Solihull Council is to review changes to the Chester Road. In December, Other Side of Solihull revealed that the congestion along the route was leading to increasing frustration among residents. With the HS2 construction project likely to make matters worse in the years ahead, Councillor Chris Williams (Green)
welcomed the decision by the local authority’s highways department to look at possible solutions. “Until now, council highways staff have been unwilling to look again at the changes,” he said. “The route-wide report will be interesting and given the amount of money being spent on it, I’d hope there are some solutions. “The next battle will be to argue for the funding!”
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from traditional league tables in that it does not just depend on exam results. Overall more than 40 sources of data are used, including progress made, the school’s teacher to pupil ratio and absence rates. Sharmans Cross Junior School, St George and Teresa Catholic Primary, in Bentley Heath, and Oak Cottage Primary, near Olton, completed the top five.
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TWO of the best state primary schools in Solihull are to be found in the north of the borough, according to a new set of rankings. The Real Schools Guide 2018, compiled by newspaper publisher Trinity Mirror, places St Anthony’s Catholic Primary School, in Kingshurst, and Smith’s Wood Primary Academy in the top five. Now in its fifth year, the annual report differs
YGROU
Cash aid’s a step towards saving park MERIDEN Adventure Playground has made a massive step towards securing its long-term future, after being awarded a £30,000 grant for each of the next three years. The facility, which has had to seek alternative funding following the end of council support last autumn, says the money will make a big contribution towards staffing costs. While more is needed to keep the playground open Tuesdays to Fridays after school and during Saturdays (in term-time) and every weekday in the school holidays, the news has been described as “a really welcome boost”. Ali Wood, the chair of the Meriden Adventure Playground Association (MAPA) trustees, said that the support of local people had been invaluable. “This grant was given on the strength of the evidence of community support and involvement in keeping the playground open. So a big cheer for Chelmsley Wood!”
Getting tough on assaults on 999 workers MERIDEN MP Caroline Spelman has said she would support tougher sentences for those who attack emergency workers. Dame Caroline described assaults on police and paramedics as “wholly unacceptable”. She cited the recent case of a policewoman in Wolverhampton, who had her hair ripped out while making an arrest during a domestic incident. “Whilst this attack serves as a poignant reminder of the significant risks that all front-line emergency service workers face in the line of duty, the fact remains that this shocking incident is only one out of thousands of attacks that are perpetrated against staff working in our emergency services each year.”
Other Side of Solihull Page 5
New course aims to open up opportunities in broadcasting
Finding folk on the same wavelength I
T’S Saturday night and a Smith’s Wood community centre has been transformed into a fullyfledged radio studio.
Members of the Switch Radio team are at Auckland Hall as part of a new scheme designed to give local residents the chance to get a taste of broadcasting. Over the course of 12 weeks, children and adults will be able to find out what it’s like behind the mic as part of a partnership with the Cars Area Together group. It is hoped that the free sessions will open up a range of opportunities on the estate, from giving school pupils the chance to learn a new skill to boosting the employment prospects of slightly older residents. It’s something that Terri-Anne Coope, who has a weekly show on Switch, feels very passionately about. Having previously studied just down the road at what was then Smith’s Wood Sports College, she fell in love with community radio and is now the station’s head of social media. “It’s so scary,” she says, when asked how it feels to sit down to Terri-Anne Coope and Johnny Dean, broadcast for the first time. “But once you’ve done that first link it proved so valuable in helping me get gets so much easier.” in to study the degree that I wanted In fact the 21-year-old believes to. that her involvement helped her “That’s a good example of how win a place on her current media community radio helps shape people and communications course at to go on and do exciting things.” Birmingham City University. Many stations such as Switch “I didn’t have the right UCAS sprung up around the UK following points, which was why the changes to broadcasting laws a little experience I’d got here [at Switch] over 15 years ago, which opened the
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Switch Radio was launched in 2010.
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Its headquarters are at Topcliffe House, on the Castle Vale estate.
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As well as an FM and digital output, shows are also broadcast simultaneously online.
from Switch Radio, broadcasting from North Solihull. airwaves up to a whole range of notfor-profit, locally-focused operators. Broadcast licences are issued by the regulator Ofcom, with stations having to abide by many of the same regulations as their larger commercial rivals. Johnny Dean, another member of Switch’s presenting team, who is busy with the buttons and dials of a fairly formidable looking control panel, says that many of the rules are “common sense stuff”. “It’s making sure there’s no naughty words and so on and so forth,” he says, having just doublechecked for bad language in one of the songs on his playlist. The music itself is being broadcast out across a roughly 5km area, with shows catering for everything from RnB and hip hop to gospel, by way of mod, dance and darkwave. Reggae, Johnny reveals, is about the only genre not wholly represented in the schedules.
‘I didn’t have the right UCAS points, which was why the experience I’d got here [at Switch] proved so valuable in helping me get in to study the degree that I wanted to’ Although who knows, perhaps the specialist Switch are looking for will be discovered during one of the Auckland Hall sessions! The radio project runs at the Sunbeam Close venue on Saturday evenings (from 5-7pm). If you are interested in getting involved email Terri-Anne (terri@switchradio.co.uk).
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