AUGUST 2018
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‘I don’t think we can have our cake and eat it. If you want affordable homes, there is a price to be paid’
Solihull ‘Troubling’ plan to sacrifice play areas Castle Brom, Kingshurst, Chelmsley Wood, Smith’s Wood and Marston Green
CONCERNS have been raised that “precious” patches of land in North Solihull could be built on.
Coun James Burn
Enter the Lego dragon
Last month, Solihull Council set out plans to dispose of three sites at Clopton Crescent, Auckland Drive and Anglesey Avenue. Councillor James Burn (Green, Chelmsley Wood) admitted that he was worried about the threat to the areas of open space. Speaking at a cabinet meeting, he feared that children could be deprived of places to play on in an already built-up area.
He described the Auckland Drive site, just next to Bedford House, as “the only scrap of green land” for local youngsters. “When I think about what we’ve spoken about before about problems with obesity, the problems with health inequalities, particularly for children in North Solihull, I think from a public health perspective getting rid of that piece of land I find quite troubling. “The same is true for the land off Clopton Crescent, which again is a playing field with a football pitch in the middle – which is one of the better used plots of land in the north.”
Coun Burn had also asked about the results of the public consultation, which was mentioned in a council report. Arguing that previous discussions had been quite “fraught”, he was concerned that greater detail about residents’ responses wasn’t included in the document. Coun Ian Courts, the cabinet member for managed growth, insisted that a lot of work had gone in to identifying suitable pieces of land. “This hasn’t just popped up, this has been going over a number of months,” he said. “You know, I’m under constant criticism for not providing affordable housing and it’s no good providing affordable housing miles away from where it’s needed. “So these sites have come up and we have brought them forward on the basis here is an opportunity to have 50, 60 – or whatever the number is – affordable homes. “I don’t think we can have our cake and eat it. If you want affordable homes, there is a price to be paid.” EAGER dragon hunters Coun Bob Sleigh, recently went Leader of Solihull searching for Council, said that it was this staggering important to make clear sculpture at that this was just the first Castle stage of the process. Bromwich “We are not agreeing Hall a planning application, Gardens. we are not agreeing a Idris was constructed development scheme, entirely from we are simply agreeing Lego bricks and to a notice of our has been greeting intention to dispose of visitors to the 10 acre site. this land as public open space.”
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HS2 update: Work is due to start next year on the multi-billion pound transport project
Hopes for a local workforce
A concept of the area around the HS2 Interchange Station.
MERIDEN’S MP has warned it may prove difficult to meet the targets for recruiting local people to help build HS2. Dame Caroline Spelman said that there had been similar ambitions when work was planned for the North Solihull Regeneration. The MP recalled that ahead of work starting on the 15-year programme, it had been hoped that 23 per cent of the workforce would be drawn from the local area. But she said there were a couple of reasons why the Regeneration fell short of its target.
These included a lack of courses available in the relevant construction skills and pupils not having the grades to be accepted for those qualifications which were on offer. She urged HS2 bosses to speak to colleges to find out if they were offering the sort of courses needed. “I hope you will because it is a great project to be involved with and we want local people to have some benefit,” she said. “But it’s one of those things which is quite easily said, but quite hard to deliver.”
Trams will be a major boon to our economy BRINGING the Metro line to North Solihull could be a major boost for the area, a borough councillor has claimed. Coun Ian Courts, cabinet member for managed growth, has said that Solihull Council is currently looking at ways to harness the economic benefits of HS2. But there are also plans to link the multibillion pound rail link in with other transport projects. It is intended the Metro extension will link trams to HS2’s Interchange Station. Key to these efforts The extension of the Metro to Advisory Group, Cllr Courts said that the will be bringing the Metro Solihull was previously agreed as part arrival of the trams would be a major line down through East Birmingham and of a devolution deal struck between the boon to areas such as Chelmsley. into the north of the borough. Government and policy makers in the “[This project] would be an amazing Speaking at the most recent meeting West Midlands. way of not just connecting the areas, but of the council’s HS2 Implementation It has been suggested in the past that giving access to the people in between,” the 17km stretch of line, terminating he said. near the new Interchange Station will be “If you imagine a Metro going through [Chelmsley Wood], it would be something completed by 2026. A report presented to the West else. Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) “The unemployment is highest along last year, said that the scheme would play that route ... and to have a Metro that a key role in the regeneration of some of can provide connectivity one way to the region’s most deprived communities. Birmingham and the HS2 Interchange at Editor: David Irwin the same time would be a good thing.”
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Don’t miss out on cash PARISH and town councils are urged to make sure they take advantage of HS2 funding. The Community and Environment Fund is a pot of money set aside to support projects in communities set to face disruption. Meriden MP Caroline Spelman (pictured) said it was crucial that worthy causes did not miss out on a share of the £45million cache. While successful bids from Solihull have been thin on the ground, plans to create a war memorial at Water Orton, in Warwickshire, recently received a £10,000 boost. “[HS2] have allocated about one third of the total fund they’ve got, so we need to get motoring,” said the MP.
Loss of green space worries Questions answered CONCERNS remain about how Chelmsley Wood will be compensated for the loss of green space arising from HS2. Richard Lloyd, a member of the Heart of England High Speed Railway Action Group, has argued the issue remains unresolved. “The public open space is going to be lost, with tremendous noise impact on their recreational ground there,” he said. “It was proposed to get replacement land, but the [House of] Lords Select Committee took that out. We haven’t heard any news since.” Jonathan Lord, from HS2 Ltd, admitted that the decision that Mr Lloyd was referring to had come as a surprise. He said that discussions about mitigating the impact on the local community were ongoing.
A DROP-in session taking place this month will give residents the chance to find out about the HS2 construction project. The event will be held at the Three Trees Centre, in Chelmsley Wood, on Tuesday, August 14. There will be representatives from HS2 Ltd, National Grid and Western Power Distribution on hand to answer questions about the construction process. Visitors are welcome from 5-7pm.
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Special seat means freedom for Jessica A YOUNG girl from Chelmsley Wood, who is living with a lifelimiting condition, has been given a precious opportunity to spend more time with her family. Jessica Collins has Muscular Dystrophy, a disease which affects every single muscle in her body. It means that she is unable to stand and that she suffers breathing difficulties. Over the last few months the 12year-old’s condition has deteriorated so badly that she is now unable to use the specialist seat she has downstairs or go to school, which left her
completely isolated. Explaining the difficulties, mum Donna said: “Jessica is like a prisoner in her own room. “She can hear myself and the rest of the family laughing together downstairs, but can’t be a part of it. “Her bedroom is filled with medical equipment, including a lift and a hoist, so there’s no room for anyone else in there. She feels completely excluded.” Struggling to get an appropriate seat from the local authority, the family heard that equipment might be available through Newlife – the
Gareth and Zak score £700 for cancer charity TWO friends from Chelmsley Wood recently completed a challenging walk around the region’s football grounds to raise much-needed charity funds. Gareth Walton, aged 35, and Zak Lewis, 24, took part in the March for Men and have managed to collect more than £700 for Prostate Cancer UK. Their fundraiser took them from West Bromwich Albion’s Hawthorns ground to Villa Park. From there they walked to Walsall’s Bescot Stadium, before making the home leg to Birmingham City’s stadium St Andrew’s. The duo received £100 towards their total from Asda, where Gareth is community liaison officer, and £100 from Marston Green & District Lions. You can add to the donations by going to www.gofundme.com
charity for disabled children. The organisation was able to arrange for a piece of kit to be provided through its emergency equipment loan service and because it is fitted with wheels Jessica is now able to move between rooms and, wherever possible, get involved in family life. “As Jessica’s condition is lifelimiting having time with her as a family is very precious,” said Donna. “We will never get that time back. “The loan of a specialist seat from Newlife means everything to us. Jessica can spend a few hours with us
Jessica Collins, aged 12 each day and she is so much happier. It’s given her some quality of life back.” Newlife has provided urgently needed equipment to more than 1,000 children in the last five years. Carrick Brown, from the charity, said: “No child should have to wait in agony for equipment which can help them spend time with their family. “When time is precious Newlife can step in and provide emergency loans while working with the family and local health services to ensure that a long-term solution is put into place.” To find out more about the charity’s work or to make a donation visit www.newlife.support/GiveEEL
Approval for community meeting place
PLANS have been approved to turn a school office next to Yorkswood Primary into a community hub. It is intended that the building in Kingshurst Way offers services such as “knit and knatter” sessions and Gareth Walton and Zak Lewis, who raised hundreds healthcare meetings for new mums. for Prostate Cancer UK, outside Villa Park The application was approved by Solihull Council’s planning committee earlier this month. One objection was received in trial the technology. NORTH Solihull councillors have welcomed response to the news that a set of portable cameras are Coun Gail Sleigh (Con, Castle Bromwich) proposal, with being rolled out around Solihull to catch said there were several locations where she a resident citing out fly-tippers. concerns about believed that the cameras could make a In 2017/18, the borough council had to noise nuisance. difference in her own ward. fork out almost £150,000 to clear-up more But borough She stressed the importance of sending than 400 incidents. councillors were a strong message to those responsible for Locally there have been concerns about satisfied by the “costly and anti-social behaviour”. the amount of waste being dumped at planning officer’s Solihull’s cabinet member for stronger locations including Lanchester Park, Black report, which communities and partnerships, Coun Firs Lane and Alcott Wood. concluded that the Alison Rolf (pictured), has said that the The cameras will be piloted for six alterations to the evidence collected by cameras will help months, with plans to move the devices premises were very bring prosecutions against the culprits. around some of the borough’s hot spots. minor. “We know that fly-tipping is a Coun Chris Williams (Green, Chelmsley It is intended the nuisance to residents and harmful to Wood) feared that the problem had got hub will operate the environment, which is why we are worse since he was first elected six years Mondays to Fridays, continually looking at ways to address the ago and said he believed that the council between 8am and 7pm. problem.” would be inundated with a list of sites to
CCTV to halt fly-tippers
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Folk pledge to carry on fight for more parking RESIDENTS fighting for changes to parking facilities at Chelmund’s Cross have warned Solihull Council they will not let the matter go. Heather Turner-Croft, who has played a key part in the campaign to make changes at the village centre, recently expressed frustration that more hadn’t been done to deal with local people’s concerns. At the council’s most recent transport and highways meeting she argued that too little progress had been made to improve the situation, despite a meeting between herself and an officer from the local authority back in April. While double yellow lines were painted in to make the current parking restrictions more obvious, the options for creating more disabled bays or relaxing the rules are still being investigated. Any further changes are likely to take effect in the autumn. “We have been ignored [and]
walked all over,” said Ms TurnerCroft. “Be rest assured we will not let this go and will take it further should we need to. “We need you, council, to hear us and [for] action to be taken, not monitoring.” Coun Chris Williams (Green,
Chelmsley Wood) said that it had taken “far too long to get to where we are now”, but acknowledged that the council did intend to make changes. It’s understood that plans are being drawn up to move the disabled parking closer to the chemists, as well as reviewing how long vehicles can
Meriden MP Caroline Spelman (left) and Solihull Mayor, Coun Flo Nash.
remain in bays. However, the suggestion green space near to the two high-rise flats could be converted into new spaces has been taken off the table, because the council does not believe this will make any real difference. Coun Ted Richards, cabinet member for transport and highways, said that he could not promise the issues would be dealt with “overnight”, but insisted his department was continuing to explore various avenues. “We will continue to work ... to resolve what is a very difficult situation.” Concerns about a lack of available parking flared up soon after the completion of the village centre development. Solihull Council has maintained that it does not want the site to be dominated by cars, but residents fear that the lack of space is leading to many visitors being slapped with tickets.
Decision hopes in bus service battle PROGRESS has been made in the long-running struggle to get a bus running through Chelmund’s Cross. Concerns that a route did not serve the village centre were raised by residents earlier this year. Solihull Council has said that it has been in discussions with Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) about introducing a service. It’s understood that two different options are under consideration with a decision due by September. One of the possibilities would see the launch of a new shuttle bus, linking local communities to Chelmsley town centre’s interchange. Coun David Cole (Lab, Kingshurst & Fordbridge) said a better bus service for North Solihull was “badly needed.” “We are pretty hopeful following the meeting we have had that we might get somewhere with [TfWM] this time.”
l Disco date for play funds
Wreath marks equality milestone MERIDEN’S MP has presented a special wreath to the Mayor of Solihull, marking 100 years since the first British women won the vote. Dame Caroline Spelman handed over the colourful display to Coun Flo Nash (Lab, Kingshurst & Fordbridge) last month. The former cabinet minister said: “This anniversary is an incredibly important
opportunity for us to reflect on how far we have come, thanks to the extreme bravery and sacrifice of the women who fought – and in some cases died – for equality.” The wreath, put on public display at Solihull Civic Suite, featured purple, white and green – the colours which were first adopted by suffrage campaigners more than a century ago.
A FAMILY disco will be taking place in Chelmsley Wood later this month. There will be food, music and entertainment at The C’s, in Bosworth Drive. The August 17 event starts at 7pm and will be raising money for the Meriden Adventure Playground.
l Summer fun for children ST Andrew’s Church is running a summer holiday sports camp for youngsters. The week-long programme is for children aged nine to 11 and will run from August 13-17.
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Three of the best save five-year-old
The officers were honoured for their immense courage.
THREE policemen have received bravery awards after rescuing a five-year-old boy, who had been doused with petrol by his father. The horrifying incident had unfolded in Kingshurst last October, with officers arriving on the scene to find the terrified youngster trapped inside a car and his dad threatening to strike a cigarette lighter. Sergeants Neal Marsh and Gareth O’Sullivan and Pc Carl Anderson managed to calm the man down and co-ordinated an emergency response, which involved armed officers, West Midlands Fire Service and paramedics. Noticing that the boy wasn’t wearing a seat belt, they seized an opportunity when his father was briefly distracted, pulling open the car door and plucking the son to safety. Sgt Marsh wrestled the lighter from the 53-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, and managed to detain him with the help of Sgt O’Sullivan. The man was subsequently charged in Figures quoted during the programme connection with revealed that a third of England’s 35,000 dangerous driving, buses operate within the capital. attempted arson And in the last decade, 138million miles with intent to were lost from bus routes outside London, endanger life and even as the network within the capital child neglect and was extended. Because such a large sentenced to three section of the population make journeys years imprisonment. via car, Ms Hanley said that many people He was also handed are baffled that she uses alternative forms a restraining order. of transport. In recognition of “I’ve had the nagging feeling of being their brave efforts, at best an outlier and at worst a crank. the trio were “When I tell people I get round mainly recently awarded a by bus, it’s as though I’ve told them that I West Midlands Police hike into work from space using a pair of Chief Constable’s Nordic skis...” Commendation and Mind The Gap: Britain’s Transport a Society for the Divide is still available to listen to on BBC’s Protection of Life iPlayer. from Fire Award.
Author lambasts pitiful bus service A JOURNALIST and author raised in Chelmsley Wood has highlighted the difficulties facing those who have to rely on the bus or train to get about. Lifelong public transport user Lynsey Hanley recently presented a two-part Radio 4 series. It lifted the lid on the problems that passengers encounter on a daily basis, using services which are “irregular” and often “shockingly expensive.” In particular the programmes sought to highlight the massive gulf between the quality of connections available in London and other parts of the UK. Ms Hanley, who now lives in Merseyside, but still relies almost entirely on public transport, spoke to fellow commuters about how they thought the
Our public transport is ‘irregular and shockingly expensive’ network could become a viable alternative to the car. “Buses are the mainstay of everyday travel,” said the 42-year-old. “Not for fancy or far-flung trips, but the essential means by which millions of people travel to work, the shops, to doctors and dentists’ appointments and to visit loved ones. “Bus networks are the complex cogs which keep cities moving and prevent people in smaller places becoming isolated, or at least that’s what they do in London and what they should do elsewhere.”
Extraordinary effort saved adventure playground MERIDEN Adventure Playground has been “humbled and amazed” by the support it has received from the local community. In its annual report, the facility spoke about the extraordinary effort to remain open following the loss of local authority funding. “This time a year ago, we were thinking the playground may have to close,” said
l Key application PLANS have been submitted for a new Timpson’s retail unit at a Castle Bromwich supermarket. The application has been submitted to Solihull Council by Morrisons, in Chester Road. A decision on whether to approve the proposals is expected later this year.
the document. “We had a crazy summer doing everything we could to raise funds – fun days, headshaves, quizzes, discos, second hand clothes sales, car washes, begging raffle prizes from local businesses... “And lots of local mums and dads got involved and came up with new ideas and made a supreme effort helping in both the café and throughout the summer playscheme.” As was recently revealed in OSOS, the playground has now secured sufficient funding for salaries to last until March 2021. While it still needs to find ways to meet other costs, such as utility bills and paying holiday workers, it said that “the hardest obstacles had been overcome”.
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