Solihull
Local election round-up Page 3
MAY 2016
Other Side Of
Castle Brom, Kingshurst, Chelmsley Wood, Smith’s Wood and Marston Green
Runner’s marathon effort Page 2
Erratic bus service woes Page 5
Higher education: lower take-up for students in north THE proportion of students in North Solihull who are going on to attend university is still far smaller than across the borough as a whole, it has been revealed.
‘Every single day all of us in this chamber have got to work to ensure we change this’
The gulf either side of the A45 in the number of 18-yearolds who go to study for a degree is significant, despite the fact that performance in primary and secondary schools has improved greatly over the course of the past decade. Statistics quoted at the most recent Full Council meeting laid bare the scale of the divide. In Smith’s Wood, fewer than 10 per cent of teenagers are going to university, compared to more than 90 per cent in St Alphege (the council ward which includes Solihull town centre.) Councillor Joe Tildesley, the cabinet member responsible for education, admitted the difference was “stark” and said Councillor Joe Tildesley that the council would do all it could to ensure that people in different parts of the borough had the same opportunities. “Every single day all of us in this chamber have got to work to ensure we change that,” he said. “There are amazingly outstanding children even at a challenging school… and we are making progress everyone. I’m sorry it’s taking so long, but we are making a difference to their lives.” He paid tribute to the excellent work at many schools, but suggested that council members should not be afraid to bring pressure to bear where appropriate. Chelmsley Wood councillor Chris Williams (Green) urged the council TALLY-HO! Residents looked up to see a Spitfire to consider commissioning a report cut through the clear blue skies of Castle specifically looking at ways to encourage Bromwich this month. more young people in North Solihull to More than 70 years since the famous fighter continue into higher education. plane helped Britain to victory in the Second “Of course university attendance World War, the aircraft completed a flyisn’t the ‘be all and end all’ of life but past. that disparity that you pointed out is The event was organised as part of enormous. Castle Bromwich Hall Gardens’ 1940s “Where you were born and your weekend and there were decent parents’ income must not – and I know crowds gathered on the village the cabinet member shares this with me green and outside the – determine your life chances.” Jaguar Land Rover works l Author who grew up in Chelmsley to see the plane pass Wood writes about the class divide – overhead. Page 6
Spitfire fly-past for 40s weekend
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Grades are improving Closing the gap in educational standards has been a priority for the council for a number of years and statistics do suggest that grades have improved far more rapidly in North Solihull when compared to the borough as a whole. The Grace Academy, in Chelmsley Wood, is among the schools to have seen significant change. In 2014, a new head teacher was appointed after “serious weakness” was identified by Ofsted inspectors. Last summer however, the school recorded its best A Level results in eight years. The lingering concern however is, that despite improvements in exam results, local students are still far less likely to go on to university – which tends to open the door to better employment prospects and higher earnings.
Page 2 Other Side of Solihull
Sad demise of local papers HOW excited is someone going to be about Local Newspaper Week when they don’t have a local newspaper? For North Solihull residents who no longer get a title drop on their doormat once a week there’s likely to be a shrug of indifference. The current situation is frustrating but, sadly, by no means unique. The number of communities who can no longer rely on a paper and staples product to tell them what’s happening in their local area is growing all the time. It’s important to look at the problems locally in the context of the crisis which has hit local journalism, with papers shutting, staff losing their jobs and the cost of print soaring upwards. I understand the anger of residents who believe that the decision not to
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR deliver to Chelmsley Wood or Castle Brom is another example of local institutions turning their back on the north of the borough, but in fact it’s a phenomena which is becoming depressingly common across the country. There is, however, some hope offered by the recent rise of so-called “hyperlocal” news. Now I’ve never been a fan of the “hyperlocal” tag, in part because it sounds a bit like something you’d go to the doctor to get lanced. That said, there needs to be a name
l Camera plan ditched PLANS to reintroduce a speed camera on the Collector Road, in Castle Bromwich, have been dropped by Solihull Council. The proposal was scrapped amid concerns about the cost of installing a device on the dual carriageway. Separate plans to put a camera on the Chester Road/Bradford Road are still set to go ahead.
to describe the sudden flood of blogs, bulletins and social media accounts which have stepped in to fill the gaping hole in local knowledge left by the departure of many long-established newspapers. The fact is that even as the world gets smaller and technology continues to evolve, there’s still an interest in what’s happening in your neck of the woods. I hope projects such as Other Side of Solihull will go some way to keeping you up-to-date and keeping organisations like the council and police on their toes. As for that other vital function of the local paper – lining the cat’s litter tray – I’m afraid that our digital version won’t be much help… Local Newspaper Week runs from May 16-22.
Introducing:
Facebook.com/ NorthSolihull
@North_Solihull
Email - theothersideofsolihull@ gmail.com
DALE LYONS – MARATHON RUNNER
Meet the Tweeter
Month in Numbers
@SmithswoodNPT Tweets: 608 Followers: 419 Who are they? The Smith’s Wood & Castle Bromwich neighbourhood team, providing updates on crime from their patch A typical tweet: “Spring historically sees a rise in ‘shed breaks’. Sheds are inherently difficult to secure, even with the best padlock...”
Out & About
l Gallery Singers on stage
CHELMSLEY-wood based charity Solihull Life Opportunities (SoLO) has been awarded more than £87,000 by the Big Lottery Fund. Janet Down, the charity’s chief executive, said the money would be a big boost for the organisation.
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That’s quite a commitment. Yes and Dale hasn’t let a little thing such as major surgery stop him. Last year he had to finish the 26-mile course in a wheelchair having had knee and ankle replacements.
A MAN who killed his aunt – a much-loved resident of Marston Green – has been jailed for life. Gareth Emery, 25, was told he would serve a minimum of nine years after previously pleading guilty to the manslaughter of Anne Dunkley.
l Funds for SoLO
Editor: David Irwin Design: Justine Flavell
How did it all start? When he first joined Chelmsley Wood’s Centurion Running Club in 1979, Dale Lyons doubted he could complete a 10-mile event. But last month, the sprightly 79-year-old completed his 36th London Marathon.
A SPECIAL lego-themed event is being organised for youngsters with autism. The ‘Fan of the Brick’ workshop will be taking place at Bishop Wilson School, Chelmsley Wood on Saturday, May 28. Tickets are available on 07494 346474. Make sure to book early to avoid disappointment.
MUSIC-lovers can look forward to a charity concert in Marston Green this month. The Gallery Singers will be performing at the Baptist Free Church in aid of the Midlands Air Ambulance. The performance takes place on May 21, with tickets (£7.50) available from Wishes Card Shop, in Station Road.
Solihull
You could say this man’s gone the distance… That’s right, Dale is one of only 12 “ever presents” – the dwindling group of runners who have completed the London Marathon course every year since the first event in 1981.
l Lego day for autistic children
l Life sentence for killer
Other Side Of
• Almost 9,500 visits now recorded to the OSOS blog post on the decision to build on part of Babbs Mill Nature Reserve. • Some 8,000 people cast their vote in North Solihull at the local elections. • Around 125 people attended the recent far-right demonstration organised by Pegida UK and staged near Marston Green.
MANY Happy Returns Your Majesty! Celebrate the Queen’s 90th birthday at Crabtree Hall, Chelmsley Wood. There will be live music, dancing and a street party-feeling – don’t forget to bring a picnic. The event takes place at the venue on June 11, from 12noon3pm.
Other Side of Solihull Page 3
Flo Nash fights off threat from UKIP to keep Labour’s remaining seat
Election barely changes shape of our council LABOUR has successfully defended its last remaining council seat in Solihull.
David holds on to commissioner job DAVID Jamieson, a former Kingshurst & Fordbridge councillor, has been re-elected as the region’s Police and Crime Commissioner. The Labour candidate had taken office in 2014 and this month won just short of 50 per cent of the vote in the West Midlands. He had stood on a platform of recruiting 1,000 more officers by the end of the decade. Turn-out in the Police and Crime Commissioner elections was rather healthier than when the roles were David Jamieson created in 2012, when only one in ten voters bothered to cast their ballot paper.
Flo Nash was re-elected in Kingshurst & Fordbridge despite a threat from UKIP that could have seen the party wiped out in the borough. It is possible that a late push by local activists from Momentum, a grassroots group set up by some of Jeremy Corbyn’s most ardent supporters, helped see off the challenge. Elsewhere in the local elections, the Green Party won a crushing victory in Smith’s Wood against their former councillor. Mike Sheridan, who defected to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) last year, polled just 17 votes and finished last in a ward that he had represented for almost a decade. The Greens also won a thumping majority in Chelmsley Wood, where Chris Williams, one of the architects of their local success, was up for reelection. In the staunchly Tory seats of Castle Bromwich and Bickenhill, two of the borough’s longest-serving councillors, Ted Richards and Councillor Ted Jim Ryan, were also returned Richards for another four years. Overall the shape of the council was barely altered by this month’s results. The Conservatives remain the ruling party by a comfortable margin, although the Greens have cemented their position as the official opposition. South of the A45, Solihull lost its solitary independent Councillor Jim with the defeat of Linda Ryan Brown in Blythe and the Liberal Democrats - who didn’t field a single candidate in the north of the borough - will have been pleased to hold their ground.
l Woman bishop visits
l Glynn’s kitchen coup
ONE of Britain’s first ever women Bishops was welcomed to a Castle Bromwich church earlier this month. Rev’d Anne Hollinghurst, who was named as the new Bishop of Aston last summer, was invited to Ascension Day celebrations at St Mary and St Margaret’s Church.
A CHELMSLEY Wood chef has landed a regular job presenting BBC’s Saturday Kitchen. Glynn Purnell is set to present the popular programme as part of a new line-up of guest chefs, brought in following the departure of regular host James Martin. The new line-up also includes the likes of Michel Roux Jr, John Torode and Rick Stein.
Chelmsley Wood councillor Chris Williams
Editor’s analysis
It’s local focal for Solihull’s voters IN recent years, North Solihull has been something of a political chameleon. Chelmsley Wood elected a BNP councillor in 2007 but in recent years the Green Party has won overwhelming support in the same ward. In Kingshurst & Fordbridge, local voters flirted with the Tories, returned to the Labour fold and then gave their backing to UKIP. Until this month that is, when residents once again swung back behind Labour. It seems to me that local people increasingly care less about the colour of a candidate’s rosette and far more about what a party will do for them. As has been proven many times, the residents react best to those who bother to knock the door and promise to do something about the dog muck and offroad bikes. While national journalists may obsess over bar graphs and how a party’s share of the vote is likely to translate to a General Election in four years’ time, this ignores the fact that councillors are far more than a barometer of national opinion. They’re the people who are there to help with a whole range of day-to-day problems and if they feel they have to work to win your vote – rather than being able to take it for granted because of the party they represent – then all the better.
Page 4 Other Side of Solihull
Heritage pay-out protects glorious gardens CASTLE Bromwich Hall Gardens has been awarded tens of thousands of pounds by the Heritage Lottery Fund. Confirmation of the £51,200 grant is a massive boost for the visitor attraction, which has faced significant financial pressures in recent times. Five years ago, the gardens were dealt a significant blow when Birmingham City Council announced it was cutting all funding, with cash-strapped Solihull Council also electing to reduce support. At the time trustees warned that a further squeeze on finances could force the closure of the ten acre site, which had all but fallen into ruin before a band of local people intervened in the mid-1980s. However, the promise of cash from the Heritage Lottery Fund will provide a massive boost to an area which is still mostly cared for by unpaid volunteers. The money will be invested in an 18-month project to improve the team’s marketing and fundraising skills, with a number of specialist workshops being organised. Looking at new ways to promote the gardens is seen as particularly important in terms of increasing visitor numbers and securing the attraction’s long term “survival”. Simon Cleaver, chair of the trustees, said: “The trust has a marvellous 30-year history, but we want to look after this 400-year-old garden for a lot longer. “The HLF Transition Fund has given us an amazing opportunity to make sure we are set up to be a self-reliant and successful charity business for years to come.”
Extension to create dream home turns into nightmare as owner’s planning permission is pulled
l Help finding a job JOBSEEKERS can attend a North Solihull preemployment day later this month. The session is taking place at Chelmsley Wood Conservative Club on Friday, May 20 (12noon-2pm.) The event is free to attend and will provide information on improving your skill set.
Tracey Aston
‘The trust has a marvellous 30-year history, but we want to look after this 400-year-old garden for a lot longer’
Tracey’s death was ‘an awful tragedy’ A CORONER has described the death of two local women, who drowned while on a girls’ holiday in Spain, as “an awful tragedy.” Tracey Aston, from Smith’s Wood, had been enjoying herself with friends on a beach in Catalonia when she fell over in the water. Birmingham Coroner’s Court heard that the 32-year-old had been unable to judge how rough the sea was in that part of the bay. Another of the party, Lisa Coggins, 35, of Shard End, had attempted to save her, but also got into difficulties. Lifeguards were called to the shore and desperate efforts made to rescue the pair. Following the events, which happened on October 1 last year, Coroner Louise Hunt last month recorded a verdict of accidental death.
COUNCILLORS have refused retrospective planning permission for a property extension in Castle Bromwich, after deciding the development was totally out of character with the surrounding area. Permission had previously been granted for a single storey side and rear extension and a double storey side and rear extension at the semi-detached home in Wyckham Road. However, the planning committee was concerned that the work had not been carried out in line with what had been approved last April and agreed to throw out a second application to keep the alterations. The property’s owner told members he had experienced ongoing problems – enlisting three different builders to carry out the work – and had regularly knocked neighbours’ doors to make them aware of the situation. “If I had ever known or thought something was being done untoward, I would have put a stop to it,” he told councillors “We have put all of our savings into what was supposed to be a dream home and in fact it has been quite the opposite – a total nightmare.” Coun Diana Holl-Allen (Con, Knowle) said that while she sympathised with the fact that the property’s owner had experienced difficulties with the work, she was not at all happy with the design. “To me it’s completely out of keeping,” she said.
Other Side of Solihull Page 5
Erratic bus service fails to provide a realistic alternative for residents
The Walk of Fire – blaze a trail to help Three Trees A CHELMSLEY Wood community While the thought of setting centre is encouraging people foot on red hot embers might to take a stroll across red hot ring a few alarm bells, OSOS • There are records of fire coals to help raise money for the editor David Irwin, who walking dating back to venue. completed a similar challenge in 1200BC, with many cultures The Three Trees Centre will be 2012, insists there’s no danger. regarding it as a sacred rite. hosting the fire walk later this “When you see them set the • The temperature of the month, with every participant wood ablaze you can’t help but coals tends to reach around raising at least £100 towards the feel a bit panicked as you realise 1000F. redevelopment of facilities. you’ll be walking on actual coals • The fire walking world The building work will include and not just scrunched up Quality record was set by Britain’s the improvement of the existing Street wrappers which have been Scott Bell, who covered 100 hall and the creation of four new cleverly lit from below. metres in 2006. rooms, allowing Three Trees to “That said, there are scientific expand on the support it offers reasons why the challenge is to local people. perfectly safe and you’re given The centre has already received a £499,000 grant plenty of advice before you have to ‘walk the from the Big Lottery Fund and hopes that the walk’.” daredevil fundraising event will help to cover the The fire walk is taking place on Saturday, May remaining sum. 28. Register to take part at www.3trees.org.uk/
Factbox
Daughter takes her own life A WOMAN killed herself after finding her mother dead at the Chelmsley Wood home they shared, an inquest has ruled. Pamela Dunn, 48, was already being treated for depression when her mum Audrey passed away. The bodies of the mother and daughter were discovered at the Raglan Way home in December last year, after concerns were raised by neighbours. Birmingham and Solihull Coroner Louise Hunt concluded that Audrey had died of natural causes and Pamela had tragically chosen to take her own life.
Maggie movie in Marston
Dame Maggie Smith in The Woman in the Van
AN AWARD-winning British film will be screened in Marston Green this month. The Woman in the Van, starring Dame Maggie Smith, will be shown at the Parish Hall, Elmdon Road on May 15. It is based on the real-life story of an elderly woman who lived in a van parked on a central London driveway for the best part of 15 years. Tickets available from www. marstongreenparishhall.co.uk
POOR public transport links continue to create major challenges for residents in North Solihull, a recent report has found. Irregular and unreliable bus services – with especially limited service during evenings and weekends – is serving to reinforce the divide between the north and south of the borough. The research revealed that the journey times meant that many people living in areas such as Chelmsley Wood and Castle Bromwich were put off seeking work in other parts of Solihull and instead tended to find jobs in Birmingham. Workshops involving local residents, schools and parish councils were held last year, with local views incorporated into the Solihull Connected report, which had been commissioned by Solihull Council. The document reveals that many residents don’t feel the public transport network is up to standard and that radical changes would be needed to improve the situation. While overcrowding and ticket prices were highlighted among the concerns, the reliability of services was identified as the main problem. Amrik Manku, from the council’s transport and highways team, said: “Public transport services do not currently provide a realistic or viable alternative for many people. “It is clear that some residents would be willing to try different modes of transport if they were to be improved. Addressing the negative perceptions of bus services would be a key area to prioritise in this respect.” One possible solution would be the introduction of so-called “sprint services” with a route potentially running from Chelmsley town centre to Blythe Valley Business Park, stopping off at main destinations such as the NEC and Solihull centre.
Page 6 Other Side of Solihull
Bottom of the class – book looks at inequality Lynsey Hanley, who lived on the council estate until the age of 18, drew on her own childhood experiences in writing Respectable. Her story looks at inequality in the borough – with Lynsey describing the culture shock when she transferred to a sixth form in south Solihull – and society as a whole. In an interview with The Independent, Lynsey – who is now approaching 40 and living in a Liverpool suburb – says she first became aware of class during her school days. “My overwhelming memory is
Author draws on school memories to address borough’s class system how hideously under-resourced we were, and we were by far the most under-subscribed school in the borough, and in terms of naked results, the least successful one, too. “Nobody was expected to get their five GCSEs and hardly any of us did – I think that 10 of us in my year, out of 120, did. “But I always had this sense that there was somewhere else to get to, and I think I was dimly aware of the fact that there was a class element to it.” Lynsey, who worked four jobs while studying for her A Levels
and went on to win a place at university in London, believes that in some respects there are more opportunities for teenagers today. “I went to my old school to take part in a school mentoring programme a couple of years ago. I was really chuffed to see what some of the kids at what was my old school were considering for themselves and what they wanted to do. “They were talking about doing jobs that I wouldn’t have even heard of at their age.” l Respectable: The Experience of Class is out now.
Lynsey Hanley
A WRITER who grew up in Chelmsley Wood has released a new book which sets out to put the British class system under the microscope.
Voucher idea for heating A NEW scheme to provide vital support to people struggling to heat their homes is being extended to the Kingfisher Foodbank. It has been announced that pre-payment meter vouchers for gas or electricity will be made available to those who use the Smith’s Wood facility. The scheme has already been trialled in four areas around the UK, including Durham and the Wirral, with over 7,000 vouchers issued over the course of the past 12 months.
Nature notes
A FEW years ago, the charity Butterfly Conservation produced a guide to some of the best places in the West Midlands to enjoy a butterfly walk. It just so happens that they named Babbs Mill Nature Reserve as a great place to visit to see lots of different types of the colourful insect. Hairstreaks – a species that isn’t all that common in this part of the world – have previously been recorded at the site. Butter yellow Brimstones and Peacocks – with their distinctive ‘eye’ markings – are some of the other varieties you can find by the lakeside. A rather dismal April has meant that people in and around North Solihull are unlikely to have had too many sightings of the insect this year, but warmer weather will hopefully coax out the creatures in greater numbers. With butterflies likely to be on the wing until October, there is still time to stock up on plants which can attract the insects to your garden. The best nectar-producing species include buddleia, lavender and marjoram.
Call for coin system to halt trolley trouble ASDA at Chelmsley Wood has faced calls to introduce a coin system to its trolleys, following concerns about the number of shopping carts being dumped in the nearby River Cole. Local resident Annette Malley, who has lived on the estate for almost 50 years, recently contacted the local press to complain about the quantity of trolleys ending up in the watercourse. She said that the current situation was not only an eyesore, but likely to have a major impact on wildlife. The latest complaint casts doubt on a previous Solihull Council commitment to crack down on the number of trolleys being dumped. In 2010, the local authority said it would start fining supermarkets £60 for every trolley it had to recover, having said at the time it was having to retrieve around 30 every month.
Other Side of Solihull Page 7
Drugs den fire prompts alert
Roof destroyed in fire at cannabis factory. Picture courtesy of West Midlands Fire Service
Joshua gains spot on Youth Parliament A TEENAGER who was recently elected to the UK’s Youth Parliament (UKYP) is hoping to raise awareness of some of the most pressing issues facing young people today. Joshua Murphy, aged 17, is one of two students from the borough who have been elected to serve for a 12-month period. The CTC sixth former will be joining representatives from around the country for the parliament’s annual sitting in York, taking place in July, and a debate which will be held at the House of Commons later this year. He will be raising the subjects which have been identified as priorities by local young people, such as cyber-bullying and sexting. Joshua will also have an opportunity to speak about autism, an issue close to his heart as he is one of around 50,000 UK teenagers who have
l Ladies, get fit A NEW series of ladies only fitness classes will be starting up in Castle Bromwich this month. The sessions will be held at Arden Hall every Tuesday (from 5.15 to 6pm). For further details call Sarah on 0121 748 6360 or email sarahjaynewoodroffe@gmail.com
RESIDENTS are being urged to keep an eye out for cannabis factories after one drugs den went up in smoke in Marston Green. An elderly couple were forced to flee their home in the middle of the night after the factory concealed in next door’s loft burst into flames. The blaze broke out in the roof space of the Land Lane property in the early hours of April 24. It’s understood that the husband and wife living in the adjoining house were woken by the smell of burning and fled into the street. Three crews from Sheldon Fire Station were called to the scene at just after 1am and fought hard to prevent the fire, which all but destroyed the roof, spreading to the neighbours’ house. They successfully managed to put out the fire before first light. West Midlands Police’s cannabis disposal team confirmed that the blaze had been sparked by equipment inside the drug den.
been diagnosed with the condition. Despite efforts to improve understanding of the disorder, public awareness remains a real problem in the UK. Joshua said: “I believe that it is really important to increase the awareness of the difficulties that people with autism face. Joshua Murphy “Those with autism are at increased risk of things like cyber bullying and child sexual exploitation (CSE) due to their lack of understanding.” Joshua was elected to the UKYP following elections earlier this year, in which 6,000 young people across Solihull took part. The parliament was established in 1998 and is made up of more than 600, 11 to 18-year-olds from around the UK. A representative is elected for more than 90 per cent of constituencies.
‘I believe that it is really important to increase the awareness of the difficulties that people with autism face’
Roadworks miss due date by a year ROAD chiefs have faced fierce criticism for a series of failings which have led to major roadworks dragging on for almost a year longer than planned. An £11million scheme to ease congestion along the Chester Road was originally scheduled to take 12 months, with work to be completed last June. However, a succession of delays has meant that the project is still to be finished, infuriating drivers
who have been caught in the ensuing traffic jams. It emerged last month that clashes between utilities companies and Birmingham City Council’s contractors had thrown the original timetable into disarray. The city council has said that most of the problems had been outside of its control, but promised that lessons would be learned from the exercise.
Page 8 Other Side of Solihull
Other Side Of
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