Councillor at Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council. Blogging about issues in Blythe Ward (Monkspath, Cheswick Green, Dickens Heath and Tidbury Green) and Solihull.
The council is consulting on proposals to expand Tidbury Green School. The School currently has capacity for 315 pupils (45 in each year group) plus 30 part-time nursery pupils. Under this proposal the school would expand to a capacity of 420 pupils (60 in each year group) from September 2018 and over time up to … More Tidbury Green School -expansion proposal
A report to Solihull Cabinet this evening looked at the M42 junction 6 improvement options and the preferred options from Solihull Councils point of view. This follows a consultation by Highways England (HE) into options to improve the junction. The report to cabinet can be read here: m42-junction-6-improvements-by-highways-England and appendices which give a better visualisation of the options … More M42 JUNCTION 6 IMPROVEMENTS BY HIGHWAYS ENGLAND
I spent yesterday evening undertaking school governor training to recognise and tackle Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE). This is an important issue, not just for schools but society as whole. Tackling CSE is everybody’s business. Schools naturally lead in identifying CSE because children are with them more than most other agencies, but taxi drivers, police, health care … More Tackling CSE is Everybody’s Business
SMBC have announced plans for Road works on the Longmore Road / Blossomfield Road junction will begin on Monday 16 January and last up to three weeks. The press release continues: Whilst there will be lane closures, the road will remain open to ensure road users’ inconvenience is kept to a minimum. Although the Council … More Road works to commence on the Longmore Road / Blossomfield Road junction
At my decision making session on 3 October I approved a recommendation to market a new development of shared ownership houses on Richmond Road, Olton. This development has been brought together by the Homes and Community Agency, Waterloo Homes, Solihull Community Housing and Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council. The report relating to this decision can be … More RICHMOND ROAD – MARKETING OF SHARED OWNERSHIP HOUSES
The borough saw about ten illegal encampments in 2016, with one group being a particular problem for police, local authority and residents in Shirley. I do intend to blog in the coming days about how Solihull Council and Police are the forefront of tackling illegal encampments in the region. However, following the recent reporting in … More Travellers – incorrect reporting
Keen readers may have already been made aware of this great new2s via the media reports that followed the announcement of the grants. A super early Christmas present for Solihull was the news of a successful bid and two grants awarded to Solihull Borough Metropolitan Borough Council by the Department for Communities and Local Government … More Homeless Grants for SMBC
I thought I would have posted in 2017 before now but ‘Man flu’ got to me in the end. However, 2016 saw 10,602 actual visits to this website, with 25,250 views from the 59 posts made. I should really have posted more because there is so much going on and will focus more this year. … More Happy New Year to Video bloggings
An interesting report came to Solihull Cabinet last week, with cabinet being asked to ‘approve the development of an affordable ‘extra care’ housing development at Marlene Croft, Chelmsley Wood, being partof the former Coleshill Primary School site’. The full report can be read here: http://eservices.solihull.gov.uk/mgInternet/documents/s43012/EXTRA%20CARE%20HOUSING%20DEVELOPMENT%20CHELMSLEY%20WOOD.pdf This is a significant investment by the Council with £1.400m … More Extra Care Housing Development, Chelmsley Wood
On Wednesday 30 November 2016 Solihull’s Planning Committee (made up of fellow elected councillors) approved the planning application by IM Properties who sought to build on Blythe Valley Park; 750 homes, a 250 room care facility, a 200 room hotel and a commercial centre for the new development and existing offices. There was opposition from … More BVP – Rationale for support
Ken Hawkins 