Always a difficult subject and one not to be taken lightly following the decision by the House of Commons to vote themselves a 10% pay rise earlier this year. The issue about Allowances for Councillors is sometimes complex. Should people get an allowance for a task they are willing to undertake? Should the allowance be … More INDEPENDENT REMUNERATION PANEL REVIEW OF MEMBERS’ ALLOWANCES
As you may know, the Council introduced changes in April 2015 to the way we work out the contribution people make towards their non-residential costs. When the changes were introduced, this meant some people who had previously paid nothing had to pay something towards the cost of their care. Therefore, to help support those who had … More Have your say on proposals on removing the cap on non-residential care charges from April 2017
Health and social care organisations in Solihull have a long and strong track record of working closely together to make sure that our local health and social care services are as joined as possible so that Solihull residents are unable to see where one ends and the other starts. In the last couple of years … More Birmingham and Solihull Sustainability and Transformation Plan
Solihull Together for Better Lives is a partnership of local health and social care organisations that have joined together under the banner Solihull Together for better lives. Click on the hyperlink to visit their website. Over the next five years they aim make the kind of changes that will really make a difference to people living in … More Solihull Together for Better Lives
A little known gem in the borough is the Wellbeing Service provided through Solihull Community Housing (SCH). What some people may have thought, including myself, is that the service is for clients of SCH; This is not so. The full range of services provided can be viewed on their web pages via this link: https://www.solihullcommunityhousing.org.uk/Home/Tenants/SCHWellbeing/ … More WELLBEING CENTRE – Solihull
I have today received a document from Arden Cross which provides a timely update on the proposals for the High Speed 2 interchange area once the HS2 Bill receives its Royal Assent (at the end of this year) and subject to Solihull’s own Local Plan Review, also expected later this year/early 2018. You will see … More ARDEN CROSS – HS2
An interesting report to Solihull Cabinet this evening related to Solihull Town Centre and the Master Plan we are looking at; a public consultation will be launched next week (which I will post when the survey is launched). The Solihull Town Centre Masterplan aims to provide a blueprint for future investment and development which maximises … More SOLIHULL Town Centre Plan
I was asked to write up my thoughts about development training for councillors following a ‘conversation’ on twitter with Dr. Catherine Needham from Birmingham University following comments I made when I read the report she co-authored entitled ‘The 21st Century Councillor’ 21st-century-councillor . This is a great read for all councillors, old or new. I do … More BARRIERS TO COUNCILLOR DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING
Following a few complaints and comments on local Facebook sites it was my intention to write up another piece about recycling on my website. I then found that at Solihull’s Annual Council in May I was appointed Cabinet Member with responsibility for Environment, Housing and Regeneration. This includes waste and recycling. Solihull Council’s website has … More RECYCLING IN SOLIHULL
Please find posted the February monthly newsletter for the Meriden area; includes all wards within the Meriden Constituency: Newsletter February 2016 final version
Ken Hawkins 