Serving the Local Community
Did you know that you can report potholes, dodgy pavement repairs following work, flytipping, abandoned cars etc through a website called Fix My Street. So next time you trip over a loose manhole cover or damage your car on a large pothole, go to www.fixmystreet.com and …
It really couldn’t be simpler.
Solihull Council is launching a second round of Solihull Switch ‘n’ Save, a scheme aimed at finding residents cheaper gas and electricity bills.
Residents who signed up to the first round of the scheme in October were offered average savings on their energy bills of £265, leading to total savings of £65,435 for households in the borough. The highest average saving was for those who registered online and have a monthly direct debit dual-fuel paper billing. These customers saved £375 on average.
The registration period for the next round begins on 22 March 2016. All residents need to do is have a recent energy bill to hand and visit www.solihull.gov.uk/switching to register before the deadline of 22 May 2016.
A reverse auction will then be held where energy suppliers will bid for the opportunity to offer participants a cheaper deal. At no point are any personal details released to utility companies.
Residents who have registered will then receive an email or letter containing details of the new energy offer and the estimated annual savings available. It’s then up to the participant whether to switch and save. There are no obligations and it’s completely free.
This type of scheme is known as collective switching, which uses the collective bargaining power of groups of people to secure better prices from energy suppliers. Although it’s designed to save money for residents, the scheme is open to everyone in the UK to participate.
Councillor Karen Grinsell, Cabinet Member for Stronger Communities and Partnerships, said: “It’s fantastic that this scheme has been successful as it really is a force for good in offering a simpler way for our residents to make sure they’re not overpaying on their energy bills.
“This scheme means you won’t need to negotiate the often confusing world of energy suppliers and tariffs; instead the Council will do the hard work for you. You’ve got nothing to lose by registering your details and you may end up having some extra cash in your pocket at the end of it.”
For more information call 0121 704 6000 or visit a Solihull Connect walk-in centre where one-to-one support in registering for the scheme is available.
Would you like some advice with that?
People in Solihull can expect to walk away with more than just their prescription when they visit their local pharmacy in the future.
Eleven pharmacies in the borough are to become new ‘Healthy Living Pharmacies’ (HLP) offering people more advice and support to lead healthier lifestyles.
Each pharmacy will have at least two accredited ‘Health Champions’ who have been trained to give customers health and wellbeing advice as well as information about services in the community that can help them to improve their health in areas such as weight management, alcohol consumption and help to quit smoking.
By shifting the focus from treatment to prevention, the aim is that people will benefit from living well for longer and the burden on other services including GPs and hospitals is decreased.
Solihull Public Health has been working closely with participating pharmacies, overseeing the project and providing the necessary staff training with the overall aim that the remainder of Solihull’s community pharmacies will also work towards gaining HLP status. Accredited pharmacies are awarded with the HLP quality mark so that they are identifiable within the community.
Councillor Ken Meeson, Chair of Solihull’s Health and Wellbeing Board said: “Pharmacies are an integral part of their communities, dispensing prescriptions and giving advice that can often save a trip to the GP or local hospital. Many are open when Doctors’ surgeries are closed and serve a range of people from those who only pop in for basic remedies to those with more long term health concerns. Trusted and easily accessible without an appointment they have great potential to improve the health of local people, including those who may not go to their GPs. They also have an important role in supporting people to adopt better lifestyles that not only help them to live longer and healthier lives but can also reduce the pressure on other over-stretched health services.”
The eleven pharmacies in Solihull currently working towards HLP status should receive their accreditations by November this year. The pharmacies are:
Lloyds Pharmacy, Shirley
Tesco Pharmacy, Shirley
Dudley Taylor, Cheswick Green
Craig Croft, Chelmsley Wood
Dalton Pharmacy, Dickens Heath
MR Pharmacy, Monkspath
Browns Pharmacy, Warwick Rd
Browns Pharmacy, Kingshurst
Boots Pharmacy, Hatchford Brook
St Marys Pharmacy, Hampton in Arden
Lloyds Pharmacy, Castle Bromwich
Carol McNidder, Pharmacy Manager at Dudley Taylor in Cheswick Green said: “We are thrilled to be taking part in this initiative which will really utilise the skills of the pharmacy team in improving and increasing the services we provide for the benefit of the health and well being of our patients.”
Healthy Living Pharmacies (HLP), initially developed in Portsmouth are now being rolled out across the country. There are currently over 1000 HLPs in England with an ambition from Public Health England that will increase substantially.
Over the summer of 2015 Solihull Council sought the views of residents and businesses on plans for ‘Solihull Connected’, a transport strategy to keep the borough connected for the next twenty years.
The results of this consultation, as well as the draft transport strategy are being submitted to the Council’s Economic Development & Managed Growth Scrutiny Board for consideration on Thursday 17 March.
Having taken part in the consultation or agreed to receive updates on the strategy, you may be interested in the outcomes which have indicated broad support for the Solihull Connected vision, objectives and strategic priorities.
Following consideration by the Scrutiny Board, a further report will be taken to Cabinet Member for Transport & Highways in the summer to seek approval for Solihull Connected to be formally adopted.
A delivery plan for the strategy will then follow in September setting out our investment priorities. If you have any further questions please email solihullconnected@solihull.gov.uk.
Please find attached details of a forthcoming Implementation Notice for School Road and Shelfield Close, Hockley Heath, which will come into effect on 18th March 2016.
If you would like to discuss any technical aspect of the Orders, please contact the Council’s Highway Services Division on 0121 704 8004. or for more information on Solihull’s permanent, temporary or experimental Traffic Regulation Orders, please visit:
http://www.solihull.gov.uk/Resident/Parking-travel-roads/roadworks-and-restrictions/tros
Kind regards,
Joseph Bright
Democratic Services
Solihull MBC
Solihull Council and the North Solihull Partnership have announced that Runwood Homes will design, build and operate a brand new residential and nursing home in Chelmsley Wood.
The construction of the 60 bed home for older people with dementia will mark the final phase of the Chelmund’s Cross Village Centre development which has seen £22m of investment so far.
The Council will commission a ten year block contract to occupy all of the beds in the new home, meaning that local people will have greater access to affordable care in the future.
Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing, Councillor Ken Meeson said: “As the population of older people in the borough grows, so too does the demand for high quality care and support services. The Council consistently faces the challenge of being able to find care homes and particularly nursing beds at an affordable cost and located in the borough to meet this increasing need.
“I am delighted therefore that we have been able to secure a high quality partner to provide what will be an exemplar scheme, offering local residents excellent facilities at an affordable rate.”
The new home will be located within Chelmund’s Cross Village Centre. The centre, part funded by the European Regional Development Fund, includes the £10m Bishop Wilson School, a new Enterprise Centre providing office space for small and new start-up businesses, as well as a new medical centre, dental practice, pharmacy and retail units which will be under construction soon.
Cabinet Member for Environment, Housing and Regeneration, Councillor Tony Dicicco added: “The new home will be the final piece of the jigsaw to create a first class community hub for local people. Being located next to all of these fantastic new local amenities creates opportunities for the new residents of the home to really feel part of a community. As well as the future job opportunities that will come once the home is built, Runwood Homes will also be offering two apprentice posts as part of the development; one during construction and one managerial post which demonstrates that they really understand and want to get involved in the wider investment we are making in the area.”
Now that Runwood Homes has been selected as the developer, they will soon be holding a public engagement event to seek people’s views on their plans for the design and layout of the building, prior to submitting a planning application to the Council.
Gordon Sanders, Chief Executive of Runwood Homes said: “We are delighted to have been selected as the Council’s partner and look forward to working on a long term basis to provide affordable quality dementia services for the people of Solihull. This will be our first care home in the Borough although we have eight care homes established in Warwickshire. Arrangements are in hand for consultation with local stakeholders regarding our planning proposals and these will be followed by more detailed discussion during the formal planning process.”
For further information please contact:
Julie Harrison,
Tel: 0121 704 8765
Email: juharrison@solihull.gov.uk
Web: www.solihull.gov.uk
The Mayor of Solihull, Councillor Glenis Slater, opened Café Tempo on Wednesday 24 February. The café, at St Mary’s Church in Hobs Moat, offers support to those who care for someone living with dementia.
The café is open on the last Wednesday of every month from 10am until 1pm. It is an opportunity for those voluntarily caring for someone with dementia to seek advice and support in a friendly and open environment.
People living with dementia are welcome to come along and will be looked after by the volunteers who run the café. It gives the carers, often partners or relatives, a chance to relax and share experiences with others in a similar situation.
Café Tempo is run by the Act on Dementia Community Interest Company (CIC). Act on Dementia offers training for those caring for people with dementia, as well as health and wellbeing advice for the carers themselves.
The Mayor said “It can be an immensely difficult job to provide care for a loved one who is living with dementia. Carers often find themselves alone coping with a difficult situation and opportunities like this can make a real difference. It gives much-needed advice and support to carers and helps them to manage their own lives as well.”
Christine Logan, Director of Act on Dementia CIC, said: “Carers play a vital role in our community by providing dedicated support to family members living with dementia. But carers need support too, and opportunities like Café Tempo mean that carers can come together and recharge their batteries.”
For more information contact Christine Logan at christinelogan05@aol.com or call 07720880109.
Cafés will soon be opening at following locations –
The Art Space, Kingshurst; 2nd & 4th Thursday of the month at 12.30-4.30pm.
Olton Library (2nd floor); twice a month on a Friday starting Friday 18 March at 10am – 1pm.
Three Trees community centre; every other week starting Monday 14 March at 1-4pm.
The Parish Council have been advised that Western Power Distribution are working on Stratford Road to maintain, repair or replace and link box/link box lid. The work started on 25th February and is scheduled to be complete before 2nd March 2016. Should you require more details, please go to the following website: www.roadworks.org and this will give you live updates.
In the past West Power Distribution have been ahead of schedule with repairs so we are hopeful that the temporary lights will be down before the 2nd March.
In the meantime, there is likely to be disruption to traffic particularly mornings and evening rush hour so please add a little more time to your journeys.
At Solihull’s full council meeting on Tuesday 1 March, members will debate whether to commit Solihull to joining the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA).
A survey into the proposed WMCA was requested by the Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG). A report summarising the results has now been published and will inform the debate. The report can be viewed at https://westmidlandscombinedauthority.org.uk/about/documents/
Between 60% and 72% of people agreed or strongly agreed that:
• by working together local authorities in the West Midlands would deliver improvements in economic development, regeneration and transport
• better coordination of these areas would mean more effective and convenient local government and services
• the region’s Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) would ensure businesses have a strong voice moving forward, and
• neighbouring local authorities should be invited to participate in the WMCA
Preparing for Council on 1 March, Councillor Bob Sleigh, Leader of Solihull Council, said:
“DCLG required us to undertake the survey and the responses received show there is general support for a combined authority.
“Some comments show there are still worries about Solihull being ‘taken over’ by other councils, becoming part of a ‘super council’ or being responsible for the debts or problems of other councils. Concerns were also expressed that Solihull joining a combined authority would mean losing what makes our borough such a special place to live.
“This is absolutely not the case.
“I can reassure people that if Solihull Council joins a WMCA it will still be the Solihull Council they know. We will continue to serve the local area in the same way as we always have. We will still be emptying bins, dealing with local planning applications and cleaning Solihull’s streets.
“The combined authority proposal is about working together with our neighbours on matters that cross council boundaries, for example roads, trains and buses. I am confident working closer together in a combined authority will allow us to deliver a better connected West Midlands and improved public transport services.
“Initially I had to be convinced about the benefits of a combined authority for Solihull. However, having scrutinised the figures it is clear that it presents a huge opportunity for the borough. It will bring significant investment into Solihull projects, delivering these projects faster than if the borough went it alone.
“I have talked directly, to local businesses, parish councils, voluntary and community sector, MPs, councillors, council employees and once I have explained what a combined authority means for Solihull, there has been overwhelming support for the proposals.
“If a combined authority is formed, we could benefit from £636 million of direct investment into Solihull over the next 30 years. We could see Junction 6 (M42) improvements, HS2 Interchange funding, alongside other transport investment.
“The WMCA would also unlock an overall £8 billion investment package for skills, infrastructure and businesses across the region. It will enable us to create a workforce and economy that will benefit our children and young people for years to come.
“I would not be doing this if it wasn’t right for Solihull. We have worked hard, and will continue in our endeavours, to ensure there is a clear benefit for Solihull being part of the proposed WMCA.
“I can reassure people that no one council will have more power than another. Each authority will be an equal player in the proposed WMCA. We will all have one vote.
“My aim is to make sure this collaboration works for Solihull, for our partners and the region as a whole.
“I look forward to discussing these matters at Council on 1 March, and promise that should we decide to join a WMCA, I will continue to be open and transparent, keeping residents, businesses and all our other partners informed of progress.”
The public consultation was carried out from 18 January to 8 February.
It was undertaken to help the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government make a decision regarding the establishment of a Combined Authority in the West Midlands.
There were five key questions relating to the proposed Combined Authority’s role and functions and, specifically, about the Scheme document that was submitted to government in December.
Solihull Council is due to start work on a new scheme to improve a major route into Solihull town centre by installing traffic lights at the busy Blossomfield Road/Dingle Lane/Danford Lane junction.
The scheme is expected to significantly improve traffic capacity on the B4102 Blossomfield Road corridor. This is a heavily congested route into Solihull town centre particularly during the morning and afternoon peak periods; accommodating 95 bus services.
The Blossomfield Road junction itself handles 23,000 vehicles during an average day and currently comprises a roundabout with pelican crossings on either side of the Blossomfield Road arms. Due to the roundabout’s compact nature its two circulatory lanes are currently seldom used.
The junction is located in close proximity to three secondary schools, a technical college and a primary school meaning that there is very high demand for the pelican crossings during school start and finish times.
As part of the scheme and in order to create a more efficient operation of the junction, the current roundabout will be removed and replaced with traffic signals. This will mean that each arm of the junction will have a dedicated green light at each traffic cycle. This is in contrast to the current uncontrolled roundabout where the high usage of the pedestrian crossings slows the movement of vehicles through the junction and leads to queuing.
The scheme will also install a new controlled crossing point on Dingle Lane, improving road safety for those who walk to the local schools in the area. It will also provide a cycle priority lane on the Blossomfield Road at both approaches to the junction.
The work, which will be undertaken by the Council’s highways-partnering contractors, Balfour Beatty – Living Places and Siemens, is expected to take 12 weeks to complete.
There will be no road closures during the work but traffic restrictions will be in place at various points, which may lead to some disruption.
The initial work expected to be undertaken on commencement of the scheme will be the physical removal of the roundabout.
