January: There was a sad start to 2016, with the news that a teenager from Chelmsley Wood had died during New Year’s Eve celebrations in Birmingham.
An inquest later found that 18-year-old Dylan Booth had died after taking an ecstasy tablet during a party in Digbeth.
There were also concerns about the news that a far-right group had announced it would be staging a demonstration near Marston Green.
From stirring up trouble, to cooking up a storm - local chef Glynn Purnell returned to his old school, Bishop Wilson, to support a healthy eating campaign.
Police were left puzzled after a speed limit sign was moved around a mile down the road, possibly by a rather desperate driver who was trying to escape a speeding ticket.
As the month neared its end, there were a number of high-profile visitors, including Housing Minister Brandon Lewis, here to find out more about the North Solihull Regeneration, and Team GB gymnast Mimi Cesar - who was asked to open the School Games in Chelmsley.
Also coming up against obstacles were members of the local travelling community, whose invasion of land in Marston Green had led to a number of new barriers being installed.
Elsewhere in the village, residents were asked to have their say over plans to tighten up parking restrictions near the railway station, where commuters were continuing to clog up nearby roads.
And a short distance away, a separate consultation was launched about what should be done with the old bowling green in Meriden Park. It has since been transformed into a brand-new community space.
Debate also raged about levels of local policing, with Kingshurst & Fordbridge councillor Flo Nash making an impassioned plea for more officers on the beat.
She told Full Council that despite suggestions that crime was falling, many residents missed the reassurance of seeing PCs on patrol in local neighbourhoods.
Despite their campaign against proposals, Solihull Council’s planning committee voted in favour of a new housing development, which would mean the loss of part of the wildlife habitat.
In fact politicians were proving less than popular locally, with a Conservative MP also attracting criticism after he referred to Chelmsley Wood as a “brutalist horror” in a House of Commons debate.
From low blows to a knock out performance. Former professional boxer Simon Ford smashed a World Record to raise more than £500 for Sports Relief.
Friends and family of Christopher Clarke paid their respects after the motorcyclist died in a high-speed collision on the Collector Road.
There was also a fresh flurry of tributes for Marston Green teacher Anne Dunkley, who had been stabbed to death the previous summer. Her nephew, Gareth Emery, admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.
And firefighters announced plans to relocate an engine to Chelmsley’s Asda supermarket, amid concerns that it was taking too long to respond to incidents in the north of the borough.
April: A group of local residents spoke of their anger and frustration over proposals to pull down bungalows in Lambeth Close, a decision which they claimed would destroy a “close-knit community.”
Solihull Council also came in for criticism for cuts in local services, with Chelmsley Wood councillor James Burn saying it was time for the local authority to be honest about the impact.
After many months of complaints about the problems caused by off-road bikes, police swooped in Smith’s Wood to seize a number of the vehicles.
Only a few weeks before, officers had faced criticism for not doing enough to respond to residents’ concerns. Castle Bromwich councillor Ted Richard vowed to take action to address another long-standing problem - the gridlock on local roads during the school run.
A Marston Green couple had a lucky escape after a cannabis factory in the property next door led to a blaze which threatened to engulf their home as well.
In Smith’s Wood Mike Sheridan, the man who had been the Greens’ first councillor locally, only to leave the party last year, was roundly defeated by his former colleagues.
Over in Castle Bromwich, quite a crowd turned out to see an original Spitfire complete a fly-past.
If the sight of the famous fighter plane set hearts racing, things were moving rather more slowly on local roads, with renewed criticism about the standard of the area’s public transport.
There was also concern about the fact that North Solihull continued to lag behind the rest of the borough when it came to getting young people into university.
Solihull’s education chief, Joe Tildesley, admitted more work needed to be done to encourage school leavers to go on to study for degrees.
In Chelmsley Wood, local residents rallied round to help after yet another arson attack at the Meriden Park Adventure Playground caused thousands of pounds worth of damage.
If the return of the road safety measures divided opinion, there was a unanimous welcome for the news that Chelmsley Wood clergyman Neil Roberts had been awarded an BEM.
The Grace Academy was in full song after a group of stars from London’s West End arrived to perform alongside school pupils.
A report raised concerns about alcohol consumption in the borough, with suggestions that more than 40,000 people were drinking more than they should.
Ironically enough, the month concluded with an event which was almost certain to leave many people reaching for a glass in celebration - or despair.
After a bruising campaign, which divided opinions both locally and nationwide, the UK voted to leave the European Union.
Across the borough, more than half backed Brexit, with Meriden MP Caroline Spelman - who had campaigned for Remain - issuing a call for the country to come together.
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