Appeal for funding to fit sprinklers in local tower blocks

MINISTERS are being urged to offer up funding to install life-saving sprinkler systems in North Solihull's tower blocks.
A rough estimate, made after the Grenfell Tower tragedy, was that it would cost in the region of £8 million to fit the devices in all 37 high-rise buildings.
Solihull Council has now joined forces with 13 other local authorities to ask for money for the work to be carried out.
A letter was delivered direct to Downing Street on Tuesday of this week and housing bosses are waiting for a response.
It read: "Twenty one months after the Grenfell tragedy, tenants are still seeking reassurance that lessons have been learned and we now call upon the Government to prioritise the safety of residents living in tower blocks by funding this essential fire safety work."
The tragic events of June 2017, in which 72 people died, has led to renewed scrutiny of fire safety in flats across the country.
This included inspections of the various sites in Chelmsley Wood, Smith's Wood and Kingshurst & Fordbridge, most of which date to the housing boom in the 1960s.
While the checks following Grenfell confirmed that none of Solihull's buildings had been fitted with the cladding said to have accelerated the spread of the flames in West London, there has been various calls for sprinkler systems to be "retrofitted".
While the devices are required by law in all new tower blocks above a certain height, it is not compulsory to have them installed in existing buildings.
Other councils to have signed the letter include Bristol, Birmingham, Manchester and Sheffield.

Smith's Wood schoolgirl wins flowerbed competition

FLOWER POWER: Elaine Butler, Legion County President, Tamzin Clarke,
Mayor of Solihull, Coun Flo Nash, and Shameena Villars, from Love Solihull

A BOLD design dreamt up by a local schoolgirl will be the basis for an eye-catching flowerbed in the heart of Solihull.
Tamzin Clarke, aged 12, entered the annual competition to design a floral display in the town centre's Malvern Park.
This year's contest was run by the council's Love Solihull initiative in partnership with the Royal British Legion and is designed to honour the sacrifices made in the First World War.
More than 300 pupils submitted entries from 12 different schools, with the Smith's Wood Academy student announced as the winner this week.
The Mayor of Solihull, Coun Flo Nash, said: "Love Solihull’s annual competition is a wonderful way to get young people to think about serious issues and to demonstrate their creativity.
"This year’s competition is particularly poignant and focuses on raising awareness amongst our schoolchildren of the crippling effect of World War One on the homefront as well as those who served.
"I’m delighted that we had so many thoughtful and creative entries. However there can only be one winner, so congratulations to Tamzin for drawing such a great picture."
Each year the park's centrepiece has a different theme, with last year's whale intended to draw attention to the pollution of the world's oceans.
Visitors will be able to see the 2019 design brought to life in a few months' time.

Murder inquiry launched after stabbing in Smith's Wood

A MURDER investigation is underway after a young man suffered fatal stab wounds in Smith's Wood late last night (Friday).
Police were called to Arran Way at just after 11.15pm following reports that a man had been attacked.
A 24-year-old, described as having critical injuries, was discovered at the scene.
Despite the best efforts of paramedics, he was confirmed dead a short time later. He has yet to have been named by the authorities.
The area around Auckland Drive remains cordoned off this morning as police investigations continue.
Det Insp Michelle Allen, from the force’s homicide team, said: "A man has sadly lost his life and we are working hard to establish the circumstances around what happened.
"The investigation is in its early stages, and we're keen to hear from anyone who can help us piece together the circumstances leading up to the attack.
"If you were in Arran Way at the time, please contact us as you may have vital information about what happened."
Residents reported a flurry of activity on the estate last night, with rumours on social media that someone had been stabbed. Official confirmation came from West Midlands Police this morning.
The incident follows mounting concern about knife crime in the region and nationwide, although offences in Solihull are still far less frequent than elsewhere in the force area.
Anyone with information about last night's events should call officers on 101.

Yobs target ambulance on Castle Brom road

"DESPICABLE" yobs smashed an ambulance window as it was responding to a 999 call on the Collector Road.
It was revealed today that the vehicle had been targeted as it travelled down the dual carriageway last night (Thursday).
The paramedics, who were unhurt, had been on blue lights, travelling to attend to a patient who was experiencing breathing difficulties.
A second ambulance was immediately dispatched to the patient following the incident, which happened at just before 9pm.
The vehicle has been taken out of service and remains off the road, with repairs expected to cost several hundred pounds.
Nathan Hudson, from West Midlands Ambulance Service, said: "It is incredibly frustrating to once again find ourselves questioning why on earth somebody would want to do this to an ambulance.
"Not only that, but given it was using blue lights at the time, whoever did this could clearly see it was responding to an emergency, what if it had been on the way to one of their family members or rushing a loved one to hospital?
"We’re now faced with a vehicle being out of service, a repair bill and not forgetting the horrible nature of this incident for the staff involved. I am extremely thankful no-one was hurt."
The service will be handing CCTV from the vehicle to the police in the hope they can identify the people who carried out the attack.
Anyone with information should call officers on 101.

Stolen bike abandoned at Babbs Mill late at night

POLICE have recovered a motorbike stolen in Castle Bromwich earlier this week.
A rider was knocked off the vehicle on the Chester Road in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
Just over 24 hours later, police spotted two men riding a moped without helmets and pursued the pair.
They rode to Babbs Mill Park, in Kingshurst, where they abandoned the bike and fled on foot.
Solihull Police said: "Luckily for them, the dog was unable to get a track on this occasion otherwise one of them may have had a painful encounter.
"The bike was identified as being the silver and blue Pulse stolen during the robbery in Chester Road ... It has been recovered and is awaiting forensic examination."
Officers are keen to hear from anyone who saw the bike between when it was stolen, at around 12.40am on Tuesday, and 2.30am on Wednesday - when it was spotted by one of the force's dog units.
Anyone with information should call 101.

Have your say on Kingshurst Medical Practice

HEALTH bosses are asking for patients' views on Kingshurst Medical Practice.
The Birmingham and Solihull Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is asking that people take the time to fill out an online survey.
The questions about the GP surgery are available on Survey Monkey.

Fresh appeal over attack on teen at takeaway

POLICE are still trying to trace a man wanted in connection with an assault on a teenager at a Chelmsley Wood takeaway.
The 16-year-old boy had attempted to intervene in an altercation which had taken place at the KFC, in Moorend Avenue.
It's understood that tensions had boiled over in a confrontation over a girl.
The youth was knocked to the ground and then assaulted, suffering a cut to the head in the process.
The attack had happened at the fast food outlet on October 25 last year, with the outbreak of violence at around 5.45pm.
Police have already interviewed one man in connection with the incident, but would still like to speak to another individual - shown here on CCTV.
Anyone with information should call Solihull Police on 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.