Grandfather banned from Castle Brom Morrisons following doughnut row

A CHELMSLEY Wood man has been banned from a local supermarket following a row over a budget pack of doughnuts, the Birmingham Mail reports.

New scheme to involve women in sport launches in North Solihull

AN INITIATIVE which aims to increase the number of women playing sport was launched in Kingshurst last month
Across the borough, just over 16 per cent of women regularly exercise or play sport on a weekly basis, compared to almost a quarter of men.
In an attempt to address the issue, Solihull Active has launched an initiative to reduce the gender gap.
The Mayor of Solihull, Councillor Glenis Slater, was among those invited to the launch event at the CTC Kingshurst Academy.
She said she was delighted to support the programme and had high hopes it would give women more confidence about getting involved in traditional sports such as netball and tennis, as well as less familiar types of workout.
One of those being demonstrated at the CTC was the Clubbercise classes - dance sessions with disco lights and glow sticks thrown in!

• You can find out more about the "Solihull Girls Can" initiative at www.solihullactive.co.uk. Or why not drop in at the tennis session, taking place at North Solihull Sports Centre this Friday (October 9), from 10-11am.

Another takeaway approved in Castle Bromwich despite local concerns

PLANS to open another fish and chip shop in Castle Bromwich have been given the go-ahead, despite concerns about the glut of takeaways in the surrounding area.
The plans to open a chippy in Hurst Lane had worried residents and local councillors, who argued
there were already 17 other fast food outlets in the local community.
One of the existing takeaways, a short walk away, had gone as far as to start a petition against the proposals – collecting 400 signatures.
Appealing to the council to reject the latest application, they said: “Our family has run a fish and chip shop on Chester Road for 48 years and there are now lots of other hot food outlets in the area – we are losing footfall as these shops are much the same.”
Councillor Gail Sleigh (Con,Castle Bromwich) argued that there was already a sufficient number of takeaways to meet local people’s needs.
The number of takeaways in Solihull has been the subject of fierce debate for some time.
In 2013, plans to build a KFC on the Stratford Road, Shirley led to protests; one local family was so appalled they actually moved house.
Last autumn there was another heated debate about opening a takeaway in Rathlin Croft, Smith’s Wood.
In response, Solihull Council has started to draft clearer guidelines about the number of food outlets which should be allowed to open in main shopping areas.
Although the policy is yet to be finalised and had no bearing on this particular application.
Planning officers had said that the new chip shop would mean that three out of eight units along the parade would be takeaways, but this was not considered an excessive amount.
Councillors noted residents’ objections but agreed to grant permission for the change of use.

• What do you think? Email theothersideofsolihull@gmail.com or leave a comment below.

Good turn-out for Castle Brom's Apple Day event

TODAY's glorious sunshine brought scores of visitors to the Apple Day event at Castle Bromwich Hall Gardens.

Dozens of varieties of fruit and vegetables were on display and there was also a chance to browse stalls and watch demonstrations of traditional crafts, including beekeeping and woodturning.

For details about future events at the Gardens, please click here.

STRICTLY COME PRANCING: These "Molly Dancers" gave several
performances throughout the afternoon.

TAKE YOUR PIP: The garden's summer houses were stacked with
autumn produce, including dozens of species of apple.

WHAT A HOOT: A falconry company gave visitors the chance to get a better
look at several birds-of-prey, including this lively tawny owl.

Chelmsley Wood school raises record amount for cancer charity

TEA UP: Trish Purnell pictured with Bishop
Wilson pupils at a previous Coffee Morning.

CHILDREN and teachers at Bishop Wilson CofE Primary School have raised more than £1100 for charity.
Parents pitched in to serve tea and cake in the school hall, with all proceeds going to Macmillan's World's Biggest Coffee Morning.
Trish Purnell, the school's senior lunchtime supervisor, has been co-ordinating the event every autumn for the past decade and was delighted that a record amount was raised this time round.
Ms Purnell, mother of the Michelin-starred chef Glynn Purnell, said: "I was keen to see the event become even bigger this year.
"Glynn was able to donate some hampers and a signed cookbook, as well as lots of other prizes from local businesses and volunteers.
"The charity means a lot to me and I'm proud that we have managed to put on one of the biggest events in the West Midlands."
Macmillan started its Coffee Morning event in 1990 and thousands of fundraisers take place around the UK each year.

Plans approved to reintroduce speed cameras to Castle Brom

ROAD SAFETY: This speed camera on the Chester Road was switched
off in 2013, but a new digital device is being installed at the site.

PLANS to bring back speed cameras at two accident blackspots in North Solihull were given the go-ahead last month.
As part of a new pilot scheme, a digital device will be installed on the Bradford Road/Chester Road (between Timberley Lane and Hurst Lane.)
And, if the money is available, Solihull Council’s highways bosses will also consider a second camera
on the northbound carriageway of the Collector Road.
Overall, the council will be pumping £400,000 into the road safety project, which will be run jointly with Birmingham City Council.
The two stretches of road in the Castle Bromwich area have been identified as priorities because both have a history of collisions and drivers breaking the speed limit.
The plans have been agreed just over two years since the decision was taken to switch off more than 300 speed cameras across the West Midlands region.
At the time there was a fierce debate among borough councillors about whether this was the right course of action.
Many Labour and Lib Dem members believed the cameras played a crucial part in road safety and pulling the plug could see a catastrophic increase in accidents.
The Tories, meanwhile, argued that the devices had had their day and that the financial strain of replacing an ageing network would be too great.
In April 2013, when the cameras were turned off, highways bosses said that the emphasis would switch to mobile speed traps, which could be move between locations as required.
But the idea of reintroducing fixed cameras to the most dangerous sites was always on the table, with Birmingham and Solihull spending many months thrashing out an agreement.
Councillor Ted Richards, cabinet member for transport and highways, has been told that the success of the new digital technology could pave the way for cameras to be reintroduced in greater numbers across the region.

Anger as Marston Green memorial bench is defaced

A BENCH installed in memory of local men who gave their lives in the First World War has been defaced by vandals.
Marston Green residents are appalled by the damage done to the seat, which was placed in the village’s Garden of Memory last autumn.
The piece of furniture had been specially commissioned to mark the 100th anniversary of war breaking out and was officially unveiled less than 12 months ago.
This month, Bickenhill and Marston Green Parish Council revealed that people had thrown stones at the bench, chipping the enamel, while initials had been scratched into the surface. The group described the vandalism as “very disappointing.”
The damage comes amid general concerns about groups of youths congregating in the garden.
Residents last month met with the police neighbourhood team to discuss the problem and many are calling on officers to introduce CCTV in an attempt to curb the anti social behaviour. The matter will also be raised at a parish council meeting on November 4.