Gardening sessions in Smith's Wood

GREEN-fingered residents are invited to get involved with the community garden at Auckland Hall.
Sessions on vegetables, planting and other aspects of tending a plot take place at the Smith's Wood venue on Thursdays (from 10-11.30am).
For further information call 0738 7988103.

Local troupe takes Britain's Got Talent by storm

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: More than 30 pupils make-up the troupe.

A TROUPE of talented performers who train in North Solihull have made it through to the semi-finals of Britain's Got Talent.
AcroCadbra wowed the panel of judges with their dance, magic and gymnastics routine and were one of the handful of acts from around the country to make it through to the live shows of the ITV juggernaut.
The group of nine to 17-year-olds are all members of the Spotlight Stage School, which is run by Castle Bromwich's Vicky Richards.
They previously performed at last year's Dance World Cup, where they clinched a world title. And members have also taken part in a UK tour with former Strictly Come Dancing judge Arlene Phillips.
On Saturday night, their routine during the Britain's Got Talent auditions was broadcast to an audience of several million. And the judges were blown away by the performance.
Singer and panellist Alesha Dixon said: "What is there not to like about you guys? The way you present yourselves, the formations, the tricks. That was fantastic!"
This morning, Ms Richards appeared on the Radio WM Breakfast show alongside pupils Beverley Cooney and Raiaz Fisher.
"We were actually invited...by Britain's Got Talent," said the principal, who said it had been her father's idea to add some conjuring to the performance.
"We were invited to perform at the London Palladium because they said they'd never seen any act that had combined acrobatics and magic before."
The live semi-final featuring AcroCadbra will be broadcast tomorrow night (Wednesday). The team will be competing against other contestants in hope of securing a place in the weekend's grand final.

Grace Academy students in full voice for charity single

STUDENTS from a Chelmsley Wood school have recorded a song to raise money for a leading mental health charity.
The group of pupils from Grace Academy, in Chapelhouse Drive, joined with sister schools in Coventry and Darlaston to lay down a track.
They had just two days in the studio to put the record together, but were helped along their way by professional songwriter Mark Vallance, who has previously worked alongside the likes of Laura Mvula and Tom Walker.
You're Not Alone will be raising funds for Mind, which supports people with a wide range of mental health issues.
Mark paid tribute to the talent and hard work of the students he had worked alongside.
"I was amazed by the standard of vocalists - all of them sing exceptionally well. I was so impressed by their ability to write melody, lyrics, and to collaborate with each other.
"Sharing ideas can sometimes be difficult but they had no problem with it, and that’s another reason why I feel the song has turned out so well."
Year 8 student Notaya Grant said: "It was a good experience. I learned more about mental health issues, and we want to inspire other people through the song.
"Taking part to make a difference in peoples’ lives and raise awareness, has made me feel good about myself.  The song is upbeat, not depressing, and explains the positive message that people need to talk about the issue and not feel alone."
The track is now available to download via iTunes, Spotify and Amazon.

HS2 event to roll into region next month

A HS2 roadshow will be taking place a stone's throw from North Solihull next month.
The event, offering information about plans to build an interchange station, will be taking place at the Crowne Plaza NEC, in Pendigo Way. It will be held on Monday, June 18, from 10am-2pm.
If you have any questions or comments email HS2enquiries@hs2.org.uk or call 08081 434 434 and refer to "HS2 in Solihull".

Centenary of airman's death in Castle Bromwich

HISTORY buffs are hoping residents may be able to shed more light on the life of a man who was killed in a plane crash in Castle Bromwich 100 years ago today.
Lieutenant Percy Charles Moynihan lost his life after his aircraft collided with a tree as he attempted to take off on May 22, 1918.
Originally from Islington, London, Lt Moynihan had been a member of the 54 Training Squadron - part of the RAF, which had only been formed some seven weeks earlier.
The 27-year-old had acquired his aviator's licence in 1915 and had been made a flying officer less than a fortnight before he died.
He was one of many young pilots who lost their lives in the First World War. While aircraft had revolutionised warfare, they were notoriously dangerous and during the course of the conflict Britain reported more than 9,000 servicemen killed or missing in action.
Lt Moynihan, whose tragic accident occurred at around 3pm, is buried at St Mary and St Margaret's Church. He is not, however, among those named on the village's war memorial.
The story is the latest in a series unearthed by Solihull's heritage and local studies service. For the past four years, the organisation has been posting a succession of reports to mark the centenary of various events of local interest.
If you know more about Lt Moynihan's story, visit the Solihull Life website for details on how to get in touch.

Power cut forces CTC to close

THE CTC Kingshurst Academy sent students home today (Tuesday) after a major power cut left the kitchens unable to provide the children with food.
Only those Year 11 students who were due to sit a GCSE geography exam this afternoon were asked to remain on the site, with the Cooks Lane school saying it would make provision for the group.
The school notified parents via Facebook after admitting that its text system was unavailable because of the power failure.
A few hours ago, the CTC confirmed that it was back up-and-running and that the school would be open to all students as usual tomorrow.

Help for teens in Chelmsley Wood

SUPPORT sessions for young people who are feeling stressed or worried are being held in Chelmsley Wood each week.
The Fiveway Cafe is available to offer help to 11 to 16-year-olds every Monday evening (from 5-7pm).
The drop-in sessions take place at the Bishop Wilson hub and St Andrew's Church, in Craig Croft.
To find out more about the help available in the borough, visit this website.

Housing scheme set for Smith's Wood

PLANS to build a new housing development in Smith's Wood are set to move forward.
On Thursday evening, Solihull councillors agreed to the disposal of land along Arran Way, where 51 properties are due to be built.
The scheme, which will involve a mix of 39 houses and 12 apartments, received planning permission three years ago and will form part of the North Solihull Regeneration.
Coun Tim Hodgson, Deputy Leader of the Green group, said it was key that the project didn't create the sort of parking problems which have been experienced during previous developments elsewhere in the borough.
Addressing the council's cabinet, he said it was important to get the work "right first time".

North Solihull Sports Centre deal announced

A NEW deal has been struck to manage North Solihull Sports Centre.
Solihull Council has this week announced that it has signed a 10-year agreement with leisure management company Everyone Active, taking effect on June 1.
The deal, which also covers the running of Tudor Grange Leisure Centre, is set to save the council around £1.4million a year.
It has been confirmed that all existing staff at both facilities will be retained under the new arrangement.
The partnership comes after Solihull Council chose to buy out the Public Private Partnership (PPP) contract it had entered into 12 years ago, under which the centres were run by Parkwood Leisure.
Speaking this week, Coun Robert Hulland, cabinet member for resources and delivering value, said the local authority didn't have any criticism of the previous operator but there were concerns that the annual cost was rising.
He said that when the previous deal was hammered out in 2006, councils were quite limited in their options, but he believed that new legislation had allowed greater flexibility.
Around two years of discussions have taken place and Solihull spoke with Portsmouth City Council who had previously adopted a similar, although not identical, model.
"Not only has this saved the council around £1.4 million per annum, but Everyone Active is committed to investing £1 million in their first year with us so we are saving money and increasing our leisure offer to residents," said Coun Hulland.
Coun James Burn (Green, Chelmsley Wood) said that his group would be watching to see how the new arrangements worked in practice.
He said that there was an argument that instead of "contracting out" the day-to-day management of services, the council could consider opportunities for doing it themselves.

Wave of traveller camps in North Solihull

PITCHED UP: Caravans at Castle Bromwich during the recent Bank
Holiday weekend.

TRAVELLERS have set up camps at no less than four sites in North Solihull so far this month.
Today Solihull Council confirmed that an unauthorised camp at Heath Park, off Bluebell Drive, Chelmsley Wood, had now been moved on.
The local authority has promised a thorough clean-up of the site and a review of measures to prevent caravans accessing the land in future.
Efforts have also taken place to move an encampment off the land on the Bradford Road, opposite Castle Bromwich Hall Gardens. This work was done in conjunction with Castle Bromwich Parish Council.
However, issues remain at both Babbs Mill Park - the site of a number of previous incursions - and Windward Way, Smith's Wood.
In a statement today, Solihull Council said: "To support the evidence gathering it is very important that as many local residents as possible report any anti-social or criminal behaviour to the police by calling 101.
"This helps build a picture of the situation for the court to consider when a case is presented to them."
Last month, Solihull Council was updated on efforts to protect parkland from illegal camps, although it was acknowledged that it was impossible to prevent access altogether.

Blitz on litter in Castle Bromwich

ALMOST 30 bags of rubbish were filled in just an hour and a half during a major effort to clean-up Castle Bromwich.
Volunteers armed with litter picks arrived in force to take part in a "spring clean" of the suburb on Saturday.
The group assembled on The Green and after a busy morning, heading to The Hickory Smokehouse for refreshments.

Winner of North Solihull Singers' contest revealed

NORTH Solihull Singers (NSS) recently confirmed the winner of a brand-new singing competition.
The local group teamed up with Black Train Music to run the Solihull Rising Star contest – which was open to 12 to 14-years-olds.
The winner, Liam Price, had the chance to perform live on stage at the Singers’ concert at the Three Trees Centre on May 5, accompanied by the choir and a band.
In addition, there will be a chance to join Nathaniel Morrison, a judge on BBC’s prime-time show All Together Now, during a forthcoming appearance in Birmingham.
A six-month membership of the Solihull Out Loud Youth Choir and two one-on-one coaching sessions with NSS director Kris Chase-Byrne also form part of the package.

Spitfire flypast will be centrepiece of Castle Brom event

FLYING HIGH: A Spitfire passes over Castle Bromwich during a previous
event in 2016.

A SPITFIRE will return home to Castle Bromwich this lunchtime, with one of the famous fighter planes scheduled to complete a flypast.

The Mark 9 - in desert colours - will be swooping low over the suburb to mark the Hall Gardens' 1940s event.

Castle Bromwich is indelibly linked with the aircraft which played such a pivotal role in the Battle of Britain, with 12,000 Spitfires having rolled off the assembly line by the time production ended in 1945.

The flypast is scheduled to take place at just before 1pm today, with another model passing over again tomorrow lunchtime. Organisers have emphasised, however, that it is subject to weather conditions.

Inside the Gardens, visitors can enjoy a display of vintage vehicles and meet a procession of people in period costume. There will also be chance to get your hair styled in a 40s fashion! The event will be taking place between 11am-4pm.

To find out more visit the venue's events page.

Travellers set up camp off Yorkminster Drive

SOLIHULL Council has confirmed it is working to remove a group of travellers which has moved onto parkland in Chelmsley Wood.

The caravans rolled onto Bluebell Recreation Ground, off Yorkminster Drive, yesterday (Thursday) and are understood to have travelled from over the border in Birmingham.

The stretch of road had been blocked between the junction of Bluebell Drive and Lyecroft Avenue as the vehicles drove onto the open space.

In a statement this morning, the council said: "We are aware of travellers on Yorkminster Drive and are currently liaising with the police about the situation. We will update further when we have more details."

The latest encampment comes just a week after a group of around a dozen caravans pitched up on the green space adjacent to Castle Bromwich Hall Gardens. 

Marston Green to mark Royal Wedding

A STREET-party style celebration will be taking place in Marston Green next week.
The indoor event will be staged at the Parish Hall, in Elmdon Road, on May 19 to celebrate the Wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
There will be stalls, entertainment and a family disco - with the added advantage that a spot of rain won't stop the revelry.
It is likely to be one of the few celebrations taking place to mark the nuptials, after it was confirmed earlier in the month that just four applications had been received to hold street parties in Solihull (with none in the north of the borough).
For further details or information on booking tickets visit the Parish Hall's website.

Meeting on health shake-up in Chelmsley Wood

A PUBLIC meeting taking place in Chelmsley Wood next week will give residents the chance to find out about changes to the local health service.
The event, hosted by Healthwatch UK, will be taking place at the Enterprise Centre, in Hedingham Grove, on Tuesday, May 15.
There will be a guest speaker from the newly-formed Birmingham and Solihull Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), who will be available to answer questions about what the merger will mean for patients. The meeting starts at 2pm.

Ringing endorsement for Castle Bromwich bells film

A SHORT film which charted efforts to restore the church bells at Castle Bromwich has received recognition in a national contest.
The documentary-style feature was shot by Michael Finney and received a four star rating at this year’s British International Amateur Film Competition.
The eight-minute film revealed the race to have the new bells ready for the wedding of a local couple, who had chosen to tie the knot at St Mary and St Margaret’s last August.
It was originally intended that the new bells would be completed several days before vows were exchanged, but various delays meant that the work continued until the last minute.
The film also features footage taken during casting at Taylor’s bell foundry, in Loughborough, and the painstaking working involved in hanging the new ring in the belfry. Some of the problems which pushed back the original schedule left church trustees Bill Dargue and Stuart Stanton concerned that the project would not be completed in time for the couple’s big day.
As it happened, the work was finished just in time and the bells rang out during the service.
Mr Finney’s film was screened at the Amateur Film Festival, in Harrogate, Yorkshire, on April 14.

Hundreds back campaign for "urgent" review of parking

A SPATE of parking fines has prompted calls for a review of the restrictions at Chelmund's Cross.
In recent months there have been numerous reports of people visiting the village centre and being slapped with a ticket because they were unaware they were not allowed to park at certain locations.
Businesses and community groups have been pressing Solihull Council to act following instances of their visitors being caught out, calling for the restrictions to be made clearer and for more spaces to be made available.
The local authority announced last month that it was putting in double yellow lines to help clarify where drivers can leave their vehicles, and will also be holding a wider consultation into the current parking arrangements.
The Three Trees Centre is among the organisations to have voiced concerns and claimed that "badly signed" restrictions had cost the venue visitors. A blitz on vehicles during evenings has caused particular frustration.
In a recent tweet, Three Trees said: "One has to admire the diligence of @SolihullCouncil in sending parking officers out late at night to target our users.
"If only similar diligence was used to address the wonky slabs, broken bollards and bent lamp posts outside our building."
Last month, further pressure was put on highways officers, when a petition (including almost 470 signatures) was presented by Chelmsley Wood resident Heather Turner-Croft.
She told Full Council that locals were very "disappointed" by parking provision at the recently redeveloped site.
"It is like getting 100 people into a phone box," she said, referring to the number of available spaces.
"Some of the [Three Trees] activities are suffering severely due to the lack of parking and parking fines.
"I do not wish to see the community go downhill and die, we have enough problems in society without adding to it."
Urging the council to look at the issue as a matter of some urgency, she suggested an amnesty after 6pm and at the weekend and called for the creation of more bays and facilities for disabled people.
Councillor Chris Williams (Green, Chelmsley Wood) said that concerns had mounted that "an awful lot" of tickets had been issued to people.
He said that the frustration centred on the fact that notices, advising that parking was restricted to designated bays, were easy to miss as people drove into the centre.
"There would be a particular problem after dark and also there’s the fact that with places like a doctor’s or dentist’s people might only tend to visit occasionally," he said.
The concerns prompted discussions with highways officers, with an agreement reached over double yellow lines.
Coun Ted Richards, the cabinet member for transport and highways, said that now the Chelmund's Cross development was complete, both on-street parking and the number of disabled spaces would also be looked at by his department.
 "During the planning stage of this development... it was agreed that we would provide limited parking provision in the area to promote more sustainable local journeys either by foot, bicycle or by using public transport.
"I will be asking that officers work closely with both residents and local members over the coming months to ensure that the area is accessible as possible so the village centre can flourish for many years to come."

Spate of brazen attacks on police cars in North Solihull

DAMAGE: One of the vehicles attacked by vandals in North Solihull
Picture/West Midlands Police

POLICE cars have been deliberately targeted in a spate of recent incidents across North Solihull.
It was revealed this week that a total of seven vehicles had been damaged in the Castle Bromwich, Kingshurst and Smith's Wood area in the space of just four months.
In one particularly brazen attack in Green Lane, Castle Bromwich, vandals threw bricks through the window and then sped away on a motorbike.
Fortunately the student officer, inside the vehicle at the time, was uninjured in the incident, which happened on March 20.
A separate attack on April 25 - the most recent reported - resulted in a car suffering damage to two tyres and the front windscreen.
Sergeant Thomas Jones, from Solihull Police, said: "Not only is damaging a police vehicle a senseless and criminal act, it also has a massive impact on the community.
"Damaged vehicles have to be taken off the road to repair, reducing our ability to respond to calls for service."
If anyone has any information about these incidents, please contact officers on 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

Civil War soldiers prepare for battle in Castle Bromwich

LAST month, a group of Civil War enthusiasts wound the clock back more than 350 years to one of the most important periods of British history. Other Side of Solihull went along to watch...

It is a cold, grey day in April and the crack of guns echoes across Castle Bromwich.
Many of the trees are not yet in leaf, but today the Hall Gardens are awash with colour all the same: blood red uniforms, crisp white collars and the flash of metal as men aim their muskets.
Lined up on the lawn are the members of Colonel John Pickering, His Regiment Of Foote – a group who re-enact the drills, battles and lunches (camp fires are burning nearby) of the English Civil War.

If you’re not too familiar with the conflict which tore 17th century England in two, you might wonder which side has assembled here. In fact these are Cromwell’s men (and women), preparing to do battle against Royalist forces.
Or to put it precisely, as commanding officer Stephen Ball tells the crowd of spectators, they are “a Regiment of Cromwell’s Brigade within the Army of Parliament”.
This afternoon the group are demonstrating the tactics and weapons which were a central part of warfare in centuries gone by.
Key to any battle at this time was the aforementioned muskets, muzzle-loaded long guns which could punch holes in heavy armour and at this very minute are being pointed in our direction.
Fortunately for us Colonel Pickering’s finest are behind the safety of some strategically placed rope!
While this is one addition that would have been rather out of place in an encampment of the time, in almost every other respect the Regiment are sticklers for detail.
Their costumes and equipment are painstaking recreations of what combatants of the day would have worn and even this location has a ring of truth around it.
While it’s true that the real-life Roundheads would have been rather puzzled to find themselves underneath the airport’s flightpath, this area did in fact play host to Civil War soldiers.
The Midlands was a key strategic battleground and indeed the very first skirmish was fought just a few miles from Castle Brom, at Curdworth Bridge, in the summer of 1642.
With the demonstration over, the troupe march back to their camp. In among the tents we speak to Tony Bradstock, from Shirley, who joined the Regiment several years ago.
“I’ve never been in the Armed Forces myself, but I would imagine the camaraderie is very similar to what we have in the group,” he explained.
He said that the Regiment attracted people of all ages and various interests and saw them travel the country attending all manner of events.
At the May Bank Holiday, members will be heading to a muster in Bristol, where they will be re-enacting battles with other groups – including those representing the King’s men.
As far as today goes, the group have an hour to enjoy their outdoor meal and swap a war story or two
before their second demonstration starts. After all, practice makes perfect.

Green and Labour gains in North Solihull

DEMOCRACY IN ACTION: The count gets underway at North Solihull
Sports Centre, with results tallied up for 17 different wards.

CASTLE Bromwich has elected its first Green Party councillor, after the Conservatives suffered a shock defeat at today's local elections.

The historic suburb is usually seen as a shoo-in for the Tories, but in this year's contest their majority collapsed and it was the Greens who won by a landslide. With 11 borough councillors, the Solihull group is now the party's joint largest in the UK.

Labour also celebrated after managing to avenge the loss of their group's leader four years ago, winning back Kingshurst & Fordbridge from UKIP.

Elsewhere, the Greens held both Chelmsley Wood and Smith's Wood, while the Conservatives strolled to victory in Bickenhill (the ward which includes Marston Green).

With the full set of results for 17 wards declared at North Solihull Sports Centre this afternoon, Solihull Council remains in Conservative hands - with the Tories having increased their majority by one.

The ruling group had managed to make gains at the expense of the Liberal Democrats, who lost two seats on the other side of the Coventry Road.

But the Tories were unable to fend off the Green challenge in Castle Bromwich, where the former Mayor, Mike Robinson, was ousted by Cheryl Buxton-Sait (pictured) - who had finished in last place two years ago.

Speaking after the result was announced, she said that members had fought a hard campaign and thanked local people for giving her their backing.

"I think the fact that for 18 months we were embedded in the community talking to people made all the difference," said Coun Buxton-Sait, who joined the party as a teenager.

Coun James Burn, the leader of the Green group, who was re-elected by a thumping majority in his own Chelmsley Wood seat, said he was delighted by this year's results.

He believed that the party's pledge to "listen to people's concerns" had struck a chord, although he confessed that he was surprised to have secured such a "stonking majority" in the traditional Tory stronghold.

"I think this is a wake-up call for the current administration," he said. 

Down the road in Kingshurst & Fordbridge, Labour was able to capitalise on the collapse in support for the UK Independence Party, chalking up their first council gain in the borough for a number of years.

Debbie Evans, who is the party's leader in Solihull, was forced into third place, as the vote ebbed away to her rivals.

The victor, David Cole, the chairman of the local parish council, said he had deliberately engaged with local issues. These included concerns about the doctor's surgery and cuts to the bus services - which he described as "just diabolical".

"I was worried people were not being represented so I started a year long campaign focused on these many, many issues," he said.

Leader of Solihull Council, Coun Bob Sleigh, said he believed that voters had endorsed the Conservatives' plan for growth and job creation in the borough and that his administration remained committed to keeping Solihull as an attractive place to live.

Acknowledging that the Greens had fought an effective campaign in Castle Bromwich, he said the onus would now be on the new councillor to deliver for the area and he was confident his party would "turn the tide."

Full results:

Bickenhill:

Stephen Caudwell (Green) - 172

Reece Colley (Lib Dems) - 115

Alison Rolf (Con) - 1571

Joe Wood (Lab) - 702

CON HOLD

Castle Bromwich:

Cheryl Buxton-Sait (Green) -  2254

Emma Chidler (Lab) - 319

Mike Robinson (Con) - 941

GREEN GAIN FROM CON

Chelmsley Wood:

James Burn (Green) - 1517

Hazel Dawkins (Lab) - 278

David Skelding (Con) - 152

GREEN HOLD

Kingshurst & Fordbridge:

David Cole (Lab) - 784

Debbie Evans (UKIP) - 225

Diane Howell (Con) - 575

Carol Linfield (Green) - 84

LAB GAIN FROM UKIP

Smith's Wood:

Adrian Duffen (UKIP) - 150

Ben Groom (Green) - 986

Lee Skinner (Lab) - 344

Angus Young (Con) - 174

GREEN HOLD

Speed camera call in Marston Green

CONCERNS about drivers racing down Coleshill Heath Road have recently led to calls for a fixed speed camera to be installed along the route.
Almost 90 residents backed the campaign to place a digital device on the road, amid fears that a serious accident could occur on the route near Marston Green.
Coun Alison Rolf (Con, Bickenhill), who had presented the petition on residents’ behalf earlier this year, said there were fears that vehicle activation signs were failing to deter some motorists from breaking the 30mph limit.
Solihull Council has referred the request to the Average Speed Enforcement (ASE) team – a partnership who oversee eight speed cameras currently being trialled in Birmingham and Solihull.
They will now consider the request, although the local authority has noted that the accident history is unlikely to mean the location will be considered an immediate priority.
An update will be provided to the council’s cabinet member for transport and highways later this year.
In the meantime it has been suggested residents could set up a Speedwatch scheme.
Coun Rolf said residents were “disappointed” that the speed camera was not an option at this stage, although she added that she would continue to press to find a solution to the problem.

Local Election: Parties make their final pitch

SOLIHULL goes to the polls tomorrow (Thursday), with candidates battling for a third of council seats.
A full list of those standing in the north of the borough is available here, with further details below about how the parties stand locally.
Remember that polling stations are open from 7am-10pm. You need to be registered to vote in the local elections, but you do not need to take your polling card with you.
Full results for every local ward will be published on our site on Friday evening.


Conservatives:
No of Solihull councillors: 31
In North Solihull: 6*
One line pitch: Conservative leader and Marston Green man Bob Sleigh believes that the Tory-run council has delivered jobs, opportunities and investment.
Local difficulties: The Conservatives have increasingly been accused of not doing enough to tackle inequality in the borough and particularly the divisions between north and south.
Ward to watch: Castle Bromwich. Normally a Conservative stronghold, but the Greens are campaigning hard to pull off an upset.

Greens:
No of Solihull councillors: 10
In North Solihull: 6
One line pitch: Group leader James Burn, standing in Chelmsley Wood, argues the Greens have done politics differently in Solihull, with more emphasis on listening to residents.
Local difficulties:  The Greens have expanded rapidly to become the official opposition, although they will need to make many more gains from the Tories to challenge the ruling party.
Ward to watch: Smith's Wood. The party made their breakthrough here a decade ago, but Labour still consider it a possible target.

UKIP:
No of Solihull councillors: 2
In North Solihull: 2
One line pitch: Coun Debbie Evans believes that UKIP still enjoys strong support at the grass roots level and has railed against the state of local services.
Local difficulties: Since Brexit, the party's polling has plummeted around the country and they are standing in just two seats in Solihull this year.
Ward to watch: Kingshurst & Fordbridge. Debbie Evans shocked Labour here four years ago, can she hold the seat this time?

Labour:
No of Solihull councillors: 1
In North Solihull: 1
One line pitch: Former Chelmsley Wood councillor Nick Stephens has urged people to send a message to the Government about the effects of austerity.
Local difficulties: Labour is the only party not defending a seat in Solihull this year, but only because they have been all but wiped out in former heartlands.
Ward to watch: Bickenhill. The party has not won here for many years, but victory would be a boost for its greatly increased membership.

Lib Dems:
No of Solihull councillors: 6
In North Solihull: 0
One line pitch: Leader John Windmill had said the Lib Dems place great emphasis on giving local residents a platform to raise their concerns.
Local difficulties: The Lib Dem group, once the second largest in the borough, has been rapidly depleted since the Coalition agreement of 2010.
Ward to watch: Bickenhill. It's the only seat they are contesting in the north, where the party has struggled to establish itself as a force.

* Including Bickenhill, which incorporates Marston Green. Our blog always counts this among the North Solihull wards, although it does also extend south of the Coventry Road to encompass the village of Bickenhill itself and Hampton-in-Arden.

Cycle ride to pass through North Solihull

THOUSANDS of cyclists are set to pass through North Solihull when a major cycle event takes place next year.
The proposed route for the Velo Birmingham, scheduled for May 12, 2019, will take riders on a stretch of local road as they head out of Birmingham and on into Warwickshire.
The flagship event, expected to attract around 15,000 competitors, has been hailed as an opportunity to promote Solihull and encourage physical activity.
But councillors have acknowledged that they must take steps to minimise disruption to the borough’s highways, with significant closures required to allow the all-day road race to take place.
Coun Bob Sleigh, the Leader of Solihull Council, said: "Clearly there are some technical issues but we did want it to showcase the borough...
"And if 15,000 people want to come and ride through Solihull then I think we should encourage that. "If I'm fit and ready on the day I might do a little bit of it - I don't think I'll do the 100 miles though. I might do Cooks Lane!"
The inaugural ride, which followed a rather different route which didn't include Solihull, was held last September.
While it attracted cyclists from around the UK and raised a handsome sum for charity, there was also a flurry of complaints from residents who complained about being trapped in their homes.
And there was further controversy after it emerged that some disgruntled bystanders had thrown nails and razor blades onto the course.
Coun Ted Richards, the cabinet member for transport and highways, said: "There is an important issue here, where we need as a local authority to fully engage with our residents and businesses to make sure that there's the minimum disruption and inconvenience, so people can enjoy what the Velo ride is all about."