Murder probe launched following man's death in Chelmsley Wood

POLICE have confirmed that the death of a pensioner in Chelmsley Wood is the subject of a murder investigation.
A 65-year-old man had suffered stab wounds and been discovered in a car in Alder Drive in the early hours of Friday morning.
Emergency services were called to the scene at around 1am, but despite the best efforts of paramedics, the man died a short time later.
While his identity has not been released by officers, it is understood he lived locally.
A 35-year-old woman has been arrested on suspicion of murder and remains in police custody.
Det Chief Insp Edwards Foster, from Force CID, said: "The victim was able to raise the alarm but sadly died a short while later.
"We are now appealing for anyone who was in the area in the early hours of this morning to contact us so that we can establish what has led to this incident."
Detectives cordoned off local roads following the death and residents have reported seeing forensics officers combing the scene.
If you have any information call the force on 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

Swords, stories and song at Chelmund's Day

ONE of the most popular events in the local calendar is fast approaching.
Chelmund’s Day – the annual celebration of a certain Anglo Saxon warrior – will be taking place on July 15.
Visitors to Bishop Wilson School can look forward to historical re-enactments and live music.
There will also be stalls, stories, craft activities and a range of refreshments to look forward to.
The free event will be taking place from 11am- 3pm. For more information visit the website.

MP praises youth turnout during Chelmsley Wood visit

FACING THE AUDIENCE: The Any Questions? panel in North Solihull

POLITICIANS won’t dare to ignore young people in future, veteran MP Diane Abbott has told an audience in Chelmsley Wood.
The Shadow Home Secretary, appearing on Radio 4’s Any Questions?, hailed the surge in the number of 18 to 34-year-olds who voted in the General Election.
The long-running political panel show was broadcast from the WMG Academy for Young Engineers exactly 12 months on from the EU referendum.
Apart from Ms Abbott, the panel was made up of the Conservatives’ Andy Street, recently elected West Midlands’ Mayor, the musician and activist Jamie MacColl and Darren Grimes, deputy editor of the website BrexitCentral.
Given the venue, it was fitting that many of the questions related to issues which will have a direct impact on young people.
There was a scattering of teenagers and quite a sizeable number of people under 30 in the audience, although when chairman Jonathan Dimbleby took his seat he joked that he had just nudged up the average age of those gathered.
After discussing the rights and wrongs of tuition fees and what effect Britain’s departure from the EU might have on the nation’s young people, the panel considered why an age group which has tended to be disengaged from politics recently turned out to vote in force.
“Labour got 40 per cent of the vote and nobody expected us to do that and that was largely because of the increased numbers of young people that came out,” said Ms Abbott, who is one of Jeremy Corbyn’s closest political allies.
“Obviously [I think this was] terrific, I’m glad they voted for Labour – although they might not necessarily do so in the future – but I will say this, the fact that young people came out in such numbers in 2017...means that politicians won’t be able to take them for granted again.”
Mr Street acknowledged that social media had played a big part in the shifting electoral landscape.
“Every industry has been changed by this, why should politics be any different,” said the former John Lewis boss. “Online is going to become the dominant means of communication.”
Mr MacColl, a member of the band Bombay Bicycle Club, suggested that last summer’s referendum result was a “defining” moment for young people and politics and he expected the turn-out to continue to rise.
“Young people are a legitimate constituency and every party is going to have to offer something in their policy platform now [which] is going to be very significant.”

Castle Brom has chance to talk about flight path plans

A PUBLIC meeting will be held in Castle Bromwich to discuss proposed changes to flight paths at Birmingham Airport.
The roadshow is one of several taking place across the region to give residents the chance to comment on the plans.
The changes form part of a national programme to modernise airspace.
Locally this will mean aircraft taking off in different directions from those at present.
David Winstanley, the airport’s chief operating officer, said: “These consultations give an opportunity for dialogue, characterised by an open and honest approach...
“We really encourage local communities to attend.”
The Castle Bromwich event will be taking place at Arden Hall on Monday, July 17 (from 6-8pm).

Calls for sprinklers in North Solihull tower blocks

SAFETY CHECKS: Firefighters in Smith's
Wood last week.

A CHELMSLEY Wood councillor has said many local residents living in high-rise flats want to see sprinkler systems installed in the wake of the Grenfell fire tragedy.
Last month, Solihull Council’s cabinet was briefed on the steps that have been taken to safeguard local people following on from the incident in West London, in which scores of people died. In the aftermath of the fire in the early hours of June 14, West Midlands Fire Service carried out safety checks at the borough’s blocks of flats.
Within hours, messages were circulating on social media to reassure tenants that all systems were up-to-date.
Fiona Hughes, chief executive of Solihull Community Housing (SCH), insisted there was a “strong” culture of health and safety within the organisation and everything possible would be done to make sure a similar incident didn’t happen in Solihull.
Coun James Burn (Green, Chelmsley Wood) welcomed the authorities’ quick response, but said that many tenants remained anxious.
“Half of these flats are in my ward and obviously we have some very jittery residents who would like some things considered,” he told the meeting.
“One thing residents have asked a lot is when they’ll have sprinklers... it’s obviously the law for new sites, but there’s no law to retro-fit.”
Concerns have escalated following two separate fires at apartment blocks in North Solihull.
Back in January there was a “severe blaze” at Oxford Grove, Chelmsley Wood, while only last month a fire broke out on the roof of nearby Chestnut House.
Aside from the question about installing sprinklers, Coun Burn said there was also some concern about access for fire engines – noting that some of the borough’s 37 high-rise buildings were located at the end of narrow cul-de-sacs.
“There were 40 fire engines in London and there are some areas where we couldn’t get that.”
Coun Ken Meeson (Con, Dorridge & Hockley Heath) said: “With regard to sprinklers, there is an
issue about the retro-fit of sprinkler systems in older buildings.
“I’m not an expert on that at all and it’s very easy to say every building of that nature should have sprinkler systems but we mustn’t have a knee-jerk reaction. We must make sure that by putting [them in] that it doesn’t make the situation worse.”

• SCH has prepared a FAQ about fire safety to answer some of residents' most common questions. Click here for more information.

Trio honoured by the Queen

RECOGNITION: Ellen Delaney

UNSUNG heroes have been recognised for their efforts in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List.
Ellen Delaney, a playworker at the Meriden Adventure Playground, was awarded a British Empire Medal for services to the Fordbridge community.
Aside from the many hours she spends helping out at the Chelmsley Wood playground, she is also involved in the MAD House youth club and Community Action Fordbridge.
Speaking after receiving the news, Ellen said: “I am really pleased that Her Majesty has heard of our project and chosen to recognise us with this honour.
“It’s not just about me, this is for all of us who are standing up for children and young people and their needs and rights – and for families too.”
Simon Rix, senior playworker at Meriden Adventure Playground, said: “Ellen’s honour reflects on all the parents, young people and community members who have contributed to that.”
Also among those honoured is Janet Down, the long-standing chief executive of local charity Solihull Life Opportunities (SoLO). She will now look forward to a trip to Buckingham Palace to collect an MBE.
Janet has been with the organisation, which provides support for those with learning disabilities, for the past 17 years. During her tenure, the charity boss, who previously worked for Mencap, has overseen a number of new initiatives.
Not so many years ago, SoLO was facing significant financial pressures, but despite the challenges it has gone on to open a new base in Streetsbrook Road - complementing the existing HQ in Walnut Close, Chelmsley Wood.
In a statement SoLO paid tribute to Janet’s “deep commitment” to the cause.
Amanda Mordey, the principal of Forest Oak Special School, in Smith’s Wood, was awarded an OBE for services to special educational needs and disability.
The head also oversees Merstone School, in Shirley, with both sites having been ranked as outstanding by Ofsted.

Council outlines plans for Kingshurst Parade

PARADE UPGRADE: The shopping precinct was developed in the 1960s but
Solihull Council has acknowledged it has grown increasingly dilapidated.

RADICAL plans to redevelop Kingshurst Parade are finally moving forward, although questions remain about how the work will be funded and when it is likely to start.
Last month, Solihull Council outlined a £21million project to replace the ageing shopping precinct, which has become more and more run-down and been hit by dwindling visitor numbers.
Plans to rebuild the Parade have been under discussion for several years, but a series of delays have left local residents increasingly frustrated.
There was further concern last year, when it was suggested that one of the options under consideration would be a more modest plan to refurbish the existing site.
After seeking the views of hundreds of people, the council conceded that the clear majority were in favour of the Parade being completely demolished and replaced with a new development, which the local authority claim will be fit for purpose for the next 50 years.
The scheme which has now been drawn up would include a new medical centre, the creation of a community hub – including a library and offices – 2,000 square metres of retail space and residential units.
Councillor Debbie Evans (UKIP, Kingshurst & Fordbridge) said the redevelopment was “long
overdue”, but argued unanswered questions were still causing anxiety in the local area.
“There is a lot of rumour and innuendo going about, in particular [from] the shopkeepers and I daren’t go shopping on Kingshurst Parade at the moment because I’m hauled into every shop that’s going.
“They are concerned having looked at the rough outline that they will not be housed in the village centre. Now, I need to reassure those shopkeepers that everyone who has been loyal to Kingshurst... will get a place.”
Coun James Burn (Green, Chelmsley Wood) said: “It is really good to get this report to reassure the community that things are moving forward.
“I’m really pleased as well that the community have been listened to...they’ve said overall they
would like complete demolition and that’s what’s being proposed.”
Councillor Ken Hawkins,  the cabinet member for the environment, housing and regeneration at the time of the meeting, described the development as “a good investment for the north of the borough”.
“Detailed work is being done to look at the plans and costs and see if we can bring them down,” he said, acknowledging the current shortfall in funding.
A public consultation exercise will begin next month, with more detailed plans set to go back to cabinet in November.

Background: The creation of a new village centre in Kingshurst has always formed part of the Regeneration scheme, but the development has been hampered by delays.
Those residents who have seen work completed on similar projects in Chelmsley Wood and Smith's Wood have grown increasingly frustrated as the timetable for the Parade's own face lift has repeatedly slipped back.
Solihull Council conceded last year that it had been forced to abandon a number of previous proposals amid concerns they would not be commercially viable.
A sense that patience had run out among local people was very much felt at an election hustings which took place last month.
During the debate a number of residents criticised the delays, with David Cole, of Kingshurst Parish Council, suggesting that the Parade had seen its best days a decade ago. At this another member of the audience was heard to mutter "more like 50 years ago."
While the plans which were brought to cabinet a couple of weeks ago are more of a statement of intent than a detailed proposal, the council is keen to show that the project is still going ahead...