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."