This week, I feel compelled to begin with global rather than local events.
The conflict currently engulfing Israel and Gaza has naturally dominated the news. I have found myself watching the coverage with an overwhelming feeling of horror, but also of incredible sadness.
Our country and indeed our borough are home to a significant Jewish population and many people with relatives in both Israel and Gaza: my thoughts are with you, and I do hope your loved ones are safe. I don’t claim to possess any answers to what is an extraordinarily complex geopolitical situation. I hope against hope that a peaceful solution can be reached as soon as possible.
Last week I spoke at length about the decision to stop the northern leg of HS2 to Manchester and redirect funding to other transport projects. I won’t cover the same ground again, but I promised to advocate for Solihull residents and those of the whole of the West Midlands, to receive their fair share of the funding, having suffered disproportionate disruption to enable HS2. Along with West Midlands Mayor Andy Street and other local stakeholders, I met the Secretary of State for Transport, Mark Harper MP to discuss the implications of the HS2 decision for the project locally. Our region is stronger acting together, and we will be working hard now to get the positive outcomes in terms of transport for the region promised from the cancellation decision.
I am very aware that the cost of living crisis is continuing to have a huge impact for many people. I was pleased that, at our Council meeting this week, we were able to agree to continue our Council Tax Reduction scheme, that has been running successfully for a number of years now, into 2025. The scheme is another example of the support we provide for our residents, with a discount on council tax available automatically for households who qualify. Of course, the Council’s support goes well beyond tax reductions for those who need them most, we have a whole range of support available under our Here2Help scheme. There is help available for food, energy costs, getting online, and budgeting as well as other specific support for carers and jobseekers, so if you’re struggling please take a look and see what help might apply to you.
There’s also support available via wider Government schemes, two of which I want to point out here. Many people who are eligible for social broadband tariffs aren’t aware of the scheme. It provides low-cost internet access for households living on low incomes. The broadband is the same, delivered in the same way to your home, just at a lower price. So much of our lives are spent on the internet these days, and things like online-only job applications necessitate this scheme so people aren’t cut off from the world by being forced to give up their connections.
Childcare is often one of the biggest costs facing families, but there is help available with the cost. By opening a Tax-Free Childcare account, you can benefit from a 25% top-up from the government, where they put in £2 for every £8 you save in the account up to a maximum of £2000 a year (or £4000 if your child is disabled). It’s a significant amount, and you can use the account to pay at any childcare provider who has signed up to the scheme. There are more details on the scheme, which most people are eligible for, here.
I’ve already mentioned our Council meeting; this week, we also agreed the proposed changes to ward boundaries, to present to the Boundaries Commission for them to consider. I’d like to thank everyone who got in touch to give us their thoughts. As I mentioned a few weeks ago, things like this can seem a little dry, but they are an important factor of our democracy, ensuring that the size of our wards are kept up to date as far as possible with population change.
We also unanimously agreed a motion on proposed rail ticket office closures, noting our concerns about the lack of detail in the proposals, that closures would disproportionately impact those less able to use ticket machines, such as disabled and elderly residents. We also noted our concerns for the jobs of station staff and resolved to make our objections clear to the railway companies, as well as to the Secretary of State for Transport (mentions of him in this message are like buses, you wait many months for one, and then two come along at once); we also invited representatives from the train companies to a Scrutiny Board meeting at the earliest possible opportunity. The full text of the motion is included in the reports pack here.
Some good news this week as the Council has been granted £300,000 funding to explore the possibility of an autonomous vehicle link between Blythe Valley Business Park and the future HS2 station in our borough. The funding will allow us to work with local partners to see whether such a system could provide a safe and reliable link between the two important business hubs. It’s another step forward for innovation here in Solihull. There’s more on that news here.
And finally, following the two hugely successful events which attracted over 3,300 visitors, the next Solihull Apprenticeship Show will take place at Cranmore Park on Tuesday 24 October from 3:30pm until 7.30pm.
If you go along, you’ll have the chance to speak to many employers and training providers, including JLR, Virgin Media, O2, Paragon Bank, GMI Construction, the NEC Group, Solihull College & University Centre, Make UK and the Council. Opportunities up to degree level will be on display. Current apprentices will also be there to share their experiences, giving visitors a valuable insight on apprenticeships.
These are great events that can really help young people prepare for a future career. It is free to attend with free parking available on site. Please encourage anyone who wishes to find out more about apprenticeships to register with the online form or visit our webpage for more information.
Thank you, and I wish you a peaceful weekend,
Councillor Ian Courts