It is with great sadness that I note the passing of HRH the Duchess of Kent last week. Most recognisable to many people for her role presenting trophies at Wimbledon, behind the scenes she dedicated much of her life to charitable works in the field of education and especially music education. She spent over a decade of her life teaching music incognito at a primary school local to her in Kent, showing her real passion for the subject and for helping children and young people. We lowered the Union Flag over the Council House to half-mast as a mark of respect. Stoic in the face of long-term ill health, the Duchess was something of a throwback, always helping others where she could. It is with the greatest of respect that I offer my condolences to the Royal Family on behalf of all at Solihull Council.
On to my usual column business now, and I will start by saying what a fantastic time I had at Solihull Pride last Saturday. I was a bit worried about the weather earlier in the day, but it turned out beautifully. Even if it had poured down, I don’t think it would have dampened the party atmosphere, everyone I saw in the town centre seemed to be so happy to be there and enjoying themselves. There were some great acts, plenty of incredible outfits, and I’m sure our town centre shops, cafes and pubs must have done pretty well from the day too. It was packed in town, with residents and visitors alike coming together to party the day (and the night) away. I hope Solihull Pride comes back next year and becomes a fixture in our calendar.
Cllr Ian Courts, our Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Managed Growth, has published a statement about planning. There’s been a lot about it in the news lately, and in Solihull we’ve been hugely impacted by changes to national planning policy. I won’t go into detail here, as it’s all covered in the statement, which you can read here.
Earlier in the week I was in Chelmsley Wood for the visit of the NHS Cancer Bus. There was a really good turnout with people getting themselves checked over by the staff, and a doctor on board to help with any worries. The important thing about this initiative is that it takes healthcare into the heart of the community, making sure that people can access these health checks and learn about cancer screening in between popping to the shops or grabbing a coffee. It’s accessible, convenient, and welcoming – all things we want healthcare to be for our residents. The Colebridge Trust, who offer a variety of support to the community, were alongside the bus, so it had become a bit of a one-stop-shop. It was great to see it in action and I’ll be pushing to get some more stops added to its route in places around our borough as soon as possible. People were even getting advice on their energy bills.
Speaking of which, the Big Community Switch is back. It’s a scheme that gets households to combine their buying power to negotiate a better price with energy companies. You have until the end of October to register, and you can find out more information here.
Staying on the theme of energy, we’re supercharging our electric vehicle infrastructure by partnering with Qwello to deliver an upgrade and expansion of charging points across Solihull. Some of the work has already been completed, and we’re now looking to roll out up to 500 new charging points across the borough. We’re seeing more and more people switching to electric cars so we need to make sure we can meet the demand for charging now and in the future. They help improve air quality and are a key part of the Council’s climate strategy. You can read all about it here.
Wednesday was World Suicide Prevention Day, so I’d like to remind you that support is available across the borough, with training also available for anyone who wants to empower themselves to have supportive conversations. Anyone experiencing poor mental health can text Space to 85258 to get support from a qualified mental health professional. We also have the Orange Button scheme which is open to new members, with free online training available twice a month. The Council website also has information on a range of suicide prevention support services available in Solihull.
And finally, Langley school has been named one of the UK’s best workplaces in education and training. I’m delighted for them, happy and engaged staff means happy and engaged children and can only mean they will be able to attract more great teachers to come and work here in Solihull. Good news for the school, and more importantly great news for the pupils.
Thanks for reading. Enjoy your weekend,
Karen