Castle Bromwich Community Website

The Comprehensive Spending Review makes it necessary for West Midlands Police to save £126 million pounds over the next four years. As with other similar forces up and down the country our biggest overhead is staff and their wages so, whilst being a really tough decision to make, it was inevitable that cuts would have to be made.

After careful consideration and In common with many other forces the decision was taken some time ago to implement Regulation A19, acknowledging that without doing so the challenges presented by the CSR could not be met.

Contrary to some views, the loss of 649 officers and their combined experience over the next four years does not mean service and protection to communities will suffer, a huge proportion of these officers would have retired in any event.

West Midlands Police have significant plans in place to manage the departure of these officers. Succession planning is part of core business, with the right learning and development opportunities and support in place to ensure continued levels of policing service.

Since April 2010 and the structural reorganisation of West Midlands Police, we have been undertaking many reviews and making changes to the way we work, the way our internal systems and processes operate and continue to become leaner and more efficient whilst improving the quality of our service.

Our planned activity across the communities of the West Midlands in the coming weeks and months will hopefully reassure those worried about the impact of cuts that it is very much business as usual.

We remain committed and focussed on continuing to deliver a visible and effective policing service and ensuring that we protect and serve the communities of the West Midlands.

A new blog created by Solihull Mayor, Ian Courts, gives an interesting insight into the role played by Solihull's Mayor. Ever wondered just what functions a Mayor carries out and why this role is important?If so, then read Ian's blog as he recounts his experiences and tells us about the functions he carries out as Mayor.

Since the introduction of the new recycling collections last year, Solihull Council has recycled 6950 tonnes of rubbish. To encourage everyone to recycle evn more, Solihull MBC has now announced that from May 31st it will no longer collect any extra rubbish that is placed out for collection which is not contained within the wheelie bin. Additionally, residents must ensure that the lid on their wheelie bin is fully closed. Kerbside collections are provided for garden waste, paper, card, glass and cans and plastic bottles. Residents who are part of the purple sack collection scheme should only leave out two sacks.

Larger familes or people with medical conditions may apply for a larger wheelie bin or four purple sacks.

Councillor Ian Courts became the 57th Mayor of Solihull on Tuesday night, at the annual Mayor Making ceremony at the Council Chamber. He takes over from Councillor Norman Davies, who has become the new Deputy Mayor of Solihull.  As the retiring mayor’s gift, CouncillorDavies donated a Deputy Mayor’s robe to the council, which was created by local seamstresses Faith Saunders and Pauline Robinson.

Born in the Isle of Ely, Cllr Courts attended March Grammar School, beforegaining an Exhibition Scholarship to Trinity Hall Cambridge to study Law. He was articled to a London firm of solicitors in 1971. After qualifying, he left to join the John Laing Group in 1974, initially asa solicitor, but then went into management and stayed with the firm for over 30 years until retirement in 2004.  For several years he was a part-time lecturer and Visiting Fellow at Reading University, retiring in 2009.

Ian began working in the Midlands in the early 1990’s, moved to Balsall Common in 1997. Councillor Courts has been a Councillorf or Dorridge and Hockley Heath ward since 2003.  Whilst a member, he has chaired Overview & Scrutiny and most recently served as Cabinet Member for Economic Development & Regeneration. He has had particular interests in planning, the environment and climate change. Councillor Courts’ personal interests include the natural world and bird watching, history, photography, travelling and experiencing different cultures.  Both he and his wife,Sheila, the new Mayoress of Solihull, are active members of the Meriden Rotary Club and are involved in a number of charitable activities.

The Mayor of Solihull, Councillor Courts said: “I feel very privileged to have been given this office and hope that I shall be deemed as worthy as my predecessors in its undertaking. Solihull is very diverse as a borough, it is rich in culture and history, and has a wide range of skills and talents. I hope that, as a public figure, I will be able to raise awareness of the great work that is carried out by the many community groups and charities in Solihull. I want to do whatever I can to promotethe economy of the borough through the recession and heighten residents' environmental concerns. I am also keen to promote the need for prevention, instead of cure, in respect of health issues such as cancer. I also want to thank, most sincerely,the retiring Mayor and Mayoress for the advice and support they have given Sheila and myself, as we take up this role.”

At the AGM of Solihull MBC held on May 25th 2010 Cllr Ian Hedley (LIB DEM) was elected Leader of the Council. He will leas an administration of Liberal Democrats and Labour Councillors working together to form his administration. In addition, the Cabinet Members, Chairs & Vice Chairs of Scrutiny Boards and other committees were agreed.

The joint Liberal Democrat and Labour Cabinet is as follows:

Councillor Ian Hedley (Leader of the Council)

Councillor Andy Hodgson (Resources and Efficiency)

Councillor John Reeve (Economic Development and Regeneration)

Councillor Norman Davies (Children and Young People)

Councillor Tim Hodgson (Environment)

Councillor Graham Craig (Community Services)

Councillor Sue Rose (Healthier Communities)

Councillor David Jamieson (Transport and Highways)

Councillor Len Cresswell (Safer Communities)

Solihull Council is seeking views on their proposal to construct a raised table top and to build out the footway to reduce vehicle spped and improve road safety at the mini-roundabout at the junction of the Chester Road and Beechcroft Road.

Details of the draft scheme with maps and reasons for the Council's decision can be viewed at Solihull Connect, Library Square, Solihull. Anyone wishing to object to the scheme, should do so by Monday 17th May 2010 by writing to Mr L Stevenson, Corporate Governance Division, Solihull MBC, PO Box 18, Council House, Solihull B91 9QS, stating the grounds of their objections. If no objections are received by this date, the scheme will be implemented after expiry of the objection period.

Conservative candidate Mike Robinson retains his seat - winning with a total of 2,914 votes.

 Full Results

1st Mike Robinson (Con) 2,914

2nd Irma Isola Shaw (Lab) 1,304

3rd Andrew Bull (LD) 1,039

4th Eddie Stanfield (BNP) 668

5th Scott William Rhodes (Green) 109

6th Joanna Hall (SAMRA) 102

Solihull Council's overall make-up is now:-

Conservatives - 23 Councillors

Liberal Democrats - 19 Councillors

Labour - 7 Councillors

Green - 1 Councillor

Independent - 1 Councillor

Full list of Solihull Council election results can be found HERE

Results from yesterday's Election are given below. Caroline Spelman has been returned to Parliament. Turnout was 63.3% with 52,162 people voting.

The 116th Annual Parish Meeting of Castle Bromwich Parish Council will be held in the Spencer Hall at Arden Hall, Water Orton Road, Castle Bromwich on Tuesday 4th May 2010 commencing at 8pm.

The Meeting will be preceded by the Annual Presentation of the Chairman's Charity Fund Donations which will take place at 7.45pm.

The Meeting is open to all Members of the Public, but voting and speaking is restricted to electors for the Parish only. There will be an opportunity for Parishioners to ask questions.

Solihull Council has announced that it introduced new charges for waster and recycling services from April 1st 2010.

To keep costs down the Council has introduced charges for provding Residents with replacement waster containers.

The full list of charges can be found HERE

To recuperate costs of replacement black or

green boxes. Lost, damaged or stolen by

residents  - Supply box only £3 Delivery + Supply £11

To recuperate costs of replacement 140ltr black

wheelie bins, lost damaged or stolen by

residents - Supply only £18 Supply + Delivery £26