A number of news items this week, but first, I want to start by welcoming in spring, which officially began here on Thursday with the spring equinox. We’ll begin to see longer days and warmer weather, which is something I think we can all look forward to. For me, one of the telling signs of the season in Solihull is our vibrant yellow daffodils which add a splash of colour to our streets, parks and open spaces. How beautiful do they look already?
Now onto our town centre.
The Core Theatre is celebrating its grand reopening with ‘We are Solihull’ on Sunday 4 May. The Core is the cultural heart of our town and the theatre is its heartbeat, so we are all excited to see it return. ‘We are Solihull’ is promising to be a great curtain raiser with a variety of acts which reflect the fantastic talent and diversity of our borough. The Core has lined up a superb calendar of shows for the year ahead too, so please take a look if you’re looking for things to do.
Another date for the diary is Saturday 5 April when our recently announced Electric Vehicle (EV) Experience Event, “Solihull Going Electric” is held in the town centre. Transport is the single biggest source of emissions in Solihull and transitioning to EV is one of the things we can do to help. This event is free-to-attend and will give visitors the opportunity to test drive a range of exciting new electric cars and bikes, speak to dealers, and ask questions. I do hope it can showcase the growing range of EVs available and help people explore if it’s right for them.
On a related note, I mentioned last week that I welcomed an international delegation to the NEC to see our exciting self-driving shuttle pilot, SCALE (Solihull and Coventry Automated Links Evolution). I’m pleased to see the trials are now open to the public and you can head over to the SCALE webpage to see where and when it's operating.
Continuing the theme of sustainability, I’m pleased we have secured financing from the National Wealth Fund (NWF) to help deliver our town centre energy network. This will help us to introduce an affordable new source of low carbon heating, hot water and power to the town centre, reducing emissions and cutting bills. We need to futureproof town centres, including how they are powered, and this exciting and innovative scheme will help us work towards that.
Now to an important part of our town centre. Earlier this week, Muse Ltd submitted a planning application for the regeneration of Mell Square. The application includes plans for up to 1,600 homes as part of a new mixed-use neighbourhood which comprises of shops, cafés, bars, restaurants, and public spaces. The planning application has been uploaded to our planning portal and members of the public can view and comment on it here. Do take a look. The Council’s planning committee will make a decision that is right for the borough, taking into account the views of local people – that is important. We need to remember that this is a longer-term plan and although we would expect work to start on the first phase in the next year or two, there is still much to be done in respect to planning of later phases.
Talking of planning, nationally, I note the Government is bringing forward proposals to streamline the planning process. While I welcome anything which reduces bureaucracy, the devil will be in the detail. The crucial role of local decision-making via planning committee must not be pushed aside, especially in a place like Solihull where we want to preserve the environmental character that makes the borough what it is. And we know that meeting the Government’s new housing targets is going to be challenging.
Just outside the town centre, I was pleased to visit Uniquely who have just announced a £7m investment in Solihull as they move to high-tech offices next to Birmingham Airport. Uniquely are an Irish company specialising in customer services and sales outsourcing. Their move – and the 100 new jobs it’ll create by 2025 – underscores confidence in Solihull as a prime location for business growth and innovation and I’d like to welcome them to the borough.
Wednesday was Child Exploitation Awareness Day. Exploitation can take many forms, from grooming and trafficking to online abuse. Knowing how to spot the signs and how to get support is important. If you’re worried about a child, don’t ignore it. You can find out more via the Solihull Safeguarding Children Partnership.
I’m pleased to say the HAF (Holiday Activities and Food) programme will continue throughout three holiday periods this year. This means Solihull children who are eligible for benefits-related free school meals will continue to receive free places and a funded meal across a wide range of activities during the upcoming Easter holidays. I have seen for myself the great experiences and opportunities the programme offers to Solihull children and the important support it provides to their parents and carers. More details about the programme can be found here, which includes family activities for children to enjoy with their parents and carers.
It was great to see ITV News feature children from Solihull ahead of their performance at Together for Music at Birmingham’s Symphony Hall last week. Together for Music is a specially designed inclusive music festival for deaf, disabled and neurodivergent young musicians, helping to empower and inspire those who take part. Solihull children appear in the feature around 2 minutes 30 seconds in which can be viewed online here. The incredible outcomes you see here are down to a truly dedicated and talented team from Solihull Music who really do enrich live through the power of music. Congratulations to all children on their fantastic performances at the festival.
Thank you for reading, enjoy your weekend.
Councillor Ian Courts.