I hope we are not too far into January for me to wish you all a very happy new year. I also hope that you all enjoyed the Christmas break and were able to spend some time with your loved ones. We have had some decidedly chilly weather, but I hope your homes were warm, both in temperature and in spirit.
This week, I will tell you a little about some things the Council is working on that we can look forward to during the coming year.
Firstly, we will be pushing hard to continue improving our Children’s Services. Last year saw us take some great strides forward, building foundations and embedding the structures that will help us in this aim. Ofsted recognised the work we have already done. In 2025, we have hit the ground running, announcing three main priorities for the Solihull Safeguarding Children Partnership earlier this week. It feels right that we started this year with a partnership announcement, as working together with other organisations in a joined-up way is absolutely essential so that we can respond quickly and efficiently to enquires and make sure children and families have the most appropriate support.
On that subject, we will be continuing to develop the work of our Family Hubs. The four main sites (Elmwood, Evergreen, Hatchford Brook, and Riverside) are up and running, as is our outreach centre at Shirley Heath. They offer vital support in the hearts of their communities, making sure people can access the help they need close to home and at the right time. More than that, they offer fun and engaging groups and activities and groups for children, young people and families. The variety on offer is only going to grow through the year, and I am excited to see the impact that family hubs will have throughout 2025 and beyond.
Opportunity. It has long been a real watchword for me and for the Council, especially when it comes to our young people. Next month, we will be hosting the latest edition of our ever-popular apprenticeship show. I have talked at length about these before, but I haven’t tired of banging the drum for them yet and doubt I ever will.
It is a fantastic chance for young people looking to make a start in their careers with great employers and training providers including JLR, Rolls-Royce, HSBC, the NEC group, Fortem, Severn Trent, Solihull College & University Centre, South & City college Birmingham, Nova Training and (first among equals) Solihull Council. There is such a wide range of careers and development on offer and I am proud that we facilitate these events and the connections that are formed at them.
Our economy and town centres are still performing well and job creation, especially for our young people, is very much at the forefront of our work in the council. The first phase of Solihull Town Centre Energy Network is progressing well and remains on target for completion in April 2026. Work to prepare the Energy Centre site (near Tudor Grange Leisure Centre) was completed in December 2024 with installation of the foundations, floor slab and construction of the steel frame due to take place in the coming months. Installation of the pipe network to supply heat and power to buildings within the town centre is underway at Solihull College and within Tudor Grange Park with some works already complete at Tudor Grange Academy and The Core. Installation of heating pipework along Homer Road is scheduled to commence in March 2025 with works due to be phased to maintain access for businesses throughout.
There is much more I could tell you about, and doubtless I shall do just that in the coming weeks and months, but I just wanted to give you a flavour of the work we are doing to support our most vulnerable citizens, give a helping hand to the younger generation, drive business and economic growth and protect our environment. I cannot reasonably claim that all the news I give you in 2025 will be positive. we have some difficult circumstances locally (especially with local government finance and planning where to put all those new homes) and nationally. There will be tough decisions for the Council and the Government to make, but I hope this gives a sense that we can and will continue to deliver projects that improve the lives of Silhillians.
Thanks for reading, here’s to a positive start to the new year.
Councillor Ian Courts, Leader of Solihull Council.