I must admit, I am not the biggest football fan in the world. If I were then maybe (or maybe not) I would better understand the desire to accept free tickets from wealthy donors to watch my favourite team play. There has been considerable coverage of this, and of other ‘freebies’ that senior members of the government have been in receipt of recently; so it is unsurprising that some people think this sort of behaviour is commonplace for all politicians, local as well as national. I am very happy to make clear that it is not the case.
In the world of local councils, at least at our council, we are stringent in declaring what limited gifts or hospitality we receive. This is so you, the public, can be confident the decisions we take are not unduly influenced by outside parties, that we are acting in your best interests to the best of our ability.
I have also been concerned about the Health Secretary’s choice of language when talking about the NHS. Embattled maybe, under strain - certainly, but to say it is ‘broken’ I think must be disheartening for those working hard on the front lines of the service, doing their best for patients. Improvements are needed, but the NHS continues to save so many lives; staff cure, and care, for so many patients with great dedication.
This is part of a wider point as well, when people fail to be cautious in their language it has consequences. We see this in the council world too; many are willing to criticise, it is easy to do so, but when that criticism comes without proper consideration, it can be demoralising for our staff. Whilst there may be exceptions, all those I see work hard and give their all to jobs that are for the benefit of our residents. I and my fellow councillors appreciate this, and whilst I know not everyone has a positive experience of our services every time they interact with us, rest assured that our staff are doing their best in difficult circumstances. They deserve our thanks.
We are inviting people to join a new Carers Forum in Solihull to help us to keep improving the lives of unpaid carers in the borough. We are keen to involve young carers, working age carers, parent carers and older people caring for their husband, wife, partner or relative. The latest census tells us there are around 20,000 people in Solihull with caring responsibilities, but we believe that to be an underestimate. If you aren’t an unpaid carer, you are likely to know someone who is. Please help us to spread the word and encourage anyone carers you know to get involved.
Some positive news for local food lovers, as Lavang on Old Lode Lane in Solihull has been named one of the best ‘hidden gems’ in the world by TripAdvisor users. The Indian restaurant, which specialises in seafood dishes, has become a beloved local eatery. I am always pleased when a Solihull business has success like this, so why not give them a try (if you can get a table after their recent publicity).
With winter round the corner and the inevitable financial pressures this brings, I would like to remind you of the support available on our Here2Help pages on the Council website. The pages have recently been given a complete refresh and have a wealth of information and advice from the Council and other local organisations to help everyone live well this winter. This includes advice on energy and fuel, money, food and essentials and a range of services to keep people physically and mentally healthy. Please do take a look at the web pages and share with family and friends.
I have covered the topic of Local Government finances enough in this message in recent weeks, so I won’t go in to too much detail again so soon, but I spoke to our Local Democracy Reporter Sam Greenway earlier this week alongside our CEO, Paul Johnson. You can read his write up of our conversation here.
On Wednesday our latest Community Parenting Board meeting brought together different organisations and businesses from across the borough. We want to ensure that the whole community has everything it needs to play their part in supporting our children in care and those who have recently left our care. We have had dozens of offers of support from businesses, including work experience, interview preparation and helping them set up home by providing household essentials. Like any good parent we want to help the children and young people in our care be ready for the world of work, and this support from the business community is invaluable. If you think your business could help please contact communityparenting@solihull.gov.uk
Our fourth and final Family Hub opened its doors this week, the hubs offer support and activities for families in the heart of their communities. The last member of the quartet, Hatchford Brook, in Elmdon has been welcoming residents through its doors since Monday. To find out more about what the family hubs offer please click here.
This week I visited Zhuzhou CRRC Times Electric Innovation Centre (TEIC) as part of the celebrations for their fifth anniversary at the Birmingham Business Park site. They produce components for electric and hybrid vehicles, and I welcome the presence of forward-looking businesses like this in Solihull. Congratulations to them on the time they have spent here so far, I hope they will have many more celebrations to come in the future.
Finally, I want to call for peace and understanding as the Middle East appears to teeter on the brink of wider conflict. I do not pretend that a plea from our small corner of the world will make a difference in theirs, but I still feel I must mention this. As Churchill said – “To jaw-jaw is always better than to war-war.”
Thank you for reading.
Councillor Ian Courts, Leader of Solihull Council.