From 7:30am on Thursday 15 July – 6:30pm on Saturday 28 August, Birchy Leasowes Lane (full length from Dickens Heath Road to Tile House Lane) will be closed for gas mains replacement. A diversion route will be signed via Dickens Heath Road and Tilehouse Lane.

Residents invited to comment on parliamentary constituency boundaries

Solihull Council is encouraging residents to comment on the proposed parliamentary constituency boundaries that have been proposed by the Boundary Commission for England (BCE), as part of an eight-week consultation.

The BCE is required to ensure that the number of electors in each constituency is more equal and in doing so, the number of constituencies in England will increase from 533 to 543. The Commission is undertaking an independent review and will present their final recommendations to Parliament by July 2023.

The West Midlands has been allocated 57 constituencies – a reduction of two from the current number. The proposals leave nine of the 59 existing constituencies wholly unchanged, and 12 unchanged except to realign constituency boundaries with new local government ward boundaries.

The two existing constituencies in the Borough of Solihull – Meriden and Solihull – both exceed the permitted electorate range. The BCE proposes to extend the Birmingham Hodge Hill constituency to take in the Solihull borough wards of Castle Bromwich and Smith’s Wood. And to also move the existing Solihull constituency wards Elmdon and Silhill into the Meriden constituency. It is also proposed that Blythe ward, which is currently in the Meriden constituency, will be moved to the Solihull constituency.

These proposals relate only to the Parliamentary constituency boundaries. There are no plans for any changes to be made to the Borough Council boundaries and this process has no implications for the services provided by Solihull Council.

People can visit www.bcereviews.org.uk to view maps showing the proposed new boundaries and provide feedback before the consultation closes on 2 August 2021. Comments can be made on anything from where the proposed new boundary lines are, to the names of the constituencies.

There will be a further two rounds of consultation in 2022. Following the conclusion of all three consultation periods, the Commission will look at all the evidence received before forming its final recommendations. 

The sun’s out at last! We really hope you are enjoying the weather. It’s also running hot on the phone lines here, as we are getting more calls for help. With the easing of restrictions, warmer weather and increased drinking, we expected to be busy but here’s how you can help us. If you need our help and it’s not an emergency it’s quick and easy to web chat us online – you will normally get help in less than three minutes. To do this just log onto our website – www.west-midlands.police.uk and select Live Chat. Our website is also a  great one stop shop to find out about a wide range of services, from how to report a shed break-in to how to deal with being stalked online. We know some people still really want to talk to us on the phone, even if it’s not an emergency. You can still call us on 101, but at busy times it can take a little longer to answer your call. So please bear with us or try online. If it is an emergency – the crime is happening right now or someone’s life is in danger – don’t hesitate to call 999 for immediate help. Thank you for supporting us through this busy time, have fun in the sun and stay safe!