Covid 19 & Vaccinations
An additional 201 cases of Covid 19 have been registered in Sutton Coldfield for the week of 19th - 25th June compared to an updated figure of 72 for the week of 12th- 18th June based on data from Birmingham City Council’s public health division.
The 7-day case rate between 19th - 25th June in Birmingham was 186.5 cases/100K population, compared to 129.0/100K for the period between the 12th- 18th June.
Over the 7 days leading up to 26th June, of 20,454 PCR pillar 2 tests, 2,048 (10.0%) were positive in Birmingham, a higher positivity rate than both the West Midlands and England.
Birmingham ranks 12th in the region for pillar 2 PCR tests, with 1,791 tests per 100k population. 64,360 LFD pillar 2 tests were also carried out.
Hospital admissions range between 10 and 18 new cases a day at Birmingham hospital trusts over the 7 days from 19th - 25th June.
The attached image shows the number of vaccines per age group for Sutton Coldfield from data published yesterday.
Walk-in appointments are taking place at a mass vaccination centres across Birmingham over the weekend including at Millennium Point, Aston Villa Football Club and Edgbaston Cricket Ground. For the latest availability and to check which vaccines are offered at which site please visit: www.birminghamandsolihullcovidvaccine.nhs.uk/walk-in
Royal Sutton Coldfield updates
Welcome news over the weekend as talks successfully averted the closure of the Shrubbery school, I was glad to help bring the parties together and I am very pleased indeed that a deal has finally been done after a difficult few weeks for staff, parents and pupils. https://www.expressandstar.com/news/local-hubs/birmingham/sutton-coldfield/2021/06/28/delight-for-families-as-sutton-coldfield-school-is-saved-from-closure/
On Wednesday I spoke to Pat Carvalho, the new Principal and CEO of Bmet College – Bmet includes the Sutton Coldfield College campus on Lichfield Road. It was good to have a catchup on her work and priorities for the college over the coming months
Today I met Malcom Holmes who is Executive Director at the West Midlands Rail Executive and Director of Rail at Transport for West Midlands and we had a useful chat about the reopening of the Sutton Park line and transport improvements in the Royal Town.
This afternoon I visited Four Oaks Saints Cricket Club and met Russell Longhorne, the Chair and his other officers Richard Cowley, Doug Wright and Joh Williams, they have brilliant plans for the clubs future that are very well advanced and should come to fruition next year.
It was also good to visit the Chase Farm Shop & Café on Weeford Road. Thank you to the Director Rachel Richards for taking the time to meet staff and see the magnificent and stylish produce which has immediately made me an enthusiastic customer.
The Department for Education has allocated more than £8m in funding from the Holiday Activity Fund for Birmingham City Council and the Council is working with a network of local schools, community groups and commercial activity providers to provide summer support programmes which will be open to families with school-aged children aged 5-16 who are eligible for benefits-related free school meals. https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/news/article/900/8_million_secured_for_holiday_activities_and_food_programme
Transport for West Midlands has been working on local transport plans for next year’s Commonwealth Games in partnership with Birmingham 2022 and Birmingham City Council. The plans include an emphasis on public transport to help reduce congestion on the wider network. Park and ride facilities will also be set up and additional shuttle buses laid on to ferry spectators and participants to venues. New public transport services including the Sprint rapid bus service linking three key Games venues, and redeveloped Perry Barr and University railway stations will also be available for spectators and visitors while leaving a valuable transport legacy for the region. Detailed local traffic and parking plans will be drawn up for each individual venue, with measures such as controlled parking zones to reduce the impact on surrounding residential roads.
The shortlist for Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce’s annual awards has been published: https://www.greaterbirminghamchambers.com/latest-news/news/2021/6/30/bumper-shortlist-as-firms-vie-for-chamber-awards-success/
A new Cancer Research UK-funded clinical trial being sponsored by the University of Birmingham has opened, aiming to investigate the efficacy of a novel treatment for patients affected by a specific type of blood cancer. https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/news/latest/2021/06/blood-cancer-clinical-trial-research.aspx
Westminster news and Parliamentary business
Last weekend I spoke to journalist Alistair Stewart on his new GB News show about my work with the All Party Parliamentary Group on Choice at the End of Life. https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1964288273740287
This week I added my name to an amendment to the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill on the subject of pet theft. The new clause aims to strengthen the existing laws on pet theft ensuring that those found guilty of stealing a pet would face imprisonment and/or a substantial fine. The new clause also stresses the importance of factoring in aggravating factors which would increase sentencing, including the stress caused to both the animal and owner and whether financial or commercial gain was a motive. I know from my inbox and mailbag that many people across the Royal Town are concerned about dog theft in particular and I am keen to see the law strengthened to protect our pets.
I have also been in touch with Amnesty International about clauses in the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill relating to the right to protest, I will be looking carefully at the wording of the Bill before it returns to the Commons next week. Any changes must not fetter the ancient right of people to protest but such protests must not be unnecessarily vexatious.
On Monday I joined a TheCityUK roundtable event with business leaders discussing the future challenges and opportunities for the UK-based financial and related professional services industry as we recover from Covid 19. I am conscious that the changing nature of their services (closing branches) can make life very difficult for my constituents.
On Wednesday I spoke in an Estimates Debate about our international development budget https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEBZ4SsGtwg&t=6s
Yesterday I attended a briefing from the BMA on issues relating to the pension arrangements for NHS staff and more widely, which are affecting quite a few of my constituents and I also received a detailed update and a new report from Open Doors UK looking at the persecution of Christians.
Over a quarter of a billion pounds has been provided to help extend adult social care coronavirus support beyond June. Funds will help boost infection control measures and testing.. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/adult-social-care-given-over-250-million-extra-to-continue-coronavirus-covid-19-protections
Over £1.2 billion worth of funding has been allocated from the Culture Recovery Fund to more than 5000 cultural organisations across England. The third and final round of funding will provide further support as the cultural, heritage and creative sectors move towards reopening at full capacity https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/CRFgrants
Opportunities and Events
UK Parliament Week is an annual event engaging people from across the UK with Parliament. This year it will take place on 1-7 November, there is plenty of information and access to free resources online: www.ukparliamentweek.org. Tours of Parliament will also resume over the summer months with booking now open online: https://ukparliament.seetickets.com/tour/uk-parliament-multimedia-tour
A new competition from SuperTech is searching for the next unicorn business idea. Six business proposals will be taken from conception through to development and launch. Thanks to investment by the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership and technology partner Million Labs - which is match funding three of the six spaces - businesses and individuals can create and launch their new product or service idea in a fraction of the time it used to take. https://gbslep.co.uk/news-and-events/news/billiondollar-unicorn-ideas-sought-for-new-fullyfunded-new-product-development-programme-/
Royal Mail has announced the launch of a new Postal Apprenticeship scheme. The scheme will offer up to 1,000 Level 2 Apprenticeships which will be based in delivery offices across the UK. Many senior Royal Mail employees - including Ricky MacAulay, Operations Development Director, began their careers through the former Postal Cadet Scheme. All applicants who successfully complete the scheme will be offered a permanent role. The initial cohort of 500 apprenticeships will begin in September. The scheme is now open for applications: https://jobs.royalmailgroup.com/go/Apprenticeships/698801/
The Birmingham Weekender event will return in August. The event is produced by Birmingham Hippodrome Festivals and funded by Bullring & Grand Central, Birmingham City Council and Arts Council England. Submissions are now being invited from Birmingham and West Midlands associated performers and artists. Festival producers want to programme a range of work that reflects and appeals to the cultural diversity and communities of the city and wider region. This may be an existing piece of work, adapted work or new work that was ready to be premiered just before the pandemic. https://www.birminghamhippodrome.com/birmingham-weekender-2021-artist-open-call/
The Bike Project is asking people to donate any old bikes, which will then be refurbished and given to refugees, the nearest drop off point for Sutton Coldfield is the Bike Project West Midlands in Balsall Heath https://thebikeproject.co.uk/pages/donate-bike
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