KFC Litter Pick
The team from the KFC in New Oscott had approached me as the Royal Town’s MP to support their litter pick this week which I was unfortunately unable to join. However, I am very pleased to support KFC’s litter picking in Sutton Coldfield.
I’m delighted that KFC is taking action to address the litter problem in Sutton Coldfield and that they are supporting the community to do the same. It’s so important that we all do our bit as a community to ensure we have a clean and tidy environment that that we can all enjoy. We are looking forward to seeing KFC continue to work hard to make a positive impact locally.
I hope to join them on one of their litter picks shortly.
Independent Governance Review into University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust
I have been approached by a number of constituents who have had unsatisfactory experiences at UHB.
Earlier this week, David Melbourne, the Chief executive of NHS Birmingham and Solihull, shared with me the independent Government Review into University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, chaired by Professor Mike Bewick.
This makes for difficult reading and sets out a number of important issues that need to be addressed by the Trust.
I have been assured that this report and the ones that will follow this year are intended to create the conditions for University Hospitals Birmingham to move on, improve and develop the culture, environment and governance that will benefit staff, patients, and the system.
Are you ready to Help Out?-
Support from our Royal Sutton Coldfield town council ahead of the Coronation of our new King.
The Coronation of King Charles III will see people across the UK and the Commonwealth come together to celebrate with a programme of events including The Big Help Out community activity on bank holiday Monday, 8 May.
The Royal Sutton Coldfield Town Council is providing a Big Help Out Grant of up to £500 to local voluntary, community, or not-for-profit organisations to support Big Help Out activities and showcase the impact of volunteering within communities.
One of the best assets of our Royal Town is those individuals and groups who work voluntarily week after week. From offering befriending services to keeping our streets clean – there will be very few people who haven’t benefited from the help and kindness of a volunteer in some way, shape or form.
The Big Help Out is a voluntary initiative with an objective to raise awareness of volunteering and to provide opportunities for people to experience volunteering and make a difference in their communities starting on 8 May 2023.
Volunteering groups can apply for up to £500, in celebration of King Charles III Coronation as part of this national day of volunteering – The Big Help Out!
If you would like to apply for a grant of up to £500 to support Big Help Out activities and raise awareness of volunteering please email enquiries@suttoncoldfieldtowncouncil.gov.uk
The deadline to apply is Friday 14 April 2023.
New funding to help young people into work
I’m proud to support @CareerReadyUK and all their great work to #InvestInYoungTalent in Sutton Coldfield through connecting employers & young people, boosting skills and Transforming lives.
Career Ready is a social mobility charity that works across Sutton Coldfield aiming to create more workplace opportunities for young people across the Royal Town.
Their new Internship Investment Fund enables eligible small and medium enterprises to host young people for paid internships during the summer holidays.
If you are a local business owner and this is something you would like to get involved in, you can register your interest here: https://careerready.org.uk/2022/04/06/internship-investment-funding-for-smes/
John Wilmott School’s Consultation on ‘Royal’ Name Change Proposals
I am a strong supporter of the new plans for John Wilmott School in my constituency.
As part of the new era at John Wilmott, the school has launched a consultation with parents, students, staff and the community on the next stage of a new era which would see a new uniform, new logo – and a Royal new name.
Since the end of lockdown, the school has unveiled a number of schemes aimed at raising students’ aspirations – including a set of new character virtues, work to develop behaviour and pastoral systems, and also evolving the curriculum.
Now a consultation has been launched into the next stage of the school’s rebirth, with a potential change of name to ‘The Royal Sutton School’.
Headteacher Nicola Gould explained: “In January 2022, to reset the expectations of the school community, we readopted the original school motto, ‘Potential into Reality’. Since then, to ensure we are doing everything we can to meet the needs of our students, we are systematically considering and reviewing every aspect of life at school and in doing so, considering the school’s history and ethos.
“It is our aim to be the school of choice within the Sutton area.”
Now the school is urging local people to have their say on the plans, so that the trustees of ATLP can make an informed decision.
An online survey has been launched, which outlines all of the proposals in detail and asks for feedback.
To fill in the online survey, visit https://forms.office.com/e/yQkSmqnf53. The closing date for contributions is Monday 17 April.
I will be strongly supporting the school as they enter their new era
Parliament has now risen for the Easter recess but before it did so, we published the Anti-Social Behaviour Plan.
Anti-Social Behaviour Action Plan:
I welcome the community fight back against anti-social behaviour this week with the publishing of the government’s Ant-Social Behaviour Plan, in which the West Midlands is one of the Hotspot trailblazer police force areas.
Hotspot Pilot areas will see an increase in visible policing, while Immediate Justice pilot areas will see offenders being made to repair the damage made to repair the damage they cause or visibly support the local community in other ways.
Tackling anti-social behaviour is a key priority for this Government - £160 million of funding was announced to crack down on ASB in our parks, high streets and communities.
The new ASB plan will also give police and local authorities more tools to tackle Anti-Social Behaviour - expanding drug testing on arrest, banning nitrous oxide and increasing on the spot fines for offences such as graffiti or fly-tipping.
Avanti West Coast Easter 2023 Engineering Works
Between Friday 7 and Monday 10 April there will be changes to Avanti West Coast services, as Network Rail carry out an £88m programme of essential engineering work across the rail network. No trains will run to and from Euston station over Easter weekend. Other parts of the West Coast Main Line are also affected by work, with no direct trains to many stations.
West Midlands Railway: Passengers urged to plan ahead of engineering workstaking place at Easter
Passengers travelling with West Midlands Railway (WMR) are being urged to plan ahead of engineering works impacting services across the network over the Easter weekend (April 7-10).
The works, being carried out by Network Rail, will mean:
• Due to bridge replacement work at Sutton Coldfield, a rail replacement service will run between Lichfield Trent Valley and Birmingham New Street.
• Due to engineering work on the West Coast Main Line, no trains will run between Milton Keynes Central and London Euston. A rail replacement service will be in place from Milton Keynes linking passengers to other routes in London.
• A rail replacement service will run between Stafford and Crewe.
Football fans attending the Aston Villa v Nottingham Forest match on Easter Saturday are being advised to check their journeys due to the reduced service because of the engineering works.
Meanwhile, WMR has confirmed a normal timetable will be in operation on Thursday 30 March and Saturday 1 April following the suspension of planned industrial action by the RMT union.
More information on Easter engineering works can be viewed here:
