Happy New Year to all my constituents, and welcome to the first of my weekly messages for 2024. 

Over the coming year, we are planning to expand this message and I would welcome suggestions from readers on what kind of content they would like to see included (as long as they are polite!)

It has been a busy first week. We have had teams of our Birmingham city councillors, conservative Royal Town councillors, local volunteers and party members out and about across the Royal Town talking to members of the public about our priorities and aims for our Town in 2024.

I very much enjoyed joining our brilliant team today in the Town Centre, talking to people about the priorities which I, as your Member of Parliament, and our energetic and highly effective West Midlands Mayor Andy Street are going to pursue over the next year.

Above all, both Andy and I believe that politics is about serving the people who have given us the great privilege of representing them.

Above: Heading off around the Royal Town this morning with our brilliant local councillors and activists. Delivering letters, leaflets and listening to local views 

Over the next four weeks, I will be explaining what I see as my four key priorities for the constituency and our Royal Town, both now and in the period running up to our 500th anniversary in 2028.

Of course, I have many other priorities and aims for Sutton Coldfield, but I know these four – the Town Hall, Town Centre, Cottage Hospital and the Park – have very broad and keen support locally.

First, I will report next week on OUR TOWN HALL where the news – thanks in large part to Andy Street our outstanding Regional Mayor ¬– is really encouraging and exciting.

Then, I will report on OUR COTTAGE HOSPITAL, where again we have made real progress over the last year which should deliver the vision I and others have been vigorously pursuing for nearly seven years since Dame Julie Moore and I put it together when she ran the regional NHS.

Thirdly, I will look at OUR TOWN CENTRE, which like so many others, faces big challenges. Again, the outlook is good. Over the last year the Town Centre has secured £25 million tax-payer investment from central Government. The ambitious new owners of the Gracechurch Centre have really hit the ground running too, and will soon put forward plans that will be the subject of extensive local consultation. Under the leadership of Royal Town Council Leader Simon Ward and his conservative councillor colleagues we are tying together the contributions of the private sector, national and local government and local civil society to drive the Town Centre Master Plan, which will serve Sutton for generations to come and deliver on the aspirations so many of us are determined to see realised.

And finally, the fourth priority is OUR ROYAL SUTTON PARK. Let me be frank. In December, I had meetings with Birmingham City Council on the state of this most cherished beauty spot. When I left those meetings, I felt like I had steam coming out of my ears. Some years ago, the then Labour leader of Birmingham City Council and I had a clear understanding that the future of the Park would involve a new Trust made of three parts – the City Council, Royal Sutton Coldfield Town Council and a national body with expertise and investment.

However, the Labour administration that has bankrupted Birmingham’s council has failed to do the basic work to make this reality. So, Labour have sat on the park, failing to invest in it and stopping anyone else from doing so – or even looking at ways to help.

I shall report in detail on this last of my four priorities – the only one which is way off track thanks entirely to Labour incompetence and disinterest – shortly.

There will be more too. Over the weeks, I will also be filling you in on other exciting developments, like the fabulous news about our Town Cinema.

When lists are compiled of the best places to live in the UK, Sutton Coldfield is always included. As we approach the 500th anniversary of our Royal charter, I aim to deliver on these key priorities to ensure they meet the high expectations our residents rightly expect.

New Years Honours List

A huge congratulations to Ian Woodfroffe, founder of Easy Fundraising, who has been awarded an OBE for his service to charitable fundraising in this year’s New Years Honours List.

Ian set up Easy Fundraising over 20 years ago here in the Royal Town, raising an incredible £45 million for good causes since its inception. Easy Fundraising now has 90 people working for the company with a hub in London.

Easy Fundraising is an innovative app and the first of its kind ever which allows users to donate to a charity simply by shopping online via the app with various retailers. It costs nothing to use as the retailers donate to the chosen charities.

You can find out how to use Easy Fundraising by clicking here:

 https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/support-a-good-cause/

Above: Myself with Ian Woodroffe, and Becky Coleman who works for Easy Fundraising

West Midlands Mayor-PCC Merger Consultation 

I know many residents are deeply concerned about the future of West Midlands Police, especially with crime doubling under the Labour PCC and the terrible plan to close our Police Station (which I have always opposed in the strongest possible terms). 

That is why back in November our brilliant Mayor Andy Street recently requested the Home Office approve a transfer of powers from the PCC to the Mayoral office, as is currently the case in London, Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire, to tackle crime across the West Midlands and support residents across the whole region including the Royal Town. The Home Office has now determined that a consultation must be run regarding the transfer of PCC powers to the Mayor so that they can hear the views of local residents and push for the best course of action to ensure effective Policing across the West Midlands and indeed, the Royal Town.  

If you would like to respond to the consultation and make your thoughts and concerns heard, please follow the link below where you can tell the Home Office your priorities for West Midlands Police and your perspective on the West Midlands Mayor-PCC Merger: 

https://www.homeofficesurveys.homeoffice.gov.uk/s/west-midlands-pcc-functions-transfer/ 

As your local MP, I will continue to monitor this situation very closely and will always push to make sure residents' concerns are heard and ensure effective policing throughout the Royal Town.  

Above: Welcoming our regional mayor on one of his many visits to the Royal Town

Post Office Scandal

No doubt many of my constituents will have watched the excellent ITV drama Mr Bates v The Post Office.

This appalling miscarriage of justice is still subject to an independent inquiry but nevertheless the dreadful treatment of those innocent postmasters and postmistresses is a scandal that should never be repeated. I vigorously attacked those responsible in the House once constituents raised this with me and brought it to my attention. 

Here below is an example from Wednesday 15th December 2021:

“I am grateful to hon.friend for his statement. Will he reflect on the fact that this extraordinary miscarriage of justice has been made worse by the fact that the Post Office could use public money to overwhelm these honest and decent postmasters and postmistresses, so that their legitimate recompense is all or at least partly gobbled up by massive legal fees?. On behalf of the Government, the minister will want to reflect on why is has taken so long for them to acknowledge and accept what Members on both sides of the House have been calling for years and years – non more so than our former colleague the Right Hon Lord Arbunthhot. Will the Minister say a little more about what will be done to hold to account those who shamefully led the Post Office and so grievously let down the honest men and women who worked for them?” 

Above: ITV’s Mr Bates v The Post Office 

Funeral of Edna Heappey BEM

Today with great sadness we buried Edna Heappey BEM after a beautiful service held in the Sutton Coldfield United Reform Church
I wrote about this distinguished Daughter of the Royal Town who contributed so much during her 98 years - nearly all spent in Sutton Coldfield ( you can read what I said here: https://www.andrew-mitchell-mp.co.uk/news/weekly-message-constituents-190-hot-and-cold-december)

We celebrated all that she did for so many of us as the founder of the Elizabethan club, mainstay of Goldieslie bowls club, builder of the most successful branch in England of the RNLI whose flag draped her coffin, tremendous school governor, brilliant fund raiser and astute political observer and wise member of the Sutton Coldfield Conservative Association represented today by our President Kay Noone. She was a matriarch of 4 generations of her family of 21.

Parliament has not been sitting this week

My article in The Times 

On Wednesday I wrote for The Times on the excellent work that Street Child does with Government support, helping the world’s poorest and most disaster-affected countries to ensure children are still kept in school, and how the government are matching donations donated up to £500,000. 

You can read more about it here: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/andrew-mitchell-give-to-street-child-and-government-will-double-the-value-christmas-appeal-07g2qlsf6co.uk)

To donate, please visit thetimes.co.uk/christmasappeal or call 0151 284 2336. 

National insurance cuts

From this month, thousands of hard-working people here in Sutton Coldfield and millions across the country will have their taxes cut by this government.

That means the average person on a £35k salary will be £450 better off as a result of our changes.

We can do all this now because of the long-term decisions we’ve taken since Rishi Sunak became Prime Minister, like halving inflation to reduce the cost of living.

That’s in stark contrast to Labour who say they’d spend £28 billion more, which they’ll pay for by raising your taxes.

If you want to find out how our Conservative tax cut will impact you, click the link below or visit taxcuts.conservatives.com

The local Conservative Office would like to wish everyone a very Happy New Year!

Further information

MHRC Locations

Please see below the visits scheduled for the week commencing 8thJanuary 2024 of the BCC Mobile Household Recycling Centre.

• Tue 09/01/2024,Green Lanes B73 5JL, 07:00 - 12:30, Sutton Wylde Green

• Fri 12/01/2024, Park View Road B74 4PR, 07:00 - 12:30, Sutton Four Oaks

#MYTOWNHALL

Your Town Hall requires donations to protect our heritage building for future use.

We are launching an APPEAL FOR £200k in order to continue to support Your Town Hall and protect it for the future community use, value and enjoyment. 

In this present situation of rising material prices, heating bills and social costs, why should YOU consider supporting your town hall? Because it is a precious historical building, an asset to the area, and the Trust needs support to keep it functioning. 

How to Support:

We are asking you to be as generous as you can, to enable the Town Hall to meet its present commitments. We are relying on your support. Every little helps ! 

Thank you! 

From all of the team at Sutton Coldfield Community Town Hall Trust and the trustees.

Donate with PayPal Giving Fund