Welcoming in the Christmas season

I was at a delightful event for our Conservative Association in the Royal Town at the home of the Hindmarsh family in Four Oaks. Our acting Chair and former town councillor Clare Horrocks organised the event on behalf of local members and a most enjoyable time was had by all!

Visit to the Royal Town’s Fire Station

Kicking off my pre-Christmas tour of the Royal Town, I visited our local fire station to thank them personally for everything they are doing for our community. While there we discussed the ways in which Sutton’s fire station has expanded with the addition of the rescue service which is a great achievement during a time of serious financial difficulties. Based there are services of regional importance as well as our Royal Town fire engine.

The facility has been upgraded so our team of fire service personnel are able to respond at speed with a range of resources to meet the unique demands of rescue operations, which includes deploying rescue dogs to support specific missions – something mostly associated with policing! I was impressed by their expertise, professionalism and the versatility of services on offer. Whatever the emergency, rest assured the Royal Town is in very good hands.

Hope Food

My next stop was to the Hope Food foodbank at one of its busiest times of the year as volunteers prepared food bags to take to the Mere Green food bank for the final session before Christmas. Together with Councillor Richard Parkin, I heard first hand from the volunteers how much food has been donated by the generous people of Sutton Coldfield.

Donations have been collected from local schools, companies and organisations. Local groups have undertaken fund raising activities including two choirs who organised a Christmas concert. Hope Food are currently providing food support to over 400 people a week and this would not be possible without the dedication of the 90 wonderful volunteers.

Visit to Police Station

I visited the Police Station to wish all our police officers and staff a Merry Christmas. I thanked them for their work in the past year, keeping our streets and communities safe.

I had a catch up with Mat Shaer, East Birmingham’s Chief Superintendent, who updated me on the progress the force has made this year in clamping down on issues such as car thefts and other acquisitive crimes, and their success in bringing down local crime generally. In particular, burglary in the Royal Town, already one of the lowest in the country, has fallen further still over the last year.

Mat also talked about the wise decision to serve a closure notice on a Royal Town restaurant this week ahead of an event which potentially would have led to significant anti-social behaviour in the area. This is another example of the strong leadership and judgment that we all benefit from here in the Royal Town, making us one of the safest communities in the country.

More Tea, Vicar!

I rounded off the day by meeting local faith leaders at Holy Trinity to discuss their thoughts and concerns over a cup of tea. Hosted by Rector John Routh, we explored the challenges faced by people in the cost-of-living crisis, the strains on the NHS and other institutions, and the options available to the government as it tries to help people through the economic storm while also bringing down inflation – which is the greatest enemy of prosperity.

We also spoke about the burgeoning mental health crisis, and the need to better engage young people in politics. As always it was a frank exchange and I am very grateful to the clergy for the brilliant support and counsel they provide our community, particularly at this difficult juncture.

John Routh will be leaving us in the first quarter of next year and will be conducting his final service on 26 February. On behalf of the Royal Town, I would like to thank him for his service as Rector of the main town church.

Good Hope Hospital and Post Office

This year for obvious reasons I was not able to visit Good Hope Hospital and the Post Office as I do every year.

I hope to visit these Sutton institutions at the earliest opportunity in the New Year. In the meantime I would like to thank all the doctors, nurses and staff at Good Hospital who I know are working incredibly hard in difficult circumstances, and the men and women at the sorting office, for whose help and support we are all extremely grateful.

To My Dear Constituents

I’d like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas. I hope you are enjoying a deserved break and will be spending quality time with your friends and family - a blessed relief after Covid, which we have hopefully put behind us permanently.

We live in hope that things will continue to get better in every way. Let us pray for peace and prosperity in our community, country and beyond.

Useful Information

Road closures Update

The M42 will be fully closed between junction 9 (Dunton Interchange) and junction 10 (Tamworth Interchange) for HS2 to install the Marston Box bridge across the motorway.

Marston Box is the bridge that will carry the HS2 line across the M42 Motorway near Junction 9, north of Lea Marston and Curdworth in North Warwickshire.

The closure time of the northbound carriageway has been revised on Saturday 24 December 2022. This will reduce the impact on the strategic road network and allow the travelling public more time to complete their festive journeys. The northbound closure has been moved back to start at 8pm.

The following phased closure of the M42 motorway will take place:

• Southbound carriageway closure (Junctions 10 to 9) – from 9pm on Friday 23 December 2022 to 5am Tuesday 3 January 2023.

• Northbound carriageway closure (Junctions 9 to 10) – from 8pm Saturday 24 December 2022 to 5am Tuesday 3 January 2023.

A clear signed diversion route will be in place over this period with advance signage in place to help remind motorists of the closure.

For more details on this closure and diversion route, please visit: www.hs2.org.uk/marston-box

Train Strikes

Passengers are being warned not to travel on any West Midlands Railway (WMR) services on two days between Christmas and New Year due to industrial action.

Strike action by the TSSA union means no service will run on any WMR route on either Wednesday 28 December or Thursday 29 December.

Passengers are also being reminded that Christmas Eve services will finish at 4pm due to industrial action by the RMT union. No trains will run on Christmas Day or Boxing Day.

Ongoing industrial action by the RMT is expected to impact timetables across all operators up to and including Saturday 7 January 2023 and passengers are advised to only travel if absolutely necessary.

Bin Collections and Recycling Plans over Christmas

Monday 6 December – there will be no waste or recycling collections. Households who usually have a general collection waster collection will have their next collection on Monday 2 January 2023. Households who usually have a recycling collection will have their next collection on Monday 9 January 2023.

Tuesday 27 December – recycling collections will take place as normal. There will be no general waste collection. Households who usually have a general waste collection will have their next collection on Monday 3 January 2023.