Solihull Updates

09/10/2025

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09/10/2025

Catney Resident’s Association are appealing for help to “Save Our Canal-side”.

A spokesperson said: “We need your help to protect one of the last unspoilt canal-side on in before Birmingham developer Cala is proposing to build seven 2.5-storey houses along Oak Farm - right beside our village canal.

“This plan would block views and damage local character which make our canal such a special place for residents, visitors and nature as seen in the attached image impression.

“Why it matters: The proposed homes are too tall and too close to the canal and ignores ’s own design and conservation policies.

“Have your say by 22 October!

“Please take these 3 simple steps:

1️⃣ Email [email protected]
2️⃣ Quote reference: PL/2025/01715/DIS
3️⃣ Copy in: [email protected]

“View the full planning details here ➡️ https://publicaccess.solihull.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=documents&keyVal=T2DIVAOEFSE00

“Let’s stand together to protect our canal, our heritage and our village character 💚”

09/10/2025

Connie Bate, 15, has commenced her year as the Mayor's new Sea Scout and will be accompanying the Mayor of , Councillor Annette Mackenzie, to official events throughout the year, such as Remembrance Sunday.

As a long-standing tradition, 4th Sea Scouts – based at Arden School – select a Scout from their group to be the official Sea Scout for the Mayor of Solihull.

Connie, aged 15, has been in her scouting group for seven years and has been a member of the Sea Scout Explorers for 18 months. She is currently studying for her GCSEs at Arden Academy.

She said: “I’m delighted to be working with the Mayor and representing the Sea Scouts! It has been a great experience so far and I can’t wait for the year ahead.”

The 15-year-old has completed her Paddlesport Instructor Qualification through explorers so is able to teach younger scouts how to kayak safely, and has also completed her Silver Duke of Edinburgh awards, and will work towards her Gold level when she turns 16.

Outside of Scouts, Connie is passionate about football, captaining the GU16 Hawks football team and is currently completing her refereeing qualification. She is also a keen hiker, having climbed mountains such as Snowdon, Cadair Idris and Scafell Pike and hopefully soon, Ben Nevis.

The Mayor of Solihull commented: “I’m delighted to have a sea scout represent the borough and support me at civic events. Connie is a bright and dedicated individual who I’m proud to call the Mayor’s Sea Scout.

“She has already contributed greatly to the sea scout community in Solihull, and I wish her the best of luck in all her endeavours.

“The Mayor’s Sea Scout is an important tradition and gives a young individual a fantastic opportunity to represent Solihull, which I look forward to supporting as Mayor. Good luck to Connie for the coming year.”

09/10/2025

WM Safer Travel are tackling anti-social behaviour in and with local police and British Transport Police.

🚔 Teamwork in action! 💪 B Team are out in Chelmsley Wood/Solihull interchanges today, joining forces with amazing neighbourhood officers to tackle antisocial behaviour 🛑

Together, we’re making our community/public transport safer.

09/10/2025

The Colour Palette Company unveils Colour Palette products online.

The Colour Palette Company has announced that The Solihull Colour Palette, featuring all 32 swatches as seen in Shopping Centre, is now available to purchase online, with a donation to future public art projects from each purchase made.

Shoppers can order vibrant wall art prints celebrating Solihull’s people, places, history and heritage or a choice of four exclusive mugs (collect all four if you like!) with more items coming soon.

These items are ideal Christmas gifts for Solihull residents, or for anyone who has a soft spot for the borough’s unique character.

What makes this launch even more special: a percentage from each sale will go toward funding more public art in Solihull.

The Solihull Colour Palette was developed through a public call-out: members of the public, local historians and archivists were invited to suggest the people, places, objects, and scenes they associate with the borough. Artist Stacey Barnfield then transformed those suggestions into the final artwork.

The palette is currently on display in Touchwood Shopping Centre, Cloister Walk, delivered jointly by Solihull Council and Touchwood, funded by the Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund and Touchwood.

“The Colour Palette artworks are all about celebrating local; the areas we grew up in, the people who inspire us, the places we love and the buildings we cherish,” said artist Stacey Barnfield. “Living nearby, it’s wonderful that Solihull now has its own colour palette, and I hope it proves popular.”

Solihull Council’s Cabinet Member for Communities, Councillor Wazma Qais, said: “The Solihull Colour Palette uses a range of swatches with different colour references to showcase the borough’s rich history, influential people and beautiful places. Members of the public, historians and archivists were invited to help shape the development of The Solihull Colour Palette. We hope to develop the palette to create colourful wayfinding and maps, new artworks inspired by the swatches and more.”

For more information and to preview the swatches ➡️ https://thecolourpalettecompany.com/collections/the-solihull-colour-palette

To find out more about the Solihull Colour Palette ➡️ https://visitsolihull.co.uk/solihull-colour-palette/

09/10/2025

: has now been reopened.

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: in is currently CLOSED around the Yorkminster Drive junction, reportedly due to an emergency service-led incident.

09/10/2025

town centre before the construction of - early 1960s

09/10/2025

Range Rover production lines in have resumed, according to car maker Jaguar Land Rover.

About 1,000 employees also started work in JLR’s engine plant on Wednesday, it said, marking a "significant moment" on its journey back to full vehicle production.

The company revealed on Monday it had suffered a sharp drop in sales following a cyber-attack, adding it had been a "challenging quarter" as it also dealt with the impact of higher US tariffs.

There was a "strong sense of unity and momentum" as the company welcomed back staff, said global manufacturing director Luis Vara.

The company was back to doing "what it did best", he added, "building quality luxury vehicles for our customers".

Stamping operations in and , in Merseyside, have also resumed, the company said.

"Wolverhampton is one of the first sites to restart production because it's where we build all of the engines for JLR vehicles ahead of vehicle production taking place," the company added.

The attack came at a crucial time for the company with the release of new 75-series number plates expected to trigger a surge in demand.

Between July and September, sales fell by 17.1% compared with the same period a year ago.
UK sales had dropped by a third, the company said.

JLR said this partly reflected the production freeze since the start of September.

Jaguar Land Rover has announced a programme to fast-track payments to its direct suppliers, some of which have laid off workers after their revenues dried up following the hack.

The company also vowed to pay back financing costs for those JLR suppliers who use the scheme during the restart phase.

Industry insiders have warned the resumption of production, while welcome, does not end the crisis being experienced by many smaller suppliers.

Workers return to West Midlands and Merseyside factories in a "significant moment" for the company.

09/10/2025

Apprenticeship and Pathways Show is for young people looking for jobs, apprenticeships and alternative routes after GCSE.

🗓️ 2 weeks to go 🗓️

Join us at Cranmore Park to learn about and alternative routes to uni such as T Levels and BTEC available locally. You may just find your best option after GCSE at the show.
Sign up now 👉 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1652235413599

09/10/2025

Which coat are you wearing today? 🧥😆

09/10/2025

Pubs and bars in and could see extended opening hours as the Government launches a fast-track review on "outdated" licensing rules.

The plans could make it easier for venues to serve food outside and host more live music, in a bid to "remove unnecessary barriers".

Pub landlords and local communities will be able to have their say in a four-week call for evidence.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the review was about "cutting red tape" and "boosting footfall" to support the 's economic growth.

But critics have warned relaxing rules around alcohol would lead to more antisocial behaviour.

Sir Keir said "pubs and bars are the beating heart of our communities", and added that the government was "backing them to thrive".

"When our locals do well, our economy does too," he said.

The call for evidence will focus on nine key recommendations from the Government's Licensing Taskforce, with particular emphasis on streamlining on-trade alcohol licensing for hospitality venues.

It said it plans to cut the cost of licensing, extend business rates relief and cut alcohol duty on draught pints.

Nick Mackenzie, co-chair of the Licensing Taskforce and chief executive at pub giant Greene King, said updating the licensing system was a "vital step" towards reducing the challenges of running a hospitality business.

"Pubs are faced with continued rising costs, placing them under enormous pressures which is why the Government must continue to back the sector, including critical reforms on business rates which would unlock opportunities for pubs to invest and help drive economic growth," he said.

Dr Richard Piper, the chief executive of the charity Alcohol Change UK told the Guardian the proposed reforms would be a "charter for chaos" without support from local authorities and health experts.

He said permitting vendors to sell alcohol later into the evening would "inevitably mean more victims of crime, including domestic violence, more antisocial behaviour and disturbance, more police time spent dealing with drink-fuelled incidents and both ambulance and A&E staff having to deal with even more people who have come to harm as a result of alcohol".

Pubs in England and Wales do not have universal fixed opening hours under current licensing rules. Instead, local authorities grant licenses with specific operating hours which pubs must follow.

The number of pubs in the has steadily decreased every year since 2000, according to the British Beer and Pub Association. The association estimates that 378 pubs would close in 2025 across England, Wales and Scotland, amounting to more than 5,600 direct job losses.

Changes to licensing rules could see relaxed rules around live music and serving food outside.

09/10/2025

The King is set to release an Amazon Prime documentary about his vision for nature.

King Charles will urge people to work with nature, rather than against it, in his first-ever streaming documentary.

Just days after Prince William's revealing conversation with Canadian actor Eugene Levy on Apple TV, his father tells of his “fondest hope” that his new film will inspire people around the globe to protect the planet when it releases on Prime Video in 2026.

A long-time campaigner on the environment, the King has turned to the streaming platform in order to reach the widest possible number of eyeballs around the world.

The new commission, called Finding Harmony: A King's Vision, chronicles the King’s personal work in this area, such as at Dumfries House in Scotland and his Highgrove Estate in Gloucestershire, as well as projects he supports in places like Guyana and India.

King Charles said: "For much of my life, I have sought to promote and encourage ways we can work with, rather than against nature.

"In other words, to restore balance to our planet, which is under such stress."

He urged everyone who lives on planet Earth to consider themselves “a part of nature” and realise how the natural world sustains our lives, as humans.

"Never has it been more important for the world to make a concerted effort to protect and prioritise our planet, and to restore our relationship with it," the monarch added.

The announcement comes ahead of the latest UN climate conference COP30, which this year is being held in the Brazilian city of Belem, considered the gateway to the Amazon.

The King is not attending because, as a monarch who sits above politics, it is much more difficult now for him to get involved in the political discussions between governments.

However, by granting access to a documentary crew, King Charles said it was his "fondest hope that this film may encourage a new audience to learn about the philosophy of Harmony".

Harmony was the title of a book he co-wrote with the environmentalist Tony Juniper and is widely considered to be the most comprehensive understanding of the King’s vision of the world.

In it he warned about the modern world’s disconnect with nature and the impact it is going to have on us all.

Dumfries House, which the King’s Foundation - one of his charities - purchased in 2005, is now considered to have been transformed into a “living demonstration” of the King’s sustainable principles.

It appears the King has not given Apple TV an interview, in the strictest definition of the word, but the programmes will include his own “reflections” on protecting the planet and creating a more sustainable world.

He hopes the series will show how Mother Nature can inspire others to have "the same sense of determination it has given me to help build a more sustainable future”.

Even the director of the Amazon show acknowledges that "remarkably few people around the world know the full depth of the King’s lifelong battle to bring nature and humanity into harmony”.

A new photograph of King Charles, taken in the arboretum of his Highgrove estate during the filming of Harmony, has been released to accompany the announcement that the show will debut in the new year.