Cllr Clifton Welch and Ginn the dog at Perry Barr Fire Station (photograph supplied by Cllr Clifton Welch)
Words byCllr Clifton Welch
Hello, on Saturday 9 August Alex Richards – the Local Conservative Campaigner for Kingstanding – and myself had a fantastic time at the Perry Bar Fire Station where the local fire brigade held an open day.
It was great to get the chance to talk to so many of the amazing people who go above and beyond every single day to save lives and be there at our hour of need such as Firefighters, the Police, First Responders, and numerous other volunteer organisations such as West Midlands 4×4 Response, First Aid, British Red Cross, Guide Dogs and Family HUB Birmingham.
The photo attached with this article shows me with Giddy, a beautiful Spaniel who is based at Perry Bar fire station. Giddy is trained to find the exact location that a fire started and is paid in tennis balls lol.
A massive thank you to everyone who helped organise this wonderful event and it was lovely to get to see and speak to so many volunteers.
On a different matter I have been receiving calls from several residents close to Crossways Lane of drug dealers being active in the area. The most recent example was Sunday 10 August, where Crossways Lane meets College Rd. I have passed details and suspected car registration numbers to Kingstanding Police.
Finally, as you are all aware Birmingham Labour Council Bin Srike chaos worsens. Birmingham Labour continues to drag Kingstanding and Birmingham down. Please continue to make me aware of examples of bins not being collected or examples of fly tipping.
(L-R) Cllr Clifton Welch and Local Conservative campaigner Alex Richards cleaning sign for Burford Road Playing Fields / Photograph supplied by Cllr Welch
Words byCllr Clifton Welch
This month at Birmingham Full Council Meeting on the 8 July, I added a petition of 525 people calling on the City Council to take enforcement action against 101 Hawthorn Road for operating without planning permission.
The background to this case is that in 2020 the City Council gave planning permission for a retail shop to be converted into an Islamic education centre for activities such as teaching languages.
Since then, residents have reported that it has effectively become a mosque for which there is no planning permission, with on occasions praying on the pavement and significant planning permission. I have been raising the concerns of residents to City Planning for 14 months, sadly without success.
Due to the breach in planning regulations and the failure of the Labour run Council to act I launched this petition demanding they take enforcement action. It’s not too late to sign the petition as I’m getting additional names every day and I will be able to add these names at the next Council Meeting.
On 27 June I had a wonderful afternoon at Kings Rise Academy School to share their 3rd anniversary of what is a stunning Nature Garden.
Local Conservative Campaigner Alex Richards and I have also been busy cleaning community signs such as the one in the above photo at Burford Park. Local Conservatives believe in Actions not Words.
Finally enjoy the beautiful sunshine but stay safe.
Existing and proposed floor plans for development at 55 Goodway Road, Kingstanding / Graphics taken from planning application
Planning has been approved by Birmingham City Council to turn a house in multiple occupancy (HMO) at 55 Goodway Road into a children’s care home.
The semi-detached property is currently housing eight people as an HMO. But on 8 May, Birmingham City Council planning committee gave developers the green light to change its use – allowing for a conversion to house three young people aged between six and 17 years old and their onsite carers.
In the ‘Statement of Purpose’ submitted to Birmingham City Council, the applicant states the development would “provide care and accommodation” for the young people “who identify as being in need of residential care due their vulnerabilities and difficulties with behaviours.”
According to Government findings, the number of children in care and ‘looked after’ by social services across the UK was up to 83,630 – based on data collected from 31 March 2023, to 31 March 2024.
The number of care homes and residential provision for vulnerable young people across the country, based on data from the same time period, was up to 3491 – a rise of around 12% from the previous year.
First submitted to BCC on 28 October 2024, the plans received objections from both local Oscott Ward councillors, Barbara Dring (Labour) and Darius Sandhu (Conservatives) – citing the vulnerability of local young people and pensioners as a concern, as well as the potential disruption to a predominately residential area.
A total of 32 letters from local residents objecting to the change of use were also received, with the planning committee’s report referencing concerns including pressure on local services and a lack of clear consultation.
Further concerns that were highlighted, as raised by local residents in their letters of objection, included the “applicant’s legitimacy” and “perceived financial motives” for the development of a children’s care home.
The application to change the use of 55 Goodway Road to allow for the development of a children’s care home was made by Stockport based care provider, iCare Solutions.
On their website, the company states it “is on a mission to empower lives with compassionate care and transformative support for children” and provides “top-notch residential childcare and support,
In their most recent Care Quality Commission inspection, published in March 2023, iCare were rated ‘Good’ – having addressed previous concerns raised by the CQC inspectors over a “[failure] to ensure safe recruitment practice”.
Alongside caring for children from birth to 18 years old, the organisation is also listed as providing care for adults both over and under 65 adults on the CQC database. It further offers support for people living with conditions from dementia and learning difficulties to physical disabilities and sensory impairments.
Outside of the Council House in Birmingham City Centre – with ‘BROKE’ stamp added / Photograph supplied by Adobe Stock Image and adapted for publishing
In a bid to balance the books after the financial crisis at Birmingham City Council, the Local Authority has approved cuts to children’s services provision by a reported £39m in the city’s budget for 2025/26.
Children’s Commissioner for England, Dame Rachel de Souza, responded to the cuts by stating she was “massively frustrated and furious” – especially when the area governed by Birmingham City Council has previously had “real problems in terms of child deaths and child safeguarding issues.”
In an interview with ITV News Central, Dame de Souza when on to state: “We need to make sure child safeguarding is supported, children are supported, and that children’s services are the last things that get cut.”
Gravelly Hill Cllr Mick Brown (Labour) and Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Families / Photograph supplied by Birmingham Labour
When previously asked by ITV News Central if the cuts could endanger life, Gravelly Hill Cllr Mick Brown, who is the current local Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Families, told: “It’s obviously a concern… It’s something that we need to be aware of, and I think we need to avoid being complacent.”
Planning officers at Birmingham City Council have granted iCare Solutions three years to complete their proposed development at 55 Goodway Road, Kingstanding.
(l-r) Conservatives Leader Kemi Badenoch MP and Kingstanding Cllr Clifton Welch / Photograph supplied by Cllr Clifton Welch
Words byCllr Clifton Welch
This month I’d like to talk about one of the biggest issues I get asked about – potholes across Kingstanding.
After the cold winter that we had, I spent a little time inspecting local roads for potholes and reporting them for repair.
Sadly, Birmingham Labour have been trying to axe £20 million a year from the road repair budget at a time that the roads across Kingstanding – and Birmingham in general – have needed investment more than ever.
Across Kingstanding we are starting to see the damage in our local roads of a decade of bankrupt Birmingham Labour’s mismanagement of the Council and its finances. Many of these potholes – such as on Rivington Creescent, Epwell Road, and Warren Farm Road – are dangerous and require urgent attention.
I’d also like to take this opportunity to update you on the Kingstanding and Perry Common Libraries.
The good news is the campaign that local Conservatives launched to save these libraries was a success and Birmingham Labour backed down on their closure plan, and they are both going to remain open. However, the opening times will be reduced to just three days a week with no commitment to open on a Saturday.
There is also a risk that Birmingham Labour will use any reduced visitor numbers as an excuse to come back next year to close either or both libraries.
So, I can pledge Local Conservatives will continue to fight to protect both Libraries and in the longer-term fight for the return of full-time services.
