Category: Opinion

Posted on

OPINION: A message from Paulette Hamilton, MP for Erdington

Pic supplied by Paulette Hamilton MP

I hope everyone in Erdington, Kingstanding and Castle Vale is looking forward to the summer break and spending some valuable time with their family. Although Parliament is in summer recess, my work in our community will continue throughout.

Recently, I was made aware of a planning application that proposed to convert the Royal Oak Pub into a 10-bed HMO. The property is located in Stockland Green ward, in an area that already has a significant number of HMOs. I led a campaign calling on local people to object to the planning application, and our petition collected the support of 398 concerned residents.

I’m delighted that Birmingham City Council listened to residents’ concerns and refused the application. This shows what can be achieved when a determined community works together.

Also in July, our amazing NHS marked its 75th Anniversary. I’m proud to have worked in the NHS as a nurse, first training as a district nurse in Kingstanding and then dedicating 25 years to supporting people across Birmingham. Living in Erdington, I still rely on and cherish our local NHS services.

The NHS was Labour’s greatest achievement, founded in 1948 and continues to provide care to everyone free from the point of use. Sadly, after 13 years of Tory mismanagement, we have seen a huge decline in our health service, making it impossible to book GP appointments, creating long operation waiting times and worsening staff shortages. Our NHS is broken, and it will take a Labour government to save it.

For more on Paulette Hamilton MP for Erdington visit www.paulettehamilton.org

Posted on

OPINION: Erdington Cllr Robert Alden, Leader of Birmingham Conservatives

Words by Cllr Robert Alden (Erdington Ward, Conservative)

June has been another busy month, here is just some of what Cllr Gareth Moore and I have been up to in recent weeks.

We have continued to work with local Police and High Street businesses to make the High Street safer. We have written to the Chief Constable of West Midlands Police as part of our on-going call for average speed cameras on the Chester Road to help tackle people racing along the road.

This is something we have been raising with the Council for a number of years – sadly this site has seen a number of fatalities in recent years, the last leading to a reduction in the speed limit from 40 to 30mph. The Chester Road has a number of vulnerable locations including Pype Hayes Park and the Yenton School.

We are also speaking to the Council about what improvements to road safety are possible at the sites of the other recent horrific crashes locally, and will update residents when there is progress on the options.

We also supported the Neighbourhood Watch meeting to discuss HMO’s and Exempt Accommodation. Earlier this month I joined with colleagues to meet with members of the Eastern European community across North Birmingham to discuss local democracy and issues.

Finally, I have launched a petition opposing the plan to convert the Royal Oak on the corner of Marsh Lane/Short Heath Road into a 10 bed HMO. You can sign the petition at facebook.com/ErdingtonNews

For more from Cllr Robert Alden and Cllr Gareth Moore visit www.facebook.com/ErdingtonNews

Posted on

OPINION: A message from Paulette Hamilton, MP for Erdington

Pics supplied by Paulette Hamilton MP

Erdington is my home. It’s where I have lived for more than 35 years, raised my children and where my husband opened his first business. So, I was incredibly proud to show Lisa Nandy, the Shadow Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities the brilliant work local people have been doing in our area.

We visited Witton Lakes Eco Hub in Perry Common to celebrate its 1st Anniversary. Lisa was absolutely amazed, and praised what she saw; local people coming together to work with our communities, and create a small paradise in the heart of Erdington.

We have many local community groups across Erdington, Kingstanding and Castle Vale. They work day in, day out to improve our neighbourhoods, despite getting little help from the Government, who earlier this year rejected Erdington’s £11million Levelling-Up bid.

But how can the Government help? Whilst interest rates rise and local people face an annual mortgage payment increase of £1,900 this year, the Tory Government have been distracted by their on-going civil war.

The Privileges Committee found that Boris Johnson deliberately misled Parliament when he was Prime Minister, broke the rules, and was complicit in a campaign of abuse and attempted intimidation of the Committee. Instead of making his case to the people in his community, who put their trust in him, he chose to quit and run. The country now faces four more by-elections, costing taxpayers £100,000’s in a cost of living crisis.

Whilst the Tory soap opera continues, people in our community and across the country are desperate, and deserve a Prime Minister and a Government that they can trust, and who would always have their best interests at heart.

For more on Paulette Hamilton MP for Erdington visit www.paulettehamilton.org

Posted on

OPINION: Erdington Cllr Robert Alden, Leader of Birmingham Conservatives – June ‘23

Pic supplied by Cllr Robert Alden (Erdington Ward, Conservative)

(Ed’s Note: This column was written to be published in the Erdington Local newspaper – out from 5 June)

Recently Birmingham City Council tried to convert Erdington Library into a Youth Centre. Cllr Gareth Moore and I jumped into action to fight to save Erdington Library – a campaign that was thankfully successful. This is how the campaign unfolded.

Cabinet Member Jayne Francis (at the time of writing, Head of Service for Libraries) and Cllr Robert Alden at Erdington Library

On 28 April, a Friday, Birmingham City Council announced they had submitted two planning applications to turn Erdington Library into a Youth Centre and extend the building.

Understandably residents contacted us, furious with the Council for attempting to close down our much loved and well used Library. On Saturday 29 April the library had over 250 visitors by lunchtime, proving how popular the service is.

By 1 May we had launched a petition demanding the Labour Administration at the Council scrap their plans to close Erdington Library.

On 2 May I met with the Chief Executive of the City Council to raise residents’ concerns and demand Erdington Library is saved.

On 4 May I met with the Cabinet Member and Head of Service for Libraries to discuss the situation.  This was a constructive discussion and that afternoon I emailed the Youth Services department and Library Services demanding the planning applications were withdrawn and a meeting set up to discuss how to protect Erdington Library and the service going forward.

Following our interventions, the Council withdrew the planning applications and have placed any changes on hold. In the coming weeks we will be meeting the services and pushing to protect and improve Erdington Library for years to come.

For more from Cllr Robert Alden and Cllr Gareth Moore visit www.facebook.com/ErdingtonNews

Posted on

OPINION: A message from Paulette Hamilton, MP for Erdington – June ‘23

Pic supplied by Paulette Hamilton MP

(Ed’s Note: This column was written to be published in the Erdington Local newspaper – out from 5 June)

Recently, Birmingham City Council submitted a planning application that would have reduced the size of Erdington Library to make space for a youth centre.

Although we can all agree that we desperately need a local youth centre, it shouldn’t come at the cost of our library.

Thankfully, following a community campaign led by Friends of Erdington Library, Erdington Lunar Society, and concerns that I had raised, the council swiftly withdrew the application.

The sad truth is that we need things for young people to do in our area but since 2010, the Tories have decimated our youth services. As a result, there are only a handful of services left for young people.

The YMCA youth charity found that nationally, council spending on youth services has fallen from £1.4bn in 2010 to £379m in 2021. During that time, 750 youth centres and a staggering 4,500 youth workers have been lost.

The youth services budget is down by 74% in real terms compared to what it was at the end of the last Labour government.

Government cuts have led to half of Birmingham’s youth centres closing their doors, including Erdington’s Malcolm Locker Youth Centre. It now sits empty, rundown and a shell of its former self.

More than decade of Tory cuts has failed a generation of local young people. The service is in serious need of investment and a government that is prepared to put young people at the heart of what they do.

For more on Paulette Hamilton MP for Erdington visit www.paulettehamilton.org

Posted on

OPINION: A message from Paulette Hamilton, MP for Erdington

(Ed’s Note: All monthly columns were written to be first published in the Erdington Local newspaper on 1 May)

April marked a special time for many people in our community as families celebrated Easter, Passover, and Eid. I hope everyone celebrating enjoyed the break and you were able to spend some valuable time with your family.

Whilst our community came together in celebration, the Government had other plans for our area. In early April, I learned that the Ministers decided to overturn the appeal for another betting shop on Erdington High Street – after Labour run Birmingham City Council rejected the original application. Words cannot describe my disappointment when I discovered that the Tory Government allowed the appeal, despite huge opposition from local people and businesses.

Ministers have chosen to back gambling bosses and ignore the wishes of local people. The decision will come as a blow for people in Erdington who have joined me in relentlessly campaigning to secure improvements for our local High Street. Sadly, this is yet another example of the Tories turning their back on our community after they rejected our £11million Levelling-Up bid earlier this year that would have transformed the area.

Our High Street has so much potential and needs investment, but we are constantly being let down by the Tories. The last thing we need is another betting shop, but it’s clear, the Government have shown that yet again they’re not on the side of local people.

Erdington High Street is the heart and soul of our community and despite this setback, I will continue to work alongside local people and traders to find solutions that help secure the investment we desperately need.

In brighter news, over the first weekend in May our country will come together to celebrate the Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III and Her Majesty The Queen Consort. I’m looking forward to attending community events across Erdington, Kingstanding and Castle Vale, and joining local people in celebration of this historic occasion. Please let me know if you have an event organised!

Finally, it’s fantastic that the Erdington Local newspaper is back on the shelves in print. The team at Erdington Local do an amazing job keeping our community informed on local issues that matter to you, and they deserve all the support they can get.

For more on Paulette Hamilton MP for Erdington visit www.paulettehamilton.org

Posted on

OPINION: Erdington Cllr Robert Alden, Leader of Birmingham Conservatives

(Ed’s Note: All monthly columns were written to be first published in the Erdington Local newspaper on 1 May)

It was great to see so many people using Rookery Park for the recent National Trust/Erdington Arts Forum Cherry Blossom Picnic, by the blossom trees we planted at the start of the year.

We previously secured funding as part of the redevelopment of Rookery House for the children’s play area in Rookery Park, and the Friends of the Park secured further money from our Celebrating Community fund in Erdington to provide outdoor gym equipment.

Since work has been happening to draft up proposals for what improvements this will deliver, before Christmas we held a consultation for local residents to have their say. We shared this feedback and the views of the Friends Group to the Council, who’ve been drawing up finalised plans for the work. Once timescales are known we will update residents.

As part of the work on Rookery House we secured the creation of a café/community space. Sadly, this has yet to open, despite being fitted out. It’s been held up by a disagreement regarding the proposed community space above the café. We’ve been working to try and resolve the issues.

This has included speaking to Planning Enforcement regularly to demand the Council intervenes and enforce the planning conditions that includes useable community space AND café. These proposals must be delivered for local residents.

Residents can rest assured that we will not stop in our work to both deliver the improvements to Rookery Park and delivering the community space/café in the House.

For more from Erdington Ward Councillors Cllr Robert Alden and Cllr Gareth Moore visit www.facebook.com/ErdingtonNews

Posted on

OPINION: A message from Paulette Hamilton, MP for Erdington

Pics supplied by Paulette Hamilton MP

Last week, a local resident told me that their 70 year old father “carries a personal attack alarm when he goes on his morning walk” and despite installing home security, does not sleep well at night. There are many people across our community who share the same concerns – that they feel unsafe and want more to be done.

Since 2010, the Tories have cut £175million from the West Midlands Police Budget that has led to over 2,200 fewer police officers, hundreds of police staff jobs slashed, and the closure of many police stations – most recently for our community in Kingstanding, where the station is currently being sold off.

The reality of more than a decade of cuts to policing has been devastating for Erdington, Kingstanding and Castle Vale.

Our community ranks as the second highest in the West Midlands for reported crime, and as crime hits a 20 year high, the number of people being charged is falling to a record low in England and Wales. Criminals are being let off and victims are feeling let down.

Recently, at a meeting I arranged in Stockland Green with residents’ groups and businesses on Slade Road, Birmingham City Council confirmed that they would be installing new CCTV cameras in the area. The announcement came as a huge relief to local people and traders as the CCTV cameras will help monitor and deter criminal behaviour, as well as assist the police when it comes to catching offenders.

In other parts of our community, despite their limited resources, I have been working with local police teams and held similar meetings to address crime and antisocial behaviour in Erdington and Castle Vale.

In Kingstanding, people have told me that following the closure of many youth clubs, young people have been left with nowhere to go. Our communities were once home to locally run youth centres that provided activities and a safe space for young people.

Sadly, 13 years of devastating Tory government cuts have decimated our youth services with £1billion cut from youth funding, over 4,500 youth work jobs lost, and 760 youth centres closed nationally.

The first duty of the government is to keep people safe and our country secure – this is the foundation and the test for any government – but the Tories have failed.

13 years of Tory failure have left many communities, like ours, worse off and it will be left to a Labour government to pick up the pieces. For me and many others, that can’t come soon enough.

For more on Paulette Hamilton MP for Erdington visit www.paulettehamilton.org

Posted on

OPINION: A message from Paulette Hamilton, MP for Erdington

Pics supplied by Paulette Hamilton MP

A year ago, I was proud to be elected as the Member of Parliament for Erdington. Our community made history as I became Birmingham’s first ever Black MP.

Since I was elected, I’ve helped more than 1,500 local people with casework, championed our community in Parliament, and become a strong voice raising the issues affecting people in Erdington, Kingstanding and Castle Vale.

During the same period, the Government crashed our economy leaving millions of people facing financial uncertainty as families struggle to keep up with soaring bills and mortgages. 13 years of Tory governments have left our economy weak, and after more than a decade of cuts to the public sector, our vital services are a shadow of what they were under the last Labour government.

As a former nurse of 25 years, it breaks my heart to see our NHS on its knees. Nurses’ pay is struggling to keep up with the cost-of-living crisis, with inflation levels forcing many hospitals to set up foodbanks specifically for their staff. I’ve met nurses at my advice surgeries who simply do not have enough money to eat.

It’s astonishing that for the first time in 106 years, nurses went on strike after the Government refused to talk to them. Ministers were lining up to clap for our NHS staff during the pandemic but are now failing to give them a decent pay rise.

The Government’s delay getting around the negotiating table with the nurses’ unions has resulted in 140,000 cancelled NHS appointments, and patients are paying the price.

Local people are constantly telling me that they can’t get a GP appointment. Every morning at 8am, thousands of people call their local GP surgery to get an appointment but aren’t successful.

One constituent told me that she called her local practice and was fifth in the queue but by the time she got to the front, there were no appointments left. She told me ‘If you ring at 8:01am you’ll be on the phone for 40 minutes and you won’t get an appointment because they’ve all already gone’. Stories like these are sadly not unique.

After 13 years of Tory failure, our NHS is broken, working families are poorer and our economy is in decline.

The Tories are out of ideas, and their ‘sticking plaster’ approach no longer works but I’ll continue to stand up for Erdington, Kingstanding and Castle Vale to ensure that local people’s voices are heard in Parliament.

For more on Paulette Hamilton MP for Erdington visit www.paulettehamilton.org

Posted on

OPINION: A message from Paulette Hamilton, MP for Erdington

Pics supplied by Paulette Hamilton MP

The chaos that has engulfed the Tories isn’t only causing havoc within their own ranks, it’s being felt in communities like ours.

Last year, Erdington applied for £11 million from the Government’s Levelling Up Fund that would have transformed Erdington High Street and made it a destination again. This was the second time an application for Erdington was submitted after Tory Ministers rejected our first in October 2021.

Our latest plan had secured financial backing from Birmingham City Council and the West Midlands Combined Authority, but when the Government announced the successful applications for the second round of the £2.1billion fund Erdington had sadly been rejected again.

Whilst our community is amongst the country’s top 10% of deprived areas and didn’t get a single penny, the Prime Minister’s own constituency – one of the most affluent – got £19million.

The Tory Government’s levelling up agenda has been exposed as nothing more than a slogan and a vote winning cash machine for panicking Tory MPs.

If that wasn’t reason enough to believe the Tories don’t care about Erdington, gambling bosses have now appealed to the Government in the hope that they stand a better chance of getting another betting shop on Erdington High Street.

The levelling up funding would have bought investment to our High Street and created jobs, skills, and improved infrastructure. Opening the eighth betting shop on our High Street is the last thing we need.

Erdington High Street is the heart and soul of our community and has been badly let down by the Government.  It needs investment but granting permission for more betting shops would risk changing it from a shopping centre to a betting centre.

Alongside local campaigners, residents and businesses, I have formally objected to the appeal. I’ve also raised my concerns directly with Ministers in Parliament.

The fight continues to stop the eighth betting shop, but one thing is crystal clear, the Tory Government has demonstrated a clear track record of simply not caring about Erdington, Kingstanding and Castle Vale.

After being let down with our funding bid, I worry that Ministers will deliver a fresh kick in the teeth for our High Street and our community by approving the betting shop – but I challenge them to prove me wrong.

For more on Paulette Hamilton MP for Erdington visit www.paulettehamilton.org