Tag: Birmingham Conservatives

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NEWS: Christmas lights switch on and Christmas sing-along on Erdington High Street – Saturday 6 December

Words by Ed King

Erdington Town Centre will switch on its Christmas lights this Saturday (6 December) at 5:30pm.

Local families, residents, shoppers, and visitors to the Town Centre are invited to come to this free event and help celebrate the start of the Christmas season on Erdington High Street.

The lights will be switched on at 5:30pm by Santa and the Erdington Ward Councillors, Robert Alden and Gareth Moore – from a raised platform by the Christmas Tree on Erdington High Street, outside B&M and Wilton Market.

From 5pm, there will also be a special Christmas sing-along service led by the SoS Choir – arranged and performed by members of the Erdington Arts Forum.

Everyone is invited to join in with classic Christmas songs and carols such as ‘Jingle Bells’, ‘Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer’, and ‘Away in a Manger’.

And as a Santa’s hat tip to the Midland’s, the SoS Choir will also be singing the Slade Christmas classic ‘So Here it is Merry Christmas’ – with buddy Noddy Holders getting a chance to clear their vocal pipes with a festive “IIIITTTTSSS CHRISSSMAASSS…”

Organised by the Erdington Business Improvement District (BID), there will be song sheets available for anyone unsure of the words – and a free Santa’s hat for the first 100 people, to keep them a little warmer on this winter’s evening.

Erdington BID’s hardworking elves will also be serving free hot chocolate, hot drinks, mince pies, and some special Christmas treats – to add a little more festive cheer, as the SoS choir leads the High Street into Christmas.

Hoping everyone will join him on Saturday 6 December, Santa has a special message for Erdington: “Christmas is coming and we want to start spreading some festive cheer across Erdington Town Centre.

“So, come and join us by the Christmas Tree on Erdington High Street this Saturday (6 Dec) for the official Christmas lights switch on and carol service, and grab a free mince pie whilst you’re with us.

“It’ll be a lot of festive fun and everyone is welcome – no matter which list your name is on this year.”

A spokesperson for the Erdington BID added: “Christmas is a time to celebrate community, to reconnect with old friends and take a little time to make new ones.

“Erdington has an amazing community spirit, whatever the time of year, and we hope everyone can come along on Saturday as we brighten up the darker nights and spread a little festive cheer across Erdington Town Centre.”

Erdington local can also see Santa at his Grotto on Erdington High Street, on Saturday 6 December (11am to 3pm), Saturday 13 December (11am to 3pm), Friday 19 December (3pm to 6pm), and Saturday 20 December (11am to 3pm).

Single child tickets are priced at £5 (including a photo opportunity and free gift), with discounts for families visiting the Grotto at the same time. No advance booking is necessary, with payments made on the day.

Organised by the Erdington Rotary Club and Erdington BID, all money raised at Santa’s Grotto will go back into supporting local projects and Erdington High Street.

To further celebrate the festive season, Erdington BID are organising a series of special Winter Warmer Fun Days on Erdington High Street – held every Saturday on the run up to Christmas Day (6, 13, and 20 December) from 12noon to 4pm, by Santa’s Grotto and the Christmas Tree.

Following on from the series of community events held over the summer, the Erdington BID Winter Warmer Fun Days will bring back a day of free children’s games and activities to the Town Centre – including a bouncy castle and arts and crafts workshops.

There will also be a chance for Erdington locals – of all ages – to design their own Christmas decoration or lantern, which will be displayed during a special light parade on Erdington High Street on 20 December and welcome in the Winter Solstice.

Erdington High Street’s Winter Warmer Fun Day and Christmas events are being organised as part of the Erdington BID’s LOVE YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY campaign – and are part funded by the UK government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

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NEWS: Santa’s Grotto on Erdington High Street every weekend in December before Christmas Day

Words by Ed King

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, as Santa opens up his Grotto on Erdington High Street and welcomes young people and families to help him kickstart the festive season.

Located outside the entrance to Wilton Market, opposite the Christmas Tree, Santa’s Grotto will be open on the following days:

  • Saturday 6 December (11am to 3pm)
  • Saturday 13 December (11am to 3pm)
  • Friday 19 December (3pm to 6pm)
  • Saturday 20 December (11am to 3pm)

And no matter what list you might be on this year – naughty, nice, or a little of both – everyone visiting Santa’s Grotto can get their picture taken with the big man in red and receive a free Christmas gift to take away.

Santa Claus preparing for Christmas, surrounded by presents and holiday decorations / Image from Adobe Stock

There will also be free hot chocolate, teas, coffees, mine pies and other Christmas treats for everyone as they exit the Grotto – served by the hardworking elves from the Erdington Business Improvement District (BID).

Single child tickets are prices at £5 (including a photo and free gift), with discounts for families visiting the Grotto at the same time.

No advance booking is necessary, and payments can be made by card or in cash on the day.

Organised by the Erdington Rotary Club and Erdington BID, all money raised at Santa’s Grotto will go back into supporting local projects and Erdington High Street.

Santa will be also sticking around for a special appearance on Saturday 6 December – to join the Erdington Ward Councillors Robert Alden and Gareth Moore as they switch on the Town Centre Christmas lights at 5:30pm.

To celebrate the festive season, Erdington Business Improvement District are organising a series of special Winter Warmer Fun Days on Erdington High Street – held every Saturday on the run up to Christmas Day (6, 13, and 20 December) from 12noon to 4pm, by Santa’s Grotto and the Christmas Tree.

Following on from the series of community events held over the summer, the Erdington BID Winter Warmer Fun Days will bring back a day of free children’s games and activities to the Town Centre – including a bouncy castle and arts and crafts workshops.

There will also be a chance for Erdington locals – of all ages – to design their own Christmas decoration or lantern, which will be displayed during a special light parade on Erdington High Street on 20 December and welcome in the Winter Solstice.

A spokesperson for Erdington BID told: “Christmas is a time to celebrate community, and we hope to see everyone on the High Street this December to enjoy a bit of free festive fun and welcome in the yuletide.”

They added: “Santa will be with us every weekend until Christmas Day, and there will be a lot of free games and activities – and mince pies – for everyone to enjoy.

“Come down and celebrate Christmas every Saturday in Erdington Town Centre and help us warm up the winter months.”

Erdington High Street’s Winter Warmer Fun Day and Christmas events are being organised as part of the Erdington BID’s LOVE YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY campaign – and are part funded by the UK government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

 

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OPINION: A message from Kingstanding Councillor Clifton Welch

(l-r) Alex Richards and Cllr Clifton Welch at Remembrance Sunday service and parade / Photograph supplied by Cllr Welch

Words by Cllr Clifton Welch

Hello, Alex Richards (Conservative Local Campaigner) and I were both so proud to attend the Kingstanding Remembrance Service and Parade on 9 November.

The Scouts, Guides, Cubs and Beavers did Kingstanding proud with their parade and residents turned out in large numbers to support a very important event that is at the very heart of Kingstanding community. I was so honoured to have attended.

Following on from last month’s news that Kingstanding will be getting £20 million pounds of investment over 10 years, I received my first formal briefing on 6 November. It’s very early days but what is now known is the following:

  • The first £2 million becomes available in April 2027
  • In early 2026 a shadow committee will be set up of residents and politicians, which later in 2026 will become the formal organising committee that will oversee the planning and authority to spend the funds.
  • In early January 2026 council officials will walk around the ward with me to get better understanding of the issues facing residents.
  • Project leader will attend my next Kingstanding Ward Meeting on 14 January 2026 to give residents full update.

Obviously, I will keep residents fully updated in future editions of this newspaper and via my leaflets and Facebook page.

At end of October, I was invited to opening of Concord Club new outdoor sports facilities in Aston as a team of Kingstanding school girls were taking part. The excellent facilities mirror exactly the sports facilities we have in Kingstanding at the excellent 601 Club.

Thank you, Clifton.

To contact Kingstanding Cllr Clifton Welch email [email protected]

For more from Kingstanding Councillor Clifton Welch and local campaigner Alex Richards visit www.facebook.com/KingstandingConservatives

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OPINION: Erdington Cllr Robert Alden, Leader of Birmingham Conservatives

Cllr Alden taking part on local community gardening / Photograph supplied by Cllr Alden

Words by Erdington Ward Cllr Robert Alden – Leader of Birmingham Conservatives

Cllr Gareth Moore and I have been continuing to push the Council to back our plan to end the bin strike, balance the Council’s books and clean up the city.

Locally we have been continuing work with partners to try and secure investment into the High Street, getting dumped rubbish cleared, like the recent rubbish dumped overnight in the car park at Rookery Park and planting daffodils to help ensure Erdington is looking bright in the new year.

This includes on the grass verge at the junction of Arthur Road, Moor End Lane and Holly Lane.

Across Erdington we are really fortunate to have wonderful community groups like Erdington Litter Busters who do so much work maintaining and enhancing green spaces, including in this location and the central reservation on Sutton New Road.

Cllr Moore at St Barnabas Church for Remembrance Sunday service / Photograph supplied by Cllr Alden

As we do every year, earlier this month we also joined residents at St Barnabas Church for the Remembrance Sunday service and to lay a wreath in memory of those gave their everything so we may live free.

Now more than ever we must remember what they fought for and ensure their sacrifice was not in vain and is not forgotten. It was a moving service as always and thank you to the church for hosting and local schools for the events they did to explain Remembrance Day to their school kids.

With Christmas approaching we wish everyone in Erdington a peaceful Christmas and a prosperous new year!

For more from Erdington’s Councillor Robert Alden and Councillor Gareth Jones visit www.facebook.com/ErdingtonNews

 

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OPINION: Erdington Cllr Robert Alden, Leader of Birmingham Conservatives

Cllr Robert Alden with local residents on Spring Lane / Photograph supplied by Cllr Robert Alden

Words by Erdington Ward Cllr Robert Alden – Leader of Birmingham Conservatives

(**Ed’s note… this column was first published on Friday 17 October in the Erdington Local print edition.)

Cllr Gareth Moore and I have been working with residents and the police to tackle speeding and dangerous driving in the Spring Lane area during the year.

Last month we gathered a petition calling on the City Council to fund a raised crossing and speed bumps to slow down cars racing, as well as bollards on the corner of Fern Road to prevent people blocking visibility at the junction.

Thank you to everyone who has signed, backing the campaign. We’ve also been supporting local speed watches with the Police in the area.

This month we’ve met with the officers from West Midlands Police following our letter to the Chief Constable demanding the reopening of the front desk at Erdington Police Station.

We put forward our case for why we feel it is vital to back up the initial success of Operation Fearless and extra police officers locally by now reopening our much needed Front Desk. We will continue to put the case in the coming weeks and months.

We’ve continued to challenge the Council about the ridiculous case of the broken street lights on Wesley Road. The road itself is a private unadopted road. Over the last year all the street lights on the road have broken and the Council refuse to fix them.

Despite the lights having Council asset tags and electric vehicles chargers attached to them installed by the Council!

Hopefully the Council will finally see the light and fix them!

For more from Erdington’s Councillor Robert Alden and Councillor Gareth Jones visit www.facebook.com/ErdingtonNews

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OPINION: A message from Kingstanding Councillor Clifton Welch

(l-r) Local campaigner Alex Richards and Cllr Clfton Welch collecting rubbish for World Clean Up Day / Photograph supplied by Cllr Clifton Welch

Words by Cllr Clifton Welch

(**Ed’s note… this column was first published on Friday 17 October in the Erdington Local print edition.)

Hello, Local Conservative Campaigner Alex Richards and myself have spent many months campaigning for investment into Kingstanding, especially to rejuvenate our local shopping areas.

That campaign has already seen Lidi come to Kingstanding Circle with construction well underway.

Now it’s been confirmed that following our campaign, Kingstanding will get £2 million a year for the next decade to revive high streets, parks and public spaces.

This will hopefully deliver improvements for Kingstanding Circle, Hawthorn Road, Conker Island and more locally to make Kingstanding even better for residents. This funding is from the national Pride in Place fund.

For World Clean Up Day on 20 September Alex Richards and I organised a clean-up around Kingstanding Circle. We collected eight bags of rubbish and some parts from a car that had previously crashed on the roundabout. We are both proud of Kingstanding and will continue to work to keep our streets clean.

I must stress how much I am against Birmingham Council taking down flags of St George and Union Jacks across Kingstanding and Birmingham. I am so very proud of our country and our history and the flags reflect our pride.

I am quite frankly amazed that a Birmingham Labour Council that has made the city bankrupt, has an eight month bin strike on its hands, a Commonwealth Games Village that never housed an athlete and will require residents to repay the costs for 40 years etc, thinks that putting in staff to take down flags is a good use of its resources.

This Birmingham Labour Council has lost its moral compass.

Take care, Clifton.

To contact Kingstanding Cllr Clifton Welch email [email protected]

For more from Kingstanding Councillor Clifton Welch and local campaigner Alex Richards visit www.facebook.com/KingstandingConservatives

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OPINION: A message from Kingstanding Councillor Clifton Welch

(l-r) Cllr Clifton Welch and local campaigner Alex Richards / Photograph supplied by Cllr Clifton Welch

Words by Cllr Clifton Welch

On Saturday 30 August I received an incredible warm welcome from the organisers of Together in the Community at their fun day on Conker Island. This was their 16th year of holding this event and I was proud to be told I was the first ever Kingstanding Councillor or MP to ever attend.

Together in the Community raise funds to support underprivileged families, homeless and the elderly across Kingstanding and they are doing a wonderful role.

They always require extra help so if anyone would like to volunteer please get in touch with me and I will pass your details on. I should also give a shout out to Kingstanding Inn who gave up their car park for the day.

On Friday 5 September I was back with Together in the Community for their fortnightly food bank. Alex Richards the Local Conservative Campaigner and I joined the volunteers as they assembled food parcels. It was a wonderful to see such commitment to the community.

Along with other parts of Birmingham, the last month has seen a significant rise of Union Jack and St George’s flags being flown across Kingstanding, most notably Hawthorn Road and Chingford Road. I personally love to see our two national flags on display.

I love my country, our proud history and our culture and these flags are a symbol of our proud history and culture. It should not be a problem flying these flags in our own streets and we should install the love and pride in our country to all generations.

Take care, Clifton.

To contact Kingstanding Cllr Clifton Welch email [email protected]

For more from Kingstanding Councillor Clifton Welch visit www.facebook.com/KingstandingConservatives

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OPINION: Erdington Cllr Robert Alden, Leader of Birmingham Conservatives

(l-r) Cllr Moore, Cllr Alden on Erdingotn HIgh Street / Photograph by Ed King

Words by Erdington Ward Cllr Robert Alden – Leader of Birmingham Conservatives

Over the summer Cllr Gareth Moore and I have continued our campaign fighting the growth of badly run exempt accommodation and HMOs in the area.

Every converted house that residents report to us we report to the Council to inspect.

We have been raising issues with a number of exempt accommodation units with Severn Trent regarding if the sewer system can handle all additional bathrooms, the Fire Service to inspect if adaptations have been carried out safely and legally, especially since many are in terraced houses and connect to neighbouring properties, building control to discuss if regulations have been followed for conversion work, and with the Police regarding any incidents that have taken place.

We have also held public meetings (Gareth pictured meeting with residents off Erdington High Street regarding a property being converted) and met providers to raise concerns directly.

Cllr Gareth Moore at public meeting over HMOs / Photgraph supplied by Birmingham Conservatives

The big barrier with stopping the growth of supported exempt accommodation is the fact it is currently exempt from planning permission due to the 2004 Housing Act. This literally means that someone does not need planning permission to convert a family house into this type of accommodation.

Clearly this is totally wrong and must change. That is why we have been calling on the Government to introduce a statutory instrument to amend the 2004 housing act so that it requires planning permission going forward and can then be restricted to stop the further loss of family housing.

We have a petition backing this campaign. You can sign at: www.birminghamconservatives.org.uk/campaigns/bring-exempt-accommodation-under-local-planning-control-protect-our-communities

For more from Erdington’s Councillor Robert Alden and Councillor Gareth Jones visit www.facebook.com/ErdingtonNews

 

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OPINION: Erdington Cllr Robert Alden, Leader of Birmingham Conservatives

(l-r) Cllr Robert Alden and Cllr Gareth Moore litter picking on Short Heath Playing Fields-min / Photographs supplied by Cllr Robert Alden

Words by Erdington Ward Cllr Robert Alden – Leader of Birmingham Conservatives

Cllr Gareth Moore and I’ve been challenging the Council over the lack of proper cleaning on estates in Erdington.

We’ve met the Head of Housing to raise the continued failure to properly clean the inside of the tower blocks in Erdington and the ongoing issue with refuse dumping on estates, especially to the rear of tower blocks such as those on Jarvis Road, and taken the Head of City Operations on a tour of Erdington.

It’s not been good enough and we will continue pushing the Council to improve. We’ve also continued to push the Council to reintroduce CCTV in the 13 tower blocks across Erdington to help keep residents safe.

This month we have also joined the excellent Erdington Litter Busters for their recent clean up in Short Heath Park and joined residents for the latest community speedwatch event on Spring Lane.

(l-r) Cllr Moore and Cllr Alden on Erdington High Street / Photoraph by Ed King

We’ve also met senior officers from the refuse service to challenge them over the refuse collection failures. In particular, the Council continue to fail to collect commercial waste containers including denying ones with Birmingham City Council logos on are Council owned!

These failures have seen certain locations, including schools, in the ward and North Birmingham not have their refuse taken for months on end.

We have stepped in to help sort collections – it’s unacceptable for the Council to leave rubbish attracting pests for weeks on end, at schools especially, and when they have paid for it to be collected.

As always if we can help with anything locally please just let us know on [email protected] or [email protected]

For more from Erdington’s Councillor Robert Alden and Councillor Gareth Jones visit www.facebook.com/ErdingtonNews

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OPINION: A message from Kingstanding Councillor Clifton Welch

Cllr Clifton Welch and Ginn the dog at Perry Barr Fire Station (photograph supplied by Cllr Clifton Welch)

Words by Cllr 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.

Take care, Clifton.

To contact Kingstanding Cllr Clifton Welch email [email protected]

For more from Kingstanding Councillor Clifton Welch visit www.facebook.com/KingstandingConservatives