Paulette Hamilton MP at her Erdington consituency office / Photograph supplied by Paulette Hamilton MP
Words by Paulette Hamilton MP
One issue I have always been passionate about is building a care system that works for everyone. Growing older shouldn’t mean worrying about whether you can afford the care you need or being forced to sell your family home to pay for it.
That is why I welcome the Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s commitment to creating a National Care Service, with free personal care based on need rather than ability to pay. I know how important good care is when a loved one becomes older and more vulnerable.
I lost someone close to me in September, so I understand personally how much families rely on a care system that is there when they need it.
The NHS is one of Labour’s proudest achievements, founded in 1948 on the principle of healthcare free at the point of use. I believe social care must work alongside it as an equal partner, particularly as our population grows older.
Locally, I continue to stand up for residents. A new application has been submitted to convert a family home on Tyburn Road in Pype Hayes into a 5-bedroom HMO. I have formally objected and encouraged local residents to do the same.
Paulette Hamilton MP at opening of new nursery facilities at Pegasus School on Castle Vale / Photograph supplied by Paulette Hamilton MP
It was a pleasure to officially open the new nursery at Pegasus Primary School in Castle Vale. The school received £150,000 in government funding, creating 40 new nursery places.
This is the kind of investment our communities deserve, and I will keep fighting to bring more of it to Erdington, Kingstanding, Castle Vale and South Oscott.
This article was first published in the Erdington Local monthly newspaper on 16 October.
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Martin Holcombe is Chief Executive of Birmingham Settlement, leading one of Birmingham oldest charities across the third sector seas for over two decades. And with centres in Kingstanding, Newtown, and Ladywood, the impact it has had both locally and across the city is significant.
But now he has another precarious and powerful balancing act, as the recently appointed independent Chair of the Pride in Place Board for Kingstanding – overseeing £20m of investment into the B44 postcode.
Kingstanding/Erdington Local caught up with Martin Holcombe to find out more about the past, present, and possible futures that surround him now – and what could be on a bright horizon for the north Birmingham suburb.
Words by Shaun Hand
Martin Holcombe, Chief Executive of Birmingham Settlement and Chair of Kingstanding’s Pride in Place Board / Photograph supplied by Birmingham Settlement
Martin Holcombe arrived in Birmingham in 2001, moving from London to be closer to family in the area.
By then, he’d already been involved in community work for a decade, having first encountered it when he worked as a minibus driver for a community transport charity, “picking up older people and supporting them with shopping and trips out, which I really enjoyed.”
More formal roles with Carers UK and the Specialist Schools Trust followed, during which time he also gained a HR qualification – which after a couple of years would lead him to become part-time HR Manager for Birmingham Settlement – a charity established in Newtown in 1919 to aid local women and families.
Three years later Martin was promoted to CEO and he’s still in charge today – overseeing the Settlement centres in Kingstanding, Newtown, and Ladywood.
“I spend most of my working time in Kingstanding,” Martin explains. “I meet with a lot of people accessing the Settlement’s services but other community groups, too. I also sit on a local charitable trust that awards small grants to Birmingham-based charities.
“And now, of course, I’m heavily tied into Pride in Place and I need to make sure I have the time for that work. I am very busy.”
Road sign on Kings Road showing routes to Kingstanding and Sutton Coldfield / Photograph by Ed King
An understatement, no doubt. What has been his proudest achievement with his day-job at Birmingham Settlement? “Survival,” he states. “[The charity] doesn’t have assured income streams, and the political landscape has been so uncertain that planning is not easy.
“The Settlement’s a local charity, but it’s still vulnerable to what feel likes constantly changing policies and direction at national, regional and city level.
“People want safe, welcoming places to go; they want advice and support that suits their needs. With everything being so short-term and changeable, that’s not easy to deliver!”
“The Settlement has brought new life to the SCC,” adds Martin, “which is fantastic to see and something I am very proud of.”
With a self-confessed heavy workload in a tough landscape, we have to ask what made Martin Holcombe want to take on even more – unpaid – work on and become Pride in Place’s independent Chair?
“I’m involved with several community and community-led groups in the area who tell me what they’re thinking and what they want to see happening – the good and the bad,” he explains.
“I felt with my background and experience in the charity sector, I’d be able to make a positive contribution and help ensure the funding is used wisely and effective for the people of Kingstanding.”
It’s an understanding post for a man already heavily embedded in local services and support. But the new role begs other questions, particularly around impartiality and a potential conflict. After all, he is still the CEO of a charity headquartered within the boundaries of beneficiaries for a multi-million pound investment fund.
“The Board is made up of one councillor, one MP, me as independent Chair, plus five members of the community who either live or work in the Pride in Place area,” assures Martin.
“So, community members do make up the majority and Board decisions require a majority to pass. There are clear rules around conflict of interest that must be followed – including, in my case stepping aside if there is Settlement involvement.”
The Pride in Place Board must also adhere to the Nolan Principles of Public Life, a set of seven ethical standards established in 1995 that anyone holding a position in public office in the United Kingdom must abide by. From Westminster to Kingstanding.
Martin also counters: “Anyone living or working in the Kingstanding area is likely to be conflicted to some degree. If you’re a resident, improvements to the park next door is a benefit; if you work for a community group and you successfully apply for funding, there is a benefit.
“As long as we’re clear and open (all of the Board’s agendas, minutes, and decisions will be available online) we should be OK.”
So, will Birmingham Settlement be applying for any Pride in Place funding?
“I don’t have an answer now, as I don’t know,” Martin admits. “I would expect most community assets and organisations in the area to apply at some point for funding when it is released. That’s what it’s for.
“However, I will not be involved in any potential application or decision about the Settlement. That will be up to the manager of the SCC, as they run the site.”
England flags on cars along Kings Road celebrating the World Cup football tournament / Photgraph by Ed King
But in Birmingham, a game of political football is never far from being started – especially with such a fractured Council Chamber following the recently Local Election, with no one party taking an overall majority.
And the uncertain policial landscape stretches to Kingstanding, with a Labour MP – Paulette Hamilton, who helped secure the area’s Pride in Place funding last autumn – and two recently elected Reform UK local councillors. One of whom, Cllr John Lambert, will sit alongside Martin and Ms Hamilton on the Pride in Place Board.
“The fund is strictly non-political,” continues Martin. “From my perspective, I’m not expecting any political interference, I think we’re all agreed on that. And assuming we are, politics shouldn’t come into it.” He also points out that community members make up the majority of the Board, and a majority vote is needed to approve everything.
That’s the past and present, but what about the future – £20m could make a lot of changes to Kingstanding, and area arguably forgotten by the city in recent years. Has the Board received any funding requests yet?
“I’m afraid we’re not at that point,” he tells, citing the processes and protocols of public funding and explaining that they’re still in an “engagement phase” – finding out what people want Pride in Place to do for Kingstanding.
And a recent event was held at Conker Island to ask local residents just that – organised by several stakeholders, including another prominent Kingstanding charity, New Heights, and the Root to Rise Wellbeing and Community Hub.
Sign at the entrance to Conker Island / Photograph by Ed King
Martin does however cite ‘Connecting People & Community Cohesion’, ‘Places and Spaces’, ‘Heathier Lives’, ‘Young People & Families’, and ‘Education, Employment and Skills’ as themes that have come up in initial consultations with members of the local community.
And when the applications do start coming through, what does he hope the fund can do for the area?
“Lasting, sustainable change,” Martin responds.
“Being blunt, most of the people I meet in Kingstanding are very positive, with energy and good ideas; they want what’s best for the people and area but for too long have felt isolated and left behind compared to other areas.
“This funding gives us a chance to address those issues.”
Kingstanding/Erdington Local will continue to cover the developments around the Kingstanding Pride in Place fund, so watch out for more about this on our pages.
This article was first published in the Erdington Local monthly newspaper on 18 September.
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Paulette Hamilton MP visiting Digby Manor Care Home / Photograph supplied by Paulette Hamilton MP
Words by Paulette Hamilton MP
Protecting our high streets and keeping our neighbourhoods safe are among my top priorities.
Residents have told me that Erdington High Street, Slade Road and Hawthorn Road deserve thriving local businesses that serve our community, not a concentration of betting shops, vape shops or rogue operators.
That is why I welcome the Government’s plans to give councils and local people a stronger say over what opens on our high streets, alongside tougher action against criminal businesses.
Locally, I met Sergeant Millard to discuss the action needed on Erdington High Street. The recent closure of a shisha shop found to be selling illegal vapes shows what can be achieved when police, Trading Standards and the community work together.
But one closure is not the finish line. I will continue pushing for more visible policing and sustained action to make our streets safer.
I also want to hear from you about off-road bikes and quad bikes. Too many residents are affected by dangerous and antisocial riding. Please tell me where it is happening and what further action you want to see by completing my survey at www.paulettehamilton.org.
Paulette Hamilton MP at her constituency office in Erdington Town Centre / Photograph supplied by Paulette Hamilton MP
Throughout the summer, I have been out across our constituency, hosting a Kingstanding coffee morning, visiting Digby Manor Care Home’s Summer Fayre, and holding street surgeries in Stockland Green and Erdington.
Now as children return to school, I’m pleased the government is supporting families with cheaper uniforms, more free breakfast clubs and expanded free school meals. Eligible families could save up to £1,200 a year.
This article was first published in the Erdington Local monthly newspaper on 18 September.
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Reform candidates on campaign trail in Kingstanding, ahead of May ’26 Local Elections / Photograph supplied by Reform UK Erdington Branch
Words by Councillor Jex Parkin and Councillor John Lambert
We’ve been digging into the condition of Kingstanding’s roads after regularly hearing from residents about potholes and poor road surfaces.
Our Freedom of Information request has revealed which Kingstanding roads generated the greatest number of highways enquiries between 2023 and 2026. These include reports and repair jobs relating to issues such as potholes, damaged carriageways and footways.
Hawthorn Road recorded 291 enquiries, followed by Warren Farm Road with 277, Kings Road with 146, Hurlingham Road with 124 and Finchley Road with 114.
Residents regularly tell us about potholes and poor road surfaces, so we wanted to establish exactly where the problems are being reported most often. These figures give us a much clearer picture.
We will now be taking the worst-affected roads back to the Council, asking what action is planned and pressing for proper repairs where problems are recurring.
We have also continued to challenge Birmingham City Council over its approach to national flags. Threats, intimidation and criminal behaviour should always be dealt with, but we do not believe the Union Flag or St George’s Cross should themselves be treated as the problem.
Finally, a useful date for the diary. After your Reform councillors pushed for a Mobile Household Recycling Centre visit to Kingstanding last month, residents told us how useful they found the service.
We are therefore pleased to see further visits scheduled for Kingstanding Wellbeing Centre, Dulwich Road, on 23 September from 7:30am–12:30pm, and again on 17 October from 8am–midday.
This article was first published in the Erdington Local monthly newspaper on 18 September.
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Ousdie of Birmingham Settrlement Sports and Community Centre, 600 Kingstanding Road / Photograph supplied by Birmingham Settlement
Words by Shaun Hand
Most Kingstanding locals will already know of Birmingham Settlement. After all, it’s one the city’s oldest charities, working to build and improve the wellbeing and financial resilience of communities across North Birmingham – with centres in Newtown, Ladywood, and Kingstanding.
But what people might be less aware of is just how many activities and classes for all ages the charity organises at their Sports & Community Centre, located at 600 Kingstanding Road.
Lizzie Forrester, the charity’s Income and Communications Manager, talked through it all. “The centre looks unassuming from outside, but it’s like a rabbit warren inside,” she laughs. “There are a lot of rooms and there’s always a lot going on. We’ve got separate projects for different age groups and different needs.”
The Kingstanding Road building was formerly leased to the Council and known locally as the 610 Community Centre (despite actually being at No 600) but in recent years, it’s ended up back in Birmingham Settlement’s capable hands.
“We’ve redeveloped it and broadened its remit for the wider community,” Lizzie says. “There are over 30 activities for kids, OAPs, families, and disabled people.
Young people engaged in sport as part of Saturday PlayZone session at Birmingham Settlement Sports and Community Centre / Photgraph supplied by Birmingham Settlement
“We’ve got two large halls at the centre. One is a community gym, and one’s an activity room, which can also be hired out for children’s birthday parties.” She goes on to list an impressive array of activities on offer, from sports to craft to bowls to dance.
“We’ve also got a new pitch out the back, funded by the Football Foundation’s PlayZone initiative” she adds. “Here, there’s a weekly family sports session as well a walking netball and girls’ football. It’s also used by kids attending the centre’s summer club.”
But it’s not just sports that’s happening in the grounds. A new green space is also being developed at the centre. The ‘Garden & Grow’ group, made up of local residents, meets weekly to help grow veg.
Garden & Grow volunteers / Photograph supplied by BIrmingham Setlement
Lizzie continues, “They’ve just had their first harvest, with potatoes, tomatoes and beans.” Handily, then, the centre also offers cooking classes. Lizzie tells there are also plans to put a pond on the site: “We want to put more wildlife in, to help people enjoy nature.”
Incredibly, despite Birmingham Settlement receiving no statutory funding, all of the activities on offer at the Kingstanding centre are free to participate in — although a fully voluntary £2 donation from those who feel they can afford it is always welcome.
The charity’s money principally comes from other funding initiatives and the money raised by their charity shops, sponsored walks and runs, and other events.
This means very little of what Birmingham Settlement does in Kingstanding could happen without volunteers. “They form a big part of what we do,” Lizzie explains. “Thanks to Lottery funding, we’ve recently appointed a Volunteer Coordinator.
“At Kingstanding, we’re keen to help support people into volunteering. Three or four of our local volunteers have ended up becoming employed by us.”
If you are from a community group or an active volunteer anywhere in the Erdington constituency then we want to hear for you. Please email: community@erdingtonlocal.com
Paulette Hamilton MP at constituency office in Erdington / Photograph supplied by Paulette Hamilton MP’s constituency team
This article was first published in the Erdington Local monthly newspaper on 14 August. Be the first to get your local news delivered through your door, support independent community journalism, and email us at: subscribe@erdingtonlocal.com
Words by Paulette Hamilton MP (Birmingham Erdington, Labour)
Protecting our communities remains one of my top priorities, and this summer I’m stepping up my campaign to stop more family homes being lost to poorly managed HMOs and fight for stronger safeguards against exempt accommodation.
Here’s an update on the work I’m doing on your behalf.
I’ve recently been made aware of a planning application for a new 7-bedroom HMO on Tyburn Road. Our area already has far too many poorly managed HMOs, and I don’t believe we need another. That’s why I’ve launched a campaign opposing this application.
I’m also continuing my fight to close the loophole that allows some failed HMO applications to become exempt accommodation.
If you’d like to support these campaigns, please sign my Tyburn Road HMO and exempt accommodation petitions at www.paulettehamilton.org
It was wonderful to welcome so many residents to my recent community coffee morning at Maryvale Community Centre in Oscott. These coffee mornings are a great opportunity to hear your concerns, answer your questions and discuss the issues that matter most.
Paulette Hamilton MP at Maryvale Communty Projectr / Photograph supplied by Paulette Hamilton MP’s constituency team
I look forward to my next coffee morning on 14 August in Kingstanding as I continue meeting as many of the 122,000 people I represent as possible.
Finally, I hope you’re enjoying the summer holidays and spending quality time with family and friends.
With the Government’s August free bus travel scheme for children aged 5 to 15, I hope many families have been able to make the most of the opportunity to explore and enjoy everything our region has to offer.
Reform candidates on campaign trail in Kingstanding, ahead of May ’26 Local Elections / Photograph supplied by Reform UK Erdington Branch
This article was first published in the Erdington Local monthly newspaper on 14 August. Be the first to get your local news delivered through your door, support independent community journalism, and email us at: subscribe@erdingtonlocal.com
Words by Councillor Jex Parkin and Councillor John Lambert (Kingstanding Ward, Reform UK)
There is something deeply insulting about suggesting thousands of people across Erdington voted the way they did because they suddenly became racist.
They didn’t.
They voted because they are fed up.
Fed up with immigration they believe is out of control. Fed up with pressure on housing and public services. Fed up with Birmingham’s finances. Fed up with broken promises, rising costs and neighbourhoods that too often feel neglected.
And fed up with politicians who only seem to discover these concerns after an election defeat.
Nobody should defend racism. If someone genuinely abuses another person because of their race, that is disgraceful.
But there is a world of difference between racism and asking legitimate questions about immigration, borders, housing, public services and the pressures placed on local communities.
That distinction matters.
Because if every uncomfortable question about immigration is dismissed as racism, politicians never have to answer it.
If every criticism of Labour is dismissed as hatred, politicians never have to accept responsibility.
And if every Reform vote is explained away as bigotry, perhaps nobody in Labour has to confront the uncomfortable truth.
People voted Reform because they wanted change.
Oscott, Kingstanding, Perry Common, Pype Hayes and Stockland Green did not collectively lose their minds.
They exercised their democratic judgement.
The answer isn’t to insult them, patronise them or lecture them.
It is to listen.
Because when politicians start blaming the voters rather than asking why they lost them, they haven’t learned the lesson.
Following the significant investment secured from central government earlier this year for Stockland Green Health Centre, it was a pleasure to mark the start of the new 32-bed purpose-built facility at the Highcroft site.
This long-awaited investment is a major step forward, and I’m proud we’re now seeing real progress.
Our faith and community groups play a vital role in bringing people together. That’s why it was a pleasure to join Pastor Aaron and the congregation at Charlton Road Church as they celebrated their 90th anniversary in Kingstanding.
It was a wonderful reminder of the dedication of volunteers, faith leaders and local organisations that make our area special. With Kingstanding benefitting from £20 million through the Government’s Pride in Place programme, I’m determined to ensure local people are at the heart of shaping that investment for years to come.
(l-r) Church Elder David Read, Paulette Hamilton MP, Pastor Aaron Reyes / Photograph supplied by Paulette Hamilton MP
Alongside securing investment, I’m continuing to campaign on the issues that matter most.
I recently challenged the Prime Minister in Parliament over the loophole allowing some landlords, whose HMO applications have been refused, to convert properties into exempt accommodation with far less scrutiny.
Our communities deserve a proper say, and I’ll keep pressing the Government for stronger protections. You can support my campaign by signing my petition at www.paulettehamilton.org
Finally, as schools break up for the summer, I hope you and your family enjoy some well-earned time together.
Whether you’re staying local or heading away, I wish everyone across Erdington, Kingstanding, Castle Vale and South Oscott a safe, happy and relaxing summer.
Reform candidates on the campaign trail ahead of the Local Elections in May 2026 / Photograph supplied by Reform UK – Birmingham branch
Words by Councillor Jex Parkin and Councillor John Lambert
Reform councillors are fighting to get Kingstanding added to Birmingham’s Mobile Household Waste Centre programme.
Mobile Household Waste Centres are staffed pop-up sites that visit ten locations across Birmingham each week, usually for one morning. They allow residents to dispose of general household waste and bulky items locally, without having to travel to a permanent Household Recycling Centre.
These services matter. For older residents, people without a car, and those who cannot easily transport unwanted items across the city, they can make a real difference.
They are also part of the answer to fly-tipping. If the Council wants cleaner streets and fewer piles of rubbish, it must make lawful disposal easier and more accessible.
Other parts of Birmingham receive regular mobile waste-centre visits. Kingstanding does not. We do not think that is fair.
Following Cllr John Lambert and Cllr Jex Parkin’s persistent pushing, council officers have confirmed to us that Mobile Household Waste Centres are planned for Kingstanding. Your Reform councillors are in the process of progressing this and will update further with more details as soon as possible.
Kingstanding is one of Birmingham’s largest residential areas, yet residents are missing out on a service available elsewhere. We are fighting to change that.
A mobile household waste centre would give people a straightforward local way to dispose of unwanted items properly and help keep our neighbourhoods cleaner.
Reform UK local councillors and candidates, campaigning in Kingstanding ahead of the May ’26 Local Elections / Photograph supplied by Reform UK Birmingham
Ed’s note… This article was first published in the Erdington Local monthly newspaper, out on shelf from 18 June.
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Words by Councillor Jex Parkin and Councillor John Lambert
The Pride in Place Board is looking for Kingstanding residents to help shape how £20 million is invested in the area over the next decade. £2m a year.
That is a serious opportunity. It should restore pride, improve local spaces, support community life, back young people, strengthen local enterprise and make Kingstanding feel cared for again.
Paulette Hamilton MP has promoted this programme as resident led. On that, we agree. If Pride in Place means anything, it must be shaped by people who know the area, use the local shops, raise families here and understand what Kingstanding has been missing.
But local democracy matters too. Kingstanding elected two Reform UK councillors. Not one. Two. We do not take that for granted.
Councillors do not own seats; we borrow them from the public. In four years, voters may choose differently. That is democracy. That is why we are concerned by Paulette Hamilton MP’s view that only one Reform councillor should sit on the Pride in Place Board.
This is not about us. It is about the principle. If Kingstanding elects two ward councillors, both should be able to represent residents. If the politics change in four years, the same principle should apply to whoever Kingstanding chooses next.
A board shaping long-term investment should be built around fair representation, scrutiny and accountability, not political convenience.
So, if you care about Kingstanding, apply. Get involved. Ask questions. Challenge assumptions.
This process must be transparent, local and resident-led. Above all, it must deliver for Kingstanding.
