Lazy dog-owners who fail to clean up after their pets have been sent a strong message by two Solihull schoolgirls, who launched a campaign against the problem in their local area. Megan Baker and Ellie Thrower, both aged nine, had encouraged friends, relatives and fellow classmates to sign a petition appealing for the council’s help….

A row over plans to expand a primary near Solihull town centre has thrown the spotlight back on the issue of traffic problems linked to the school run. The Local Democracy Reporting Service spoke to some of the residents and looks at the background. Leafy streets and high-performing schools are two of the biggest draws…

A £5.6 million overspend on a key education budget in Solihull poses an “enormous financial risk” to the council, one of its most senior officers has warned. Last week councillors were briefed on the huge pressures facing the “high-needs block” of the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG), which supports pupils with special needs and disabilities. According…

Residents in Solihull streets fear that a dangerous combination of parking problems and speeding could have tragic consequences. Those living in Harvard Road and Wellsford Avenue, in Lyndon, have made a fresh plea for steps to be taken to deal with the issues they are having to deal with on a daily basis. Tempers have…

Up to 110 new homes could be built on the outskirts of a Solihull village under plans unveiled this month. A planning application sets out a sizeable housing development on fields to the east of Hampton-in-Arden. The Packington Estate, which owns the 3.5 hectare plot off Meriden Road, argues that the scheme will help meet…

Solihull businesses are now voting on whether to continue a scheme – set up to support the town centre – for another five years. A ballot running between now and 31 October asks traders to endorse a third term for the Business Improvement District (BID), taking the project up until 2025. A business plan sets…

A new roundabout will be created on one of Solihull’s main routes as part of the HS2 rail development. The traffic island will become a permanent feature at the junction of the A452 Kenilworth Road and Park Lane in the Balsall Common area. The roundabout would originally have been a temporary change, while the construction…

A £3.5 million scheme to upgrade a Solihull school site has been deferred by councillors for further work. Plans have been drawn up to make a raft of changes to Valley Primary’s junior campus, to allow infant children to be taught at the same site. Valley Infants and Hatchford Brook Junior School had merged back…

A former mayor of Solihull this week received the highest award that can be handed to an ex-councillor. David Bell, who stood down in May after almost 20 years representing Meriden, has been made an Honorary Alderman. Mr Bell, who also served as a cabinet member and the chair of the planning committee during his…

Ambitious plans for renewing Kingshurst Village Centre moved a step closer last night (10 October) with Solihull Council’s Cabinet Members approving a new Planning Brief for the regeneration of the area. Approval was also given for a temporary Community Space, which organisers aim to open in time for the October half term. A SMBC spokesperson…