Residents across Solihull and Meriden could end up footing massive fines from Brussels if the Localism Bill is not amended, across the UK the fines could reach a massive £1 Billion.

In an unprecedented move the Conservative / Lib Dem Coalition Government plans to make councils pay for fines levied by the EU against the UK for missing national targets on things like improving air quality and boosting recycling rates.

Solihull and Meriden Residents Association (SAMRA) and Solihull Ratepayers Association (SRA) believe the move has the potential to unfairly cost hard-pressed councils millions of pounds, which would lead to council tax increases or cuts to services. Councils are facing 28 per cent cuts to their budgets over the next four years – cuts far deeper than those faced by any government department – and need all their money to deliver frontline services.

The impact on council budgets could be almost immediate. The Coalition Government is already exceeding air pollution targets and has less than a year to get an extension from the EU or face a potential fine of £300m, enough to add £15 to the average annual council tax bill or pay for more than 12 million hours of homecare for the elderly.

A number of other EU directives, with implications for local government, contain the potential for similar fines. Breaching the air quality limits, alongside a failure to hit targets on waste recycling, procurement and service delivery could see fines in excess of £1bn levied against the UK.

Neill Watts SAMRA’s Parliamentary Spokesman said: “The potential fines from Brussels are for breaching national targets, which were agreed by our coalition government with the EU. Changing the goal posts now to make councils liable for fines is unfair to them and unfair to the local residents who may have to foot the bill. The Lib Dem / Conservative Government must amend this unfair, unworkable, dangerous and unconstitutional legislation. With Council budgets being cut by 28 per cent over the next four years, if fines are levied councils will have no choice but to either cut services or pass the cost onto residents by raising Council Tax.”

SAMRA believe the proposed changes are unfair, unworkable, dangerous and unconstitutional for the following reasons:

1. The targets were agreed by the national government. Retrospectively localising EU targets will be difficult and certainly unfair, leading to the possibility of lengthy and expensive legal battles between councils and central government.
   
2. A number of factors which might cause the UK to miss a target fall outside the influence or control of local authorities.
   
3. It will be impossible to apportion fines to individual councils in a fair way because targets were negotiated, agreed and signed off by the UK Government, in some cases more than a decade ago. In that time council boundaries have changed and powers to act have been modified.
   
4. Local government has not had adequate opportunity to influence the formation of the targets or the way they have been transposed into UK legislation.
   
   SAMRA Press Release 31/01/2011

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FREE BUS PASSES Under Threat by Budget Cuts…

Bus routes will disappear across the West Midlands as a result of local authority spending cuts.
A warning that Midland bus operators, heavily reliant on public funding, are likely to reduce the frequency of some services and scrap less profitable routes altogether as the subsidy is scaled back, has come from the Local Government Association. (LGA)

Cuts to Solihull council budgets will make it almost impossible to continue supporting the bus services that many of our communities rely on.

Rural areas of Solihull, where buses are often the only form of public transport, are likely to be the hardest hit.

Solihull and Meriden Residents Association (SAMRA) is calling for major reform of the way buses are funded, to give councils and residents a greater say in the bus services provided by operators and a better return for tax-payers money paid to them.

In addition, Solihull Council is likely to have a shortfall in the amount of money they will be given to fund free bus travel for pensioners and disabled people.

As a result, Solihull Council may have to cut funding earmarked for other services and scale back concessionary travel to off-peak hours to be able to afford to meet their statutory duty.

Solihull and Meriden Residents Association, is calling for our two MP’s and the Government to urgently review how money is allocated to councils to meet the ever-increasing demand for free bus passes.
Neill Watts SAMRA’s Parliamentary Spokesman for the Solihull Constituency said: “Midland Bus operators are reliant on public money, and Solihull Council has no control over what services they run, or fares they charge in return for that funding. It is inevitable that with subsidies being cut and the cost of fuel increasing some buses will run less often while routes that are less profitable to operators are likely to be scrapped altogether. The unprecedented cuts Solihull Council may have to make with its 14.3% (£9 Million) cut in Government Support Grant will mean they will extremely unlikely to be able to support those services which the operators stop running.”

Neill continued “Free bus travel in Solihull is immensely popular and has benefited thousands of elderly and disabled people. Solihull and Meriden Residents Association supports the free bus scheme, but we are aware that it has been under-funded since its introduction. It should not be the local taxpayer and council services that suffer because central government funding is not keeping up with demand for the free bus pass. The Liberal Democrat / Conservative Coalition Governments’ new arrangements will make a bad problem even worse, creating financial turmoil for local authorities and forcing the end of some popular local bus services here in Solihull and Meriden.”

NOTES TO EDITORS

1. DfT figures for 2008-9 show that 60 per cent of bus industry turnover – or £2.9 billion - came from public subsidies.
2. General funding to councils, from which they support social bus services, has been cut by 28% over the next four years.
3. The Rural Bus Grant, which was £60 million in 20010-11, has been rolled into the Formula Grant, so will be subject to the same level of cuts.
4. The Bus Services Operators Grant, the Government grant which rebates bus operators for fuel duty, is being cut by 20 per cent from 2012/13 to save £300 million.
5. From April 1 shire county councils are set to take over from smaller boroughs and districts the responsibility for issuing free bus passes to pensioners and disabled people. Nearly all will be left worse off because the transfer in responsibility is not being matched by an equivalent transfer in funding. County councils will be given up to 46 per cent less to provide concessionary travel than is currently being spent by district and borough councils in their area. Those councils who will retain the responsibility in April are also facing a significant cut in the money they receive to provide the same service.

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Hello Olton

Following the sad bereavement of Councillor Honor Cox, a By-Election has been called for the Olton Ward on Thursday 20th January 2011. We have selected Hayley Watts to be our candidate a local campaigner, and active member of the Solihull Ratepayers Association. Hayley will stand up for the views of local residents.
Josh O’Nyons nominating officer for SAMRA said ‘’ The Controlling Lib/Dem/Labour Coalition in Solihull has a majority of just ONE. This By-Election is important not only to Olton but to Solihull and the way future council decisions are made. Local people are to be given a bigger say by Government but need to work together with their own strong Local Residents Association to Speak up for them. On local issues the authorities too often ignore residents’ objections over hugely unpopular issues like road humps, parental choice of schools and cutting Maternity services. The most effective way to get your voice heard is through the Ballot Box where SAMRA offers a Real New Year Alternative’’

Solihull Councillors Freeze their pay – but it should have been a cut…

Solihull Councillors have decided to freeze their pay for a second year. At the full Council meeting on Tuesday 7th December 2010, all the political groups voted on a motion not to raise their allowances for a further year. Solihull and Meriden Residents Association (SAMRA) had made representations to the Chief Executive of the Council Mark Rogers, who had passed them on to the political group leaders prior to the Council Meeting. The representations indicated the views of SAMRA on the issue of Councillors allowances in the present financial situation for our Council.

SAMRA Policy is for an immediate cut of 15% in our Councillors Allowances.

Neill Watts said “I believe it is necessary for those in elected office to set an example in principle before applying any cuts in service provision on the local community. Although I welcome the continued freeze in our Councillors Allowances, a 15% cut would have been a sign that our current Councillors understand the need for prudence and that they respect the needs of the residents of Solihull and Meriden.”

LIB DEM/ Labour Council Consult on 17,526 Potential New Homes… with 1091 for Cheswick Green , 7558 around Dickens Heath and 650 for Monkspath (100 on Main Part)

Our Lib Dem / Labour Council is asking residents to have their say on the future development of the Borough. They have launched a public consultation on their ‘Emerging Core Strategy’ which sets out where development such as housing, employment and leisure could take place in Solihull up to 2026, whilst also trying to protect and improve the local environment. The Councils current Unitary Development Plan ends in 2011 and the Lib Dem and Labour controlling group are looking to replace it with the LDF (Local Development Framework).
Within the consultation are proposals for around 200 potential housing sites which have been appraised and considered for allocation in the new LDF. Across Shirley, Dickens Heath, Cheswick Green and Monkspath are over 40 sites which the Council has identified as potential for housing which if all converted from the current open green space would mean a maximum of up to 17,526 new houses could be built across the areas named by 2026.
Linda Brown said “It is vital that Shirley residents ensure they look at these proposals, as they will have a real impact on our lives, and a big loss of our green belt land. The thought that an extra 17,526 potential houses could be built under these proposals across our area is really quite scary! Not to mention the massive loss to our environment, the road infrastructure would go in to complete melt down. I can not imagine what the Lib Dems are thinking!”

"Some of these proposed housing sites are within the Meriden gap, which safeguards our countryside from encroachment . Development here would set a precedent for the release of green belt gardens along Tamworth Lane which would erode the narrow gap between Cheswick Green and Dickens Heath. This would impact on the functions of the green belt and create an indefensible green belt boundary, setting a precedent for the development of surrounding land." Linda continued.

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News Flash:Planning Application on 'Parkgate' Refused...

At a meeting of the Solihull Planning Committee on Wednesday 8th December 2010, the Councillors refused the current planning application for the 'Parkgate' Development.
The application will now either be resubmitted by the developer or go to a planning appeal.

Conservative Councllors voted in favour of the application with the controlling Liberal Democrats moving and voting for refusal, based on the Car Parking Provision. However the Council Officers at the meeting did advise that refusal for this reason would be extremely difficult to defend at any appeal lodged by the developer.

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National Agent for "NO Campaign" to Address Joint Meeting of Ratepayers Association & SAMRA on the Alternative Voting (AV) Referendum Campaign

William Norton the National Agent for the "No Campaign" is to address a special joint Ratepayers Association and SAMRA Members Forum Meeting in Shirley on Friday 12 November on the forthcoming Alternative Voting Referendum

William Norton was a key figure in the successful "North East Says No Campaign" in 2004 where the overwhelming public rejection effectively killed off the last Governments proposals for English Regional Assemblies.

Solihull Ratepayers strongly opposed the introduction of a costly West Midlands Regional Assembly being introduced at that time.

On AV we object to the timing of the referendum on the same day as the local council elections as an unnecessary distraction from holding the management of the council and the way they handle the current financial crisis to account.

We believe the referendum result will certainly be distorted in the devolved parliamentary elections of Scotland & Wales where a much higher turnout will produce an unbalanced proportion of the UK total.

The way the question is worded will also be important and is already controversial with complaints on the initial proposal to the Electoral Commission leading to them having made a revised proposal. The final wording will ultimately be a matter for Parliament.

The AV change will only apply to Parliamentary Elections and the Alternative Vote (AV) is not the proportional representation that many including the Liberal Democrats were looking for and in practise is a flawed political compromise that few understand.

The original wording of the question as contained in the PVSC Bill is as follows: "Do you want the United Kingdom to adopt the 'alternative vote' system instead of the current 'first past the post' system for electing Members of Parliament to the House of Commons?"

The Commission’s proposed redraft of the question is as follows: "At present, the UK uses the ’first past the post’ system to elect MPs to the House of Commons. Should the ’alternative vote’ system be used instead?"

The link to the report by the Electoral Commission is http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/news-and-media/news-releases/electoral-commission-media-centre/news-releases-referendums/electoral-commission-publishes-report-on-voting-system-referendum-question

The Joint SAMRA & Solihull Ratepayers Members Forum is at 2.00pm on Friday 12th November at The Shirley Centre Stratford Road Shirley.

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Letter to the Solihull News Editor - from Neill Watts - Response to Solihull Council Conservative Group Leader Cllr Ken Meeson 3/9/10

Dear Sir,

I must express my surprise and concern that Cllr. Ken Meeson, can turn a genuine letter giving praise and congratulations to the Borough, for receiving ‘Fairtrade’ Status in to an unjustified political attack upon Solihull and Meriden Residents Association and myself.
To state that SAMRA is headed up by a UKIP MEP is not correct! The Chairman of the Association and I, as SAMRAs Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Solihull are in fact ex-Conservative Councillors, and I have never been a member of UKIP!
Solihull and Meriden Residents Association (SAMRA) has a rapidly growing membership, now approaching 1’500 across the Borough and it’s Ward Representatives are all working hard, door knocking across the Borough to help residents’ with local issues and concerns. I haven’t seen a Conservative or Lib Dem on the doorsteps since the Elections in May!
As for funding, SAMRA is a fully registered political party and as such all our accounts, election expenses and donations are available for public viewing on the Electoral Commission website, as required by law. No one is hiding behind anything and all is above board. I feel Cllr. Meeson should be very careful before making accusations that can not be substantiated.
Perhaps if he and the Conservatives want to regain control of the Council they should stick to dealing with real politics, and real campaigning, a good start would be to actually provide their Associations’ with proper websites, I am happy that he takes such an interest in our sites, as he can’t look at theirs as their Associations don’t have one!

Yours Sincerely

Neill Watts

Neill Watts
SAMRA – Parliamentary Prospective Candidate (PPC)
SAMRA – Shirley East Ward Representative

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Top Local Liberal Democrat Councillor Defects to Labour...

Shirley West Lib Dem councillor Simon Slater has defected to the Labour Party. The 28-year-old, who has sat on the borough council since 2006 and who was re-elected this year ,as well as contesting the Meriden Constituency at the General Election that takes in Blythe, said in a statement that he had become ‘progressively disillusioned with the coalition Government.
This comes as polls show that four in ten people who said that they voted for the Liberal Democrats back in May would not have done so if they had known the party would enter into a coalition with the Conservatives. The announcement comes as a blow to the Liberal Democrats locally who have now lost three councillors from their grouping since May the 6th 2010. As another two turn Independent.

The reason for the defections of the Councillors has been placed at the Lib Dems national polices, however as all three represent Shirley West, speculation is that they have turned their backs on the party due to the 'Parkgate' proposals. The parties national support has dropped to just 11%
Dave & Busters - Large Casino Proposal.

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Dave & Busters - Large Casino Proposal
Moves to Second Stage.
Please let us know – Your Thoughts?…

The Licensing Committee on Wednesday the 22nd of September granted two provisional statements for a large casino within the Solihull Borough. One to Grosvenor Casinos who’s application is to re-develop the old Dave and Busters site into a Super Casino and another to the NEC. As both applications met the initial criteria (which was mainly that they are fit and proper persons to hold a gaming licence) the Council will now begin the second stage of the application process, where each applicant must outline the benefits that their large casino will bring to the borough. The licence will then be awarded to the applicant who would, in the Council’s opinion, bring the greatest benefits to the area.

SAMRA believe that there is a substantial and potential economic benefit for the Solihull Community arising from a Large Casino located in the Borough by virtue of employment, tourism and other related activities etc. It is therefore appropriate to consider applications seriously. Although as an Association ourselves we believed and still do that the application on Highlands Road to re-develop the former Dave & Busters premises would not bring the greatest economic, financial and social benefits in terms of job creation and site suitability etc to the borough (it is not a case of NIMBY) and for that reason and also for the problems it would bring to the residential houses adjacent, we submitted a representation against it to the Licensing Committee and will do so again should it reach the planning committee on planning issues of concern to residents. Such as opening hours (24hrs), control of noise , nuisance from comings and goings etc and impact on the character of the area and occupation of nearby residential homes to fight for the best possible deal. We support a more retail use for the unit rightly nine till five.

Our association has been closely monitoring the Casino Advisory Panel for some time and would like to think we are close to community thinking. We also believed the Monkpsath Residents of close proximity of the application were and are pragmatic and realistic, and understand fully the issues involved. Accordingly we carried out a local consultation on Sunday the 22nd of August and Monday the 23rd on the Monkspath estate to collect those residents thoughts that would be most effected by this application and found 78% were against a casino at the former D&Bs site. SAMRA was the only Local Party to do this, and are still the only group to ask residents for their views and thoughts ! Please let us know your views on this application— thoughts to the Secretary Josh O’Nyons please at joshuaonyons2@yahoo.co.uk

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Travellers Arrive in Blythe…

Most of you will know we recently had an influx of gypsies on our local parkland between Lakeside Drive and Caldeford Avenue off Monkspath Hall Road. The gypsies first arrived in the Borough occupying land off Monkspath Business Park behind an empty office block, but were to be moved by bailiffs so subsequently relocated to the park in convoy to avoid being moved on. SAMRA officials attended the site in the early hours of the 20th of July and were the first to be on site and respond. We successfully had the noisy generators switched off, and together we made representations to the local police authorities that they place temporary PCSO?s at the entrances of the site, as they did in Eaves Lane in Meriden.

The gypsies have now vacated the park but at the cost of local Ratepayers, leaving a clear up bill that ran into hundreds of pounds. SAMRA congratulate the council for acting swiftly to return the parkland to its pervious state, and are pleased that our campaign and suggestion to get the strip secured to stop incidents like this ever happening again is now being acted on.

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School Dinners will cost you more under our Lib Dem / Labour Council…

It was confirmed at the Full Council Meeting on 13th July that our Lib Dem / Labour Council has approved a 10p rise to School Dinners from the 1st September. Whilst 10p does not sound a lot on it’s own, it represents a 50p a week or a £21 a year rise in the cost of School Dinners per child, and piles even more pressure on our cash strapped Solihull Parents.

Linda Brown said “ There is no justification for this rise, we should be helping the parents, and working to ensure that all our children have a balanced nutritious meal at lunch times. All that this rise will do is reduce the numbers of Children who can afford School Dinners. A family with two or three Children all at School will be up to £60+ worse off per School year.”

Linda continued “With the Coalition Governments cuts to Child Tax Credits, Child Benefits and removal of the Child Trust Funds it is another amazing and surprising attack on Solihull Families by our Lib Dem and Labour Councillors.” Solihull and Meriden Residents Association’s Policy on School Dinners is very clear, we believe that every Child in Nursery and Primary Education should receive a Free well balanced and nutritious School Dinner. We also oppose the current move to issue fingerprinted or photo ID payment cards to our Children.

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Council asks for views on how to protect Solihull’s countryside

Solihull Council is inviting people to comment on Solihull’s Countryside Strategy, which outlines how the many demands on the countryside will be managed over the next ten years. Solihull’s countryside provides an environment for living, farming, waste disposal, nature conservation and recreation. The Countryside Strategy aims to strike a balance between the varied interests associated with the countryside to ensure it is correctly managed for the benefit of the borough’s wildlife, economy and residents.

Since 2000, when the first Solihull’s Countryside Strategy was published, there has been significant national guidance on countryside management and new challenges which needed to be incorporated in the new strategy. The updated strategy includes the effect climate change may have on the countryside, incorporates changes in the Common Agricultural Policy, and recognises the need to support rural communities and enhance nature conservation. It is hoped that comments will be received from interested parties, which will be used to ensure the Countryside Strategy 2010-20 is as comprehensive, fair and clear as possible.

Linda Brown said “We all want to ensure Solihull stays true to its Urbs in Rure motto, by protecting and managing the countryside. Their will be many challenges over the coming years, both environmentally and economically and it is the purpose of this consultation in to the strategy which hopefully will foresee these issues and provide a common sense approach to dealing with them. I hope many residents take part in the Consultation’. Any comments must be received by Friday 30 July 2010. Click here for a copy of the Draft Countryside Strategy Click here for the Consultation feedback form17 June 2010

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Letter to the News and Observer

Sir

Given Governments emphasis on efficiency savings in their attempt to cut the enormous deficit it has inherited it seems strange that the funding of the unaccountable and wasteful European Union has been excluded. European funding is a huge black hole whose own accounts have not been signed off for years and there is now growing pressure from taxpayers themselves across Europe to hold the EU to proper account.

Last week the Campaign Director of the UK’s Taxpayers Alliance was in Warsaw meeting with a whole range of taxpayers groups and anti-waste campaigners from Belgium, Holland, Poland, Sweden, Germany and elsewhere in a move to co-ordinate pressure on National Governments. The one positive result of the expensive bailout of Greece has led to a huge political backlash in recent German regional elections and more people than ever across the Continent are losing patience with the ever-growing bill that Brussels demands of taxpayers.

In the end it will be actions by local people in towns like ours that will initiate change and we recognise that cutting public services by local councils is painful and will hurt the weakest sections of the community most while cutbacks to Brussels will have the least impact on the front line services we need to protect. The growing support for groups calling for reform is something the new Government should take carefully into account to ensure its spending review is seen to be fair and equitable.

Trevor Eames , Local Government Spokesperson , Solihull & Meriden Residents Association (SAMRA)

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3 June 2010
ROAD HUMP VICTORY FOR SAMRA & THE RATEPAYERS

Bills Lane Road Hump Scheme Abandoned.- At yesterday’s (3/6/10) Cabinet Members Decision Making Meeting for Transport & Highways the £120,000 Bill Lane Road Hump Scheme was deleted from the 2010/11 Programme as a result of the high level of opposition which had been led by SAMRA & The Solihull Ratepayers association .
Councillor David Jameson did agree to review alternative measures other than Road Humps at a future date which is what residents had asked for. Many thanks to all those who returned our Consultation Slips or signed out petition at the various locations across Shirley. Also to Councillor Gary Allport for speaking up for us on this issue and to Councillor Andy Hodgson who opposed the scheme.

Also, Old Lode Lane Scheme – Deferred - The controversial scheme in Old Lode Lane for 20mph speed limit requiring 14 Road Humps, Raised Crossings or Table Tops was deferred following representations by Local Resident John Cotrill who had raised a 410 signature petition against Road Humps 156 from residents in Old Lode Lane itself. Despite officers recommendations the petition should be over-ruled on grounds of road safety Councillor Jamieson said he was not convinced that this amount of road humps that would cause problems for the 10 buses an hour on this roadway was justified and has asked for a further report on the £230,000 scheme with the prospect of reducing the number and extent of road humps.
National Express had objected and warned the scheme would cause costly damage to the suspension systems of its buses something car owners have already discovered right across the Borough. The Association is pointing out that European Vehicles are not designed to cope with Third World Roads that the roll-out of Road Humps is creating at Taxpayers’ Expense. It was also clear that the new Cabinet Member for Transport & Highways is aware of how unpopular Road Humps have become with the general public.

Solihull Ratepayers Association and SAMRA (Solihull and Meriden Residents Association) are running a Borough Wide Campaign against installing new road humps and a copy of the petition sheet can be found here. Anyone who can collect some signatures from friends, family or work colleagues is urged to print one off and mail it back to us. Or sign up at one of our petition boards at the Station Fish Bar Haslucks Green Rd, Lucky Star News Tamworth Lane, Sea Spray Stratford Road or the Cranmore Fish Bar on the Boulevard.
We regard both these schemes as very wasteful of public money at a time when funding is under great pressure

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Solihull Council Stops Collection of Extra Bin Bags

Solihull Council is calling on residents to carry on their good work in helping to reduce the amount of waste being produced in the borough. Since the Council introduced new kerbside recycling collections in Autumn last year, residents have successfully recycled 6950 tonnes of their waste.

To encourage everyone to recycle even more, from 31 May the Council will stop collecting any extra rubbish that is placed out for collection which is not contained within residents’ wheelie bins. This means that all residents will have to ensure that all non recyclable rubbish is put in their wheelie bin on collection days and that the lid is fully closed. If anyone has extra rubbish which they can’t fit in their wheelie bin, they have the option of taking it to Bickenhill Household Waste Recycling Centre. A sticker will be applied to every resident’s wheelie bin next week (week commencing 24 May) to remind them not to leave out extra waste next to their bins and to recycle as much as they can through the existing services. Residents who are part of the purple sack collection for their waste should only leave out two sacks per week for collection. An information card will be left with residents who leave out more to inform them of the Council’s waste collection policy.

For the last two months, the Council has been visiting households who have been leaving out extra side waste, to help and encourage them to recycle more and reduce their waste. The Council provides residents with kerbside collections for garden waste, paper, card, plastic bottles, glass and cans. This means the majority of household waste can now be recycled and that residents should have enough room in their wheelie bins or two purple sacks for anything left over. Large families or people with medical conditions, can apply to have a larger wheelie bin or four purple sacks per week instead of two.

SAMRA Candidate Neill Watts said ” I think that it is a good move and will help with pushing us all to recycle more, however I have one reservation which is at times of festivals like Christmas it may be unavoidable to create extra waste. These are the times when the Council needs to be a little more flexible.”

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On Tuesday 25th May
The Liberal Democrat and the Labour Groups on Solihull Council took over the administration from the Conservatives.

Unlike at national level where they are in coalition with the Conservatives, the local Liberal Democrats have formed a coalition with Labour to run the Council. This does leave questions as to the thinking of local Lib Dems, as they seem to be unsure as to what their voters actually wanted and leaves them in quite a mess. It has shown clearly that if you voted Lib Dem at the Parliamentary Election you were really voting Conservative, and if you voted Lib Dem in the Council Elections you were really voting for Labour, so what do the Lib Dems really believe?

It has been over 10 years since they ran the Council in coalition so badly, and chucked out the following year. The difference now is that they are not only running our Council but they are a major part of running the Country as well.

Neill Watts said “The local Liberal Democrats will now have to put the polices they have been promoting locally for the last ten years in to practice. They will find that this difficult especially with the current financial situation!”

At this year’s budget meeting in March, the Lib Dems supported the Conservatives with over £12 Million of cuts to our local services, the Labour group opposed the cuts and therefore it is surprising that they have formed a coalition.

Neill went on to say “We shall have to wait and see if they actually do protect our Local Services, They need to show that they are willing to return money to the Music Service, Libraries and the Youth Service, which was Labour Group policy at the Budget meeting!”

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3 May 2010
Travellers Building illegal Caravan Site on Green Belt in Meriden

Travellers are exploiting loopholes in the European Human Rights Act by occupying and constructing what they plan to be a permanent site in Eves Green Lane Meriden.
They purchased a 10 acre field some time ago and quietly had power and main sewerage connections to the site.
Last Friday 20 Caravans moved on and lorries started to arrive with materials but turned back after discussions with angry residents who explained to drivers the site had no planning permission.
Access Roads were also blocked by angry residents but were opened by the Police who seem prepared to allow the illegal works to continue.
The Travellers handed in a Planning Application 10 minutes before Council Offices closed for the holiday weekend a technique they have used in other areas and then set about getting as much development work in as possible ignoring an emergency STOP ORDER issued by the Council over the weekend.
Despite Green Belt Protection prohibiting development the Travellers plan is to complete as much of the site works as possible before they can be stopped ignoring the planning regulations. They then intend to appeal efforts to remove them claiming a "right to a private and family life" under the European Human Rights Act.
The law has supported the Travellers on this elsewhere and Solihull Council has a problem in part of its own making because it has failed for several years to provide an authorised site to meet obligations under Government Guidelines. This makes it almost impossible to get illegal sites closed as we don't offer any alternative.
We have some 13 individual Traveller Families around the Borough on such illegal Green Belt encampments, some going back several years. The Council can't shift them and are forced to grant temporary planning consents pending providing a permanent site.


We have suffered Traveller invasions in many areas around Solihull over the years including more Urban Locations like Hillfield Park but these have been short term and resolved fairly quickly.
This is different and is both on a large scale (10 acres) and permanent - Both SAMRA and Solihull Ratepayers are backing Meriden Residents efforts to force our Council to use all the powers available to it to Stop Site Work and thwart the Travellers Plans.
Solicitors for the Residents will be meeting with Council Officers at 08.30am Tomorrow Tuesday Morning when the Council Offices open.
Meriden Residents will be outside the Councill Offices at 08.30am in a Protest Demonstration and both SAMRA and Solihull Ratepayers will be there in support.
anyone who has 30 minutes to spare tomorrow morning is asked turn up at Solihull Council House entrance driveway opposite St. Alphege Church at 08.30am to support the Meriden Villagers in their fight to protect their homes and way of life from this illegal action by the Travellers and that common sense should prevail.

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29 April 2010
Solihull Observer 4pg Cover
"Local Residents Association set to make History"
Click on the page links below to read more and download the pdfs
Front page - Page2 - Page3 - Back page

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19 April 2010
PRESS RELEASE
Neill Watts - Becomes SAMRA's Parliamentary Candidate for Solihull

The Solihull and Meriden Residents Association (SAMRA) is pleased to announce that a father and former Solihull Councillor will be their parliamentary candidate for the Solihull constituency. Neill Watts becomes SAMRAS second parliamentary candidate and joins Nikki Sinclaire MEP who is standing in Meriden.

Neill the former campaign director and agent for the local Conservative Association, is hoping to win the seat for the newly formed Association on May the 6th. Launching his campaign Neill said:

‘’With all the political upheaval nationally and locally this year, with MP's Expenses, General Sleaze, and a general lack of trust in the main national parties, I decided to return to the frontline and give you a real choice, with the old principle of doing a role to put something back in to the community, not just to make money!’’

Continuing ‘’ Over the last few years I have witnessed as have you, Shirley and Solihull being let down by both the local Lib-Dems and Conservatives. I am standing as your SAMRA INDEPENDENT Candidate in the Parliamentary Election this year as I believe that it is really time for us to all Try Something Different. We need to have Trust in our representatives, a Vote for me will be a Vote for Honesty, Accountability and Hard Work.’’

SAMRA is aiming to fight on key issues in the borough across the political spectrum including the loss of Solihull’s Maternity service and the introduction of local referenda. They have pledged to reduce councillors pay to 2005 levels and say they want to introduce council sponsored neighbourhood officers to liaise with police and help tackle flytippng and graffiti.

Local campaigner and Chairman of SAMRA, Josie Herbert said "We are delighted to have someone of Neils calibre to join us, Neil represents SAMRA's etos of putting Local People First"

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13 April 2010
PRESS RELEASE
NIKKI SINCLAIRE MEP TAKES UP THE FIGHT FOR LOCAL BUSINESS

Speaking at a meeting of the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) breakfast today, Nikki Sinclaire addressed the issue of the increased burden of red tape on Britain's business community. Nikki, an independent Member of the European Parliament, has confronted the European Commission in Brussels over the issue of the impact of new legislation on Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

" I am not satisfied that the Commission is adequately assessing the impact of new legislation" she said. "One size does not fit all, especially in the business arena. I have demanded detailed explanations of what impact assessment procedures are in place, and who carries them out. It is small businesses that will lead us out of the economic crisis, and they need help not hindrance from government."

Britain's 4.8 million small businesses employ 60% of the private sector workforce - a total of 13.7 million people - and are responsible for more than 50% of the UK's turnover.
Nikki called for better access to fundng both in grant and by banks. Nikki said "If small businesses are the lifeblood of our comminuty is to be more than an empty phrase, politicans must take small business concerns seriously"

Nikki is standing as a candidate in the forthcoming General Election for the Solihull & Meriden Resident's Association (SAMRA) in the Meriden constituency.

For further information contact Nikki Sinclaire: 07941 461255
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10 April 2010
Solihull News

7 April 2010
PRESS RELEASE
Nikki Sinclaire MEP to stand in General Election for Resident’s Association

At a public meeting arranged by the Solihull & Meriden Residents Association (SAMRA) in Knowle, on Wednesday April 7th, Nikki Sinclaire MEP declared that she would stand for the Association in the forthcoming General Election against Caroline Spellman, one of a number of MPs hit by expenses scandals, in the Meriden constituency.

Having been elected to the European Parliament in June 2009, Solihull resident Nikki announced the surprise move, pledging her commitment to SAMRA’s ethos of restoring political power to local people.
An outspoken opponent of transfer of power from Britain to Brussels, Nikki has campaigned against sleaze and corruption. “I am the first British MEP to receive a satisfactory audit of my accounts” she said, “and if I am elected to Westminster I will lose my seat in Brussels, and take a £20,000 pay cut. I am not in this for the money; I am in it because I believe in honest and open government.”
SAMRA is campaigning on a number of local issues, including more efficient local governance, protection of the West Midlands Green belt, and is opposed to the further threatened cuts to local hospitals.
Speaking about the proposed high-speed rail link, Trevor Eames of the Solihull Ratepayers Association said “There are important consultations coming up, and for us to have an MP representing our interests rather than those of political parties will put us in a fantastic position. It is about time that local people had their say.”
In a radical move, the Resident’s Association will be fielding candidates in both the general and local elections on May 6.

For further information, contact
Nikki Sinclaire 07941 461255