2021 November 26

I attended a meeting organised by the Beacon Action Group to discuss the proposed Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) on Chapel Lane. The meeting was held at the Great Barr Memorial Hall and was well attended.  The proposal is to build a battery storage system on the Green Belt and in a conservation area. The leaflet that was distributed was not sent to all the residents who may be affected and this was an initial “consultation”.  I do not consider this to be appropriate development on the green belt and should be taken no further. 

On Friday 26 November 2021 I visited the Joseph Leckie Academy and met the new head James Ludlow. The new building looked amazing. The original funds which were allocated 2010 under the Building Schools for the Future fund was withdrawn by the incoming Coalition Government. This was very disappointing for the children and the staff who worked in a sometimes dangerous building. I met with Ministers and the then head Keith Whittlestone also attended meetings at the Department for Education. Sadly Keith died in April this year before he could see the building completed. In 2016 the then Schools Minister Nick Gibb described the buildings as grim. However with his support the bid for the Condition Improvement Fund enabled some but all all the work to be undertaken. I was surprised during my visit that the dining room and the hall , which I thought was included, was outside the scope of that tranch of funding.