We use some essential cookies to make this website work We’d like to set additional cookies to understand how you use wmas.nhs.uk remember your settings and improve our services We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services Jamie Arrowsmith – Friday 29th November – 8am A man has died following a collision between a motorbike and a van yesterday afternoon (Thursday) West Midlands Ambulance Service was called to Water Orton Road at 2.09pm and sent two ambulances the West Midlands Care Team and the Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance to the scene A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said: “Crews arrived to discover one patient “He was already receiving basic life support from bystanders before ambulance staff immediately began administering advanced life support despite everyone’s best efforts it sadly became apparent nothing could be done to save him and he was confirmed dead at the scene.” Copyright © 2025 West Midlands Ambulance Service University NHS Foundation Trust Lovingly crafted by Mixd The construction of HS2’s gateway to Birmingham takes a leap forward as the huge 125-metre-long tunnel boring machine (TBM) digging the first bore of the Bromford Tunnel reaches the halfway point named ‘Mary Ann’ - the real name of Warwickshire-born author George Eliot - has excavated and built 1.75 miles of the first bore of the tunnel since it started digging from a large underground box in Water Orton last year Driving around 40 metres underground towards Washwood Heath in Birmingham the TBM has excavated under the Park Hall Nature Reserve and River Tame and is now passing under Castle Vale It will continue adjacent to and under the M6 before breaking through at Washwood Heath early next year An expert tunnelling team have been working around the clock on shifts to operate the TBM which also builds the tunnel as it excavates A total of 20,797 concrete segments will be put in place by the machine making 2,971 concrete rings to form the tunnel The tunnel’s 47-metre-deep ventilation shaft at Castle Vale marks the halfway point of the TBM will feature cross passages which will eventually link to the two tunnels either side to provide ventilation A ‘headhouse’ will be built on top of the shaft and the whole structure will be complete in 2027 the second TBM – named after Dame Elizabeth Cadbury by local school pupils started building the tunnel’s second bore in March 2024 and is due to finish her journey towards the end of 2025 The two TBMs will remove 1.87 million tonnes of excavated material which is being sifted at the on-site slurry treatment plant and reused on nearby sites at the Delta Junction where a complex network of 13 viaducts is being built HS2 has built dedicated roads between these construction sites including an access off the M6/M42 link roads In preparation for the arrival of the TBMs at Washwood Heath a huge earthworks operation has been completed by a team of 130 people to build the tunnel’s west portal which at 22 metres below ground is the deepest of the four tunnel portals on the Midlands section of the HS2 route The portal is at the start of a 750-metre-long cut and cover structure which is currently being excavated and built This is where HS2 trains will emerge from the Bromford Tunnel and travel below ground level before raising up onto a series of viaducts through Birmingham’s industrial heartland and into Curzon Street Station “We’re now at peak construction in the West Midlands and it’s great to celebrate the halfway point for the ‘Mary Ann’ tunnel drive into Birmingham marking a significant step in HS2’s construction in the region.  with around a third of these in the West Midlands including 615 apprentices and over 1,650 people who were previously unemployed providing a unique opportunity for local people to learn new skills while delivering the UK’s largest construction programme.”  Tunnelling Director for Balfour Beatty VINCI said: “Reaching the halfway point on this complex stretch of the HS2 route into Birmingham is a great milestone for our 180-strong tunnelling team We’re looking ahead now to delivering the final stages of tunnelling and celebrating the breakthrough of both TBMs at Washwood Heath next year.” Labour MP for Hodge Hill and Solihull North said:   "The extraordinary tunnelling under Water Orton and Birmingham is a world-class bit of engineering which would have made Matthew Bolton and James Watt proud there are now more local residents working on the project than ever before "HS2 is going to transform the economy of Birmingham and the West Midlands and the first trains will be running in just a few years’ time What is now needed is the same genius that there is in this power of engineering to help us figure out how to bring down costs and drive up the economic benefits to the city and to Solihull." Tunnels Technical Lead for Mott MacDonald/Systra Design JV said: “We are incredibly proud of the work we have accomplished as a highly collaborative team in reaching the halfway point at Bromford Tunnel Achieving such a tunnelling milestone of this diameter and in challenging ground conditions under Birmingham is an engineering feat which the experienced team has embraced “Mary Ann and Elizabeth will complete their tunnelling journey into Birmingham leaving a long-lasting legacy of engineering achievement and progress for the region.” The specialist tunnelling teams are from UK firm Tunnelcraft with a total of ten apprentices including formerly unemployed people from the local area who now have jobs on the project HS2 services will run between London and the West Midlands on a dedicated high-speed line before linking reaching destinations further north via the existing West Coast Main Line It will provide significantly more efficient and faster journeys while relieving pressure on the most congested southern end of the West Coast Main Line allowing more local and freight trains to operate Open menuHomeNewsLiving with the Cost of Living Crisis: Experiences of Castle Vale Tenants and ResidentsNew research from CHASM explores the impact of the cost of living crisis on low income and financially vulnerable households. sheds light on the lived experiences of individuals from low-income and financially precarious households Social housing tenants are amongst those hardest hit by rising costs of food energy and other essential goods and services Including sometimes heart-wrenching stories The report has yielded valuable insights and opportunities in relation to addressing food and energy poverty; providing debt finance and employment support; and developing housing association procedures In this qualitative case study, Dr Özlem Ögtem-Young, research fellow and theme lead within the CHASM - Centre on Household Assets and Savings Management explores the experiences of financial struggles and the impact of the cost of living crisis on low income and financially vulnerable households The report presents a compelling backdrop for investigating the experiences and impact of the cost of living crisis and the role of advice and support services in respect of food access and in enhancing financial resilience and overall well-being Our qualitative case study conducted within Castle Vale sheds light on the lived experiences of individuals from these low-income and financially precarious households It reveals the profound impact of the cost of living crisis on their everyday lives It also exposes the effectiveness and the role of community-based advice and support services in mitigating this impact and in navigating the challenges posed by poverty and the cost of living crisis as well as its role in enhancing financial resilience and fostering overall wellbeing Working in collaboration between the Pioneer Group and partner organisations this study has yielded three key valuable insights through conducting 30 in-depth interviews with tenants and resident who live in Castle Vale and a follow-on focus group with professionals from the local support services within the School of Social Policy and Birmingham Business School CHASM conducts interdisciplinary research into the causes and consequences of financial risk and insecurity and promotes policies to foster financial wellbeing We have a diverse and inclusive research agenda The persistently high rates of poverty in the UK have been compounded by the historically high inflation rates following the Covid-19 pandemic and the conflict in Ukraine The rising cost of essential goods and services has had a disproportionate adverse effect on low-income and vulnerable households pushing them deeper into poverty and deprivation Latest newsTel:Global Footprint© University of Birmingham 2025 Construction of HS2’s Gateway to Birmingham has reached a significant milestone as the first bore of the 5.6-kilometre tunnel reaches the halfway point Balfour Beatty VINCI JV (BBV) began gigging work on the Bromford Tunnel last year from a large underground box in Water Orton ‘Mary Ann’ completed excavation and building of 2.8 kilometres of the first bore The TMB has excavated under the Park Hall Nature Reserve and River Tame having driven around 40 metres underground towards its final destination It is expected to travel under the M6 before reaching Washwood Heath early next year The tunnelling team worked across round the clock shifts to operate the boring machine 20,797 concrete segments are to be put in place by the machine the second TBM building HS2’s longest tunnel under the Chiltern Hills reached its final breakthrough at tunnel’s northern portal early completing a journey that began in June 2021 the second TBM for Bromford tunnel began work on the second bore in March this year and is due to finish late 2025 130 people have completed an earthworks operation to build the tunnel’s west portal The portal is 22 metres below ground and is the deepest of the four tunnel portals on the Midlands section of the HS2 route It is at the start of a 750-metre-long cut and cover structure and where HS2 trains will emerge from the Bromford Tunnel The first HS2 trains are expected to roll off the production line around 2027 with the first passengers expected to be carried between 2029 and 2033 Jules Arlaud, tunnelling for Balfour Beatty VINCI said: “Reaching the halfway point on this complex stretch of the HS2 route into Birmingham is a great milestone for our 180-strong tunnelling team “We’re looking ahead now to delivering the final stages of tunnelling HS2’s Head of Delivery said: “We’re now at peak construction in the West Midlands marking a significant step in HS2’s construction in the region providing a unique opportunity for local people to learn new skills while delivering the UK’s largest construction programme.” If you have a tip or story idea that fits with our publication, please contact the news reporter miles@wavenews.co.uk A daily email that makes industry news enjoyable A man is fighting for his life in hospital and two people are on the run from police after a serious crash in Birmingham The crash happened in Birmingham near Castle Vale and a road has been closed as police try and piece together what happened in the early hours of this morning A West Midlands Police spokesperson said: "We are appealing for witnesses to come forward after a man was seriously injured following a single-car collision in the early hours of this morning (Sunday).  "The passenger of the car was seriously injured after the car hit railings at the junction of Chester Road and Kingsbury Road in Erdington, Birmingham at around 4.44am. "The 24-year-old was taken to hospital with serious injuries. Two people believed to be the driver of the vehicle and a second passenger left the scene. We are appealing to them to do the right thing and come forward. "We would like to speak with any witnesses or anyone with information including dashcam footage which may help with our investigation. "If you can help, you can contact us via Live Chat on our website or by calling 101, quoting log 638 of 3 November." Win HappyPremiumSearch Rayohits radiobirminghamnewsMan dies after crash in Castle BromwichA man has died following a crash between a van and a motorbike in Castle Bromwich A man has died following a crash between a motorbike and a van in Castle Bromwich Emergency services were called to Water Orton Road just before 2:10pm yesterday (28 Nov) First for all the latest news from across the UK every hour on Hits Radio on DAB, at hitsradio.co.uk and on the Rayo app. Company number 01176085; Bauer Radio Limited Company number: 1394141Registered office: Media House Peterborough PE2 6EA and H Bauer Publishing Company number: LP003328; Registered office: The Lantern London NW1 2PL All registered in England and Wales VAT no 918 5617 01H Bauer Publishing are authorised and regulated for credit broking by the FCA (Ref No: 845898) 29 August, 2024 By The tunnel boring machine (TBM) excavating the first bore of High Speed 2’s (HS2’s) 5.6km Bromford Tunnel into Birmingham has reached the halfway point has excavated 2.8km of the first bore of the tunnel since it was launched from a site near Water Orton in North Warwickshire in August 2023 The 125m long machine has excavated under the Park Hall Nature Reserve and River Tame and is now passing under Castle Vale Driving at around 30m underground each day it will continue adjacent to and under the M6 before breaking through at the western tunnel portal at Washwood Heath in Birmingham early next year The second bore is being excavated by TBM Elizabeth that was launched in March 2024 and is due to break through at Washwood Heath in autumn 2025 The 22m deep western portal has been finished in readiness for the two TBMs Construction of the portal involved a significant earthworks operation carried out by a team of 130 people over nine months The eastern portal of the tunnel will be located off Attleboro Lane in Water Orton To minimise the noise of trains as they exit the tunnel HS2 Ltd contractors will be constructing a “porous portal” – achieved by providing perforated structures The full Bromford Tunnel programme is being delivered by around 450 people working for HS2’s contractor on this section The design JV is made up of Mott MacDonald and Systra Each bore will take around 16 months and 1.87M.t of material will be excavated and sifted at the on-site slurry treatment plant to be reused on nearby sites at the Delta Junction Costain and Strabag (SCS) joint venture is gearing up to assemble and install the final two TBMs at Old Oak Common that will take the high-speed rail line into central London Want to read more? Subscribe to GE’s enewsletters and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn Tagged with: Enabling works on the £10bn Lower Thames Crossing scheme – a 4.2km twin bore road tunnel under the river between Kent and Essex – could begin in October of this year Buckinghamshire Council’s decision to reject HS2 Ltd's planning application for a groundwater monitoring chamber in Wendover could cost “tens of millions of pounds” Concrete elements that will form a 1.8km long immersed tunnel in the River Scheldt were recently floated in a dock ahead of their journey to Antwerp An Implenia and Hochtief JV has been appointed by Deutsche Bahn to deliver the eastern section of a new partly tunnelled railway line in Munich Sign in or Register a new account to join the discussion The last ever internal combustion vehicle built in Jaguar’s long-serving Castle Bromwich manufacturing facility has rolled off the line Serving first as a manufacturing facility for the WW2 Spitfire fighter Castle Bromwich has been a hub of UK car manufacturing since 1945 while Jaguar only took over the site wholesale in 1977 producers of car body pressings for BMC and latterly British leyland Even beforehand the man in charge of the place while it replenished our country’s Spitfire stocks otherwise known as the founder of the Morris car company Jaguar’s strict history at the plant goes back 47 years It’s really the heart of Jaguar as we’ve come to know it with beloved defunct models such as the XK XJ and S-Type all produced there throughout their production runs The facility had been undergoing upgrades as late as 2018 and 2019 to produce an upcoming all-electric Jaguar XJ but that model was scrapped late in development Jaguar’s premiership at the time insisting however that its cancellation and the eventual stoppage of existing models built there wouldn’t spell the end for car manufacturing at the facility We look forward to clarification of Jaguar’s plans for Castle Bromwich as its 2025 reinvention looms we also look forward to celebrating 75 years of the great Jaguar XK straight-six Be a legend for the day with the exhilarating ProDriver Experience Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon The best of New York straight to your inbox We help you navigate a myriad of possibilities Sign up for our newsletter for the best of the city By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news Sign up for our email to enjoy New York without spending a thing (as well as some options when you’re feeling flush) By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news, events, offers and partner promotions. New York the custom-designed bouncy castle is open through the end of March The William Vale in Brooklyn is already one of the most beautiful and fun destinations to spend your weekend at: the views from the on-site rooftop bar the downstairs restaurant Leuca is delicious and the rooms are just fabulous The hotel now adds another notch to its belt: a new custom-designed rooftop bouncy castle open all throughout March as the destination is being referred to is open from 4pm to 10pm on Mondays through Fridays and from noon to 10pm on Saturdays and Sundays Keep in mind that all guests must be over the age of 21 if visiting past 6pm.  You can reserve your $20 adult ticket in advance right here while kids get to jump around for free Also on the rooftop is an après ski-themed Sky Lodge Order a shareable snack spread or anything else from Westlight's a la carte menu, which also features a long list of unique cocktails Because there's nothing quite like a post "workout" Negroni while admiring Manhattan's beautiful skyline from a Brooklyn rooftop Thanks for subscribing! Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon! tiktokfacebooktwitteryoutubeAbout us Contact us On 28 & 29 July Castle Vale will host the first ever Neighbourhood Festival Site and all residents are invited to be a part of the fun the Farnborough Fields community will come together for the ‘Big Warm Up’ Together we will watch the Opening Ceremony and the field will come alive with a variety of sports Join us at Farnborough Fields to help ensure we start the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games celebrations in the best way possible Nearest rail service: Chester Road Rail Station then 28 bus towards Fox and Goose Throughout the day: Screen content from local artists and the neighbourhood watch party for the Opening Ceremony a variety of food & drink vendors representing flavours from around the Commonwealth children's workshops by Birmingham Rep Theatre and a range of inclusive sporting activities Commonwealth flag making workshops from Up Creative Vanley Burke's Back Home exhibition and workshops from Friction Arts Sam Slater (image courtesy of Live in the Lodge) O'Driscoll Collective (image courtesy of O'Driscoll Collective) (1) With a keen focus on the connection between humans Ascension Dance will bring an outdoor performance titled ‘The Other Side’ to every Live Site Their work tackles topics such as consumerism and human relationships visitors can expect to see high speed dance performances bringing dynamism and fun to the centre of the buzzing Live Sites The group will premier an exciting new work ‘Playground’ at the Castle Vale and Handsworth sites Perry will make an appearance across all of our festival sites virtual game using your phone as a controller with the action played out on the big screen Donations to charity can be made and  proceeds will be split equally between Comic Relief and registered charities - United by Birmingham 2022 Legacy Charity and Commonwealth Sport Foundation There will also be a range of local food and drink traders bringing flavours to excite your taste buds the best way to get to the Neighbourhood Festival Sites is by walking The only parking available is for blue badge holders Blue Badge parking is free but has limited availability BSL interpretation will be available whenever our presenters are on stage please go to the Festival Information point located in the pink festival tent you can take part in sports workshops and activities These will feature sports activities that link to the Birmingham 2022 programme such as volleyball Jaguar Land Rover’s announcement of a low-carbon future also contained significant news for its historic Castle Bromwich plant JLR said it would end mass production of cars at the site before 2025 after decades of assembly at a facility with an illustrious past which rivals that of any UK factory The plant was brought to the brink of closure in 2010, before JLR staged a dramatic U-turn. A decade later, fears for its future were rising again as production fell but once more it has been granted an unexpected reprieve JLR has pledged to unions that there will be no compulsory manufacturing redundancies because it will consolidate other operations at the West Midlands site The Castle Bromwich plant started as an airfield serving the nascent aviation industry as early as 1909 It was taken over by the Royal Flying Corps – the RAF’s predecessor – in the first world war before it was identified as the site for an aircraft factory shortly before the second world war After the second world war the plant was taken over by a car body pressings company Through mergers it eventually became part of British Leyland staying there through periods of ownership by Ford and the current owner The factory will continue to produce Jaguar’s existing lineup for a few years but it will not add new models. The models built at the site are the XE and XF saloon cars and the F-Type sports car. However, on Monday JLR reversed a decision to build an electric XJ saloon there said the Castle Bromwich plant had a paint shop and metal pressings facility that could be used for Jaguar’s special vehicle operations But its days as one of Britain’s great mass production car plants appear to be over We’d like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK remember your settings and improve government services You have accepted additional cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time You have rejected additional cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time Freedom of Information releases and corporate reports Local artist Sajida Asif has been working with children from Tame Valley Academy as well as adult youth and women’s groups in the community to produce the artwork which reflects the history of Bromford The mural will be used to decorate some of the new flood walls which are part of the Bromford flood risk management scheme The scheme aims to reduce the risk of flooding from the River Tame to 1,589 residential properties and 42 non-residential properties in the area The scheme extends more than 4.5 kilometres from the River Rea and downstream to the M42 crossing at Water Orton Environment Manager for the Environment Agency said: We are close to completing the Bromford flood risk management scheme on the right bank of the river which will help to better protect homes and businesses from the devastation of flooding We are delighted that this essential structure is being decorated with the colourful artwork of local children and community members It has been truly wonderful working with the Bromford community of all ages They have given me such a warm welcome that I feel like I’ve known this community for a long time Through our friendly discussions they have shared many stories of Bromford and talked about the history of the area The collection of paintings will aim to welcome people to the community in the same way that I have been welcomed and be a walk through Bromford’s history to the present day The scheme will reduce the risk of river flooding to 1,589 residential properties with 893 homes protected on the right bank and 696 homes protected on the left bank in Bromford and Castle Vale It will also reduce the risk of river flooding to 42 non-residential properties in Bromford and Castle Vale The works are predicted to help prevent £321 million of flood damages It will also include environmental enhancements to the River Tame including extensive tree planting and wildflower meadows on the right bank Other benefits include unlocking housing regeneration potential by reduced flood risk and allowing over £40 million investment into new housing by Birmingham City Council in Bromford as well as improvements to the well-used Bromford Park including a newly refurbished and improved playpark area delivered by Birmingham City Council with a £200,000 contribution from the Environment Agency The Environment Agency is working in partnership with Birmingham City Council (BCC) and Birmingham Municipal Housing Trust (BMHT) to deliver the scheme Don’t include personal or financial information like your National Insurance number or credit card details This case study is one of nine created by SERIO as part of their research into the service effectiveness and sustainability of community managed libraries in England SERIO is an applied research unit at Plymouth University Castle Vale is part of Erdington District within the city of Birmingham Birmingham City Council (BCC) announced a round of budget cuts at both a city- and local-level within districts A number of services were earmarked for closure CEO of Castle Vale Tenants and Residents Association (CVTRA: a resident led not-for-profit organisation) commented that “libraries aren’t just libraries; they’re places where people meet and requested that they take over the running of the library BCC fully transferred the running of the library to CVTRA provided CVTRA with a grant of £50,000 a year for both the 2014/15 and 2015/16 periods the council has not only saved £230,000 across the 2 year period but has also helped develop the sustainability of the library Since financial backing from BCC ceased in February 2016 the only community-managed library in Birmingham has saved the council around another £160,000 and has continued to thrive without any funding from BCC Castle Vale Library remains part of BCC’s statutory library service maintaining access to the BCC Library Management System and receiving in-kind support including access to book stock BCC provided the library with the existing book stock when it first transferred to CVTRA the library notes that new book stock mainly comes from community donations now rather than the council The library also receives advice and assistance from its partner which provides general support on day-to-day library issues The library has agreed a peppercorn rent for its site with the Education Funding Agency which owns the building; and due to the library’s charitable status it also receives a reduction on business rates Castle Vale Library maintains that it has a strong working relationship with BCC which recognises the success CVTRA have made After 4 years of running the library as successfully the most senior person in the city for libraries said in some areas we’re doing the same but in others we are actually performing better than 4 years ago the library has been asked to speak with BCC’s library taskforce to tell their journey and support them with helping further libraries Castle Vale’s relationship with the existing library staff’s trade union has been somewhat tense When CVTRA initially took over the running of the library the trade union highlighted how jobs were being lost due to the involvement of volunteers and questioned their ability to run the library without paid library staff Castle Vale responded by offering secondment opportunities to existing staff members at a cost to the library existing staff were redeployed to other library services within the city so no job losses were incurred a number which has increased over the last year which the library believes is due to the expanding services and activities which it runs alongside more traditional services such as book loans [The number of users has increased} … because we’re doing things differently We put on lots of events like Mad Hatter’s Tea Parties and fancy dress This is all to get people to walk through the doors and to engage I was invited to a library and I walked in and it was all like shhhh – and my first words were “where’s the radio?” It’s got to have some vibe to the place The library considers itself to have a wide variety of users of all ages; and the gender mix is around 60% female and 40% male It attributes user satisfaction to the library’s unique environment which is tailored to their needs and wants; something which they feel is much easier to do when run independently We do our own thing – that’s the value of independence It’s about the person who walks through the door If you like the brand or atmosphere or something about that place you prefer If you create an environment that people want they will come through the door and what we’re doing is creating an environment people find welcoming and open There are currently 15 volunteers based in Castle Vale library a number which has steadily increased since opening in February 2014 The library predicts this number will increase again over the coming year due to a growing interest in volunteering opportunities and a general desire from the public to help The library also plans to increase the number of paid staff over the next few years as and when enterprise activity within the library develops as both volunteers and paid staff underpin the success of those services It currently has 2 paid members of staff which it funds itself Although these staff members have been trained by the library Castle Vale library believes that valuing all volunteers for the support they give is essential and this enables a good retention rate Yet due to the flexible nature of volunteering timekeeping and commitment can pose issues when managing volunteers as they are able to come and go as they please Volunteers like to get involved and do things and for them that’s the great satisfaction We make them feel special and love them very dearly – we give them uniforms Castle Vale library provides a range of in-house volunteer training opportunities from basic IT database control and use of internet resources the library feels it would benefit from a more formal arrangement with an education institution which could perhaps provide an NVQ in customer service for volunteers This idea has been explored by the library but it feels that local colleges are reluctant to provide such training outside of the classroom; which the library needs in order to maintain its service level Castle Vale library offers a wide range of core services including: the library also provides these enhanced services: Castle Vale also offers a variety of different community groups and events such as knitting groups arts and crafts sessions and coffee mornings and it considers these events to be most successful aspects of the library services they deliver spreading out of the library and doing a food festival We have lots of cookery books encouraging people to eat healthily so we’d like to do a street food festival based outside the library the library feels that being run by the community allows it to “do things differently” enabling them to be more than a book lending service and to be a focal point within the community There are huge cultural benefits…we’re a centre point of the community not just a man stood behind a desk stamping books Plans to expand the library’s repertoire of services include developing a community cinema and theatre It currently has a space which it piloted as a cinema in November 2016 showing a couple of productions with around 40 attendees and the library is now considering how to run the cinema for around 80-100 people Castle Vale library initially received £50,000 a year for 2 years from BCC and the library has since relied on direct trading and retail trusts and or foundations as alternative income sources the library has seen a slight increase in income from direct trading and retail This is primarily due to it undertaking more trading activities such as setting up the community cinema and theatre and it sees this as essential to the sustainability of the library The biggest cost when you go to see a film is the seat you sit in We looked at the cost [of hiring up-to-date films] as part of the test and you can hire for them for £80 So if we have a 60-80 seat cinema and charge £5 a head to see up-to-date films we could generate probably a surplus of £20K a year Paid for services have generated a steady income over the last 3 years remaining around the same figure each year the library highlighted that income from room hire actually provides the most benefit in terms of sustainability a number of community organisations hired work space at a local school however the school was demolished and the rebuild was much smaller than the original due to the various spaces the library has available Charitable trusts are really interested in what we do because we’re not a normal charity - we have USPs and do things very differently We put our clients and users at the heart of what we do They would rather donate money to an organisation who has 3 layered model enterprise and trust funds because you’ve got another string to your bow rather than knowing that [with the trust fund] that’s all there is trusts and foundations has significantly increased over the last 3 years This is not only due to a growing interest in the uniqueness of the library as the only community-managed library in Birmingham but also because of the three-tier model by which the library runs Castle Vale library reports that it is very confident in securing funding from these alternative income streams and that it sees these as very important to the future sustainability of the library it envisages developing a strong enterprise culture with the library at the centre of the model Castle Vale library acknowledges that in-kind support from BCC may reduce or cease altogether but it hopes it will remain the same over the coming years There is a possibility that the council could charge the library for access to book stock and the van service it could increase its book stock through crowdfunding supplemented with the multiple book donations it already receives the library recognises that it is still working towards becoming fully sustainable it will require some input financially other than income secured through enterprise alone have a “broad and robust business strategy” which focuses on enterprise in the medium term The library suggested that the Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) are best placed to provide ongoing support to pilot new ways of generating income as it is in a good position to influence and develop strategies This could either be in the form of financial support or expert time and input to strengthen and develop the library’s enterprise model Visiting the library to establish what a tailored package of support would look like would be a welcome first step; the library feels that this would be essential in order to understand the whole ethos of the library and its goals The library also commented on the expertise and contacts that central government may have that could support enterprising activity If DCMS were to offer a small grant for a few years help to develop the library into a self-sustaining library and speed the process up We want to get to point where we’re not reliant on grants Self-sufficiency is the end-game in all of this Castle Vale library believes that there are very few further barriers to their long term sustainability but that there is some work which needs to be done to satisfy the trade unions so that they don’t see the library as an organisation which is leading to people losing their jobs the library expressed the need for general recognition that the model they have adopted can coexist successfully alongside local authority run models Notwithstanding these barriers and areas for support Castle Vale library is “hugely confident” that it will be sustainable for the future provided it continues to build upon its enterprising model The views and opinions expressed in these case studies are those of the community libraries and do not represent those of SERIO Four police officers have been taken to hospital after being sprayed with an "unknown substance" while at the scene of a suspected arson attack where a man "barricaded" himself in a property Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.comand on Freeview 262 or Freely 565 Two fire engines and two brigade response vehicles rushed to the blaze at a block of flats on Manby Road in Castle Vale which had begun in the hallway of a two-storey property four police officers were then sprayed with an "unknown liquid substance" and taken to hospital for treatment Fire chiefs have ruled that the blaze was started "deliberately" A 38-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life and assault on police officers He has been taken into police custody to be questioned said: "Our main priority was to ensure the safety of residents and from body worn video we feel our officers displayed some serious bravery considering what they were presented with "They are being treated for their injuries and we are hopeful that they will make a full recovery "We have a man in custody and he will be questioned this morning and our enquiries are progressing." Manby Road was partially blocked while the fire was extinguished Transport bosses have earmarked £1 million funding to develop proposals for new railway stations at Castle Bromwich The three locations have been shortlisted by the West Midlands Rail Executive (WMRE) following a feasibility study which concluded that a new station could provide much needed improvement to public transport for these communities thereby supporting the region’s aims of creating a better connected which would be located on existing railway lines are in areas with an absence of rapid public transport links and with some high levels of deprivation in their catchment areas Castle Bromwich is on the line between Birmingham and Leicester/Nottingham and would restore a station which was closed in 1968 Coventry East is on the line linking Coventry and Rugby and would provide a brand new station in the Binley/Willenhall area Another new station in Wolverhampton between Tettenhall Claregate and Pendeford would be located on the Wolverhampton to Shrewsbury line The station names for all three locations could be decided in collaboration with local communities The proposed station development funding is from the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS) awarded to the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) by the Department for Transport said: “With five new railway stations under construction and a sixth on the way we’re getting on with delivering the transport infrastructure local people want to see right across our region “We’ve now whittled down our list of stations to a priority list of these three at Castle Bromwich Coventry East and Tettenhall – as these are the ones most likely to deliver the biggest benefit to the communities they serve For those locations which did not make the shortlist we’re still looking at ways to bring forward delivery “The £1.7 billion Midland Rail Hub scheme - now fully funded by Government - may provide an avenue and will certainly be a game changer enabling us to connect even more towns and communities to the rail network “New rail infrastructure can be transformative for an area - offering residents sustainable and convenient access to rapid and reliable public transport That’s why it’s good news that local people will benefit from these stations very soon.” Further proposed stations which have not made the shortlist could be reconsidered once the Midlands Rail Hub which will increase regional rail capacity between the East and West Midlands as well as into Birmingham city centre via Moor Street Station Receive email alerts when we post new articles subscribe today and be in the know at all times © West Midlands Combined Authority 2025 Dale Cope(Image: West Midlands Police)A cheating boyfriend battered his partner after she received a late night Snapchat call whilst they were in bed kicked and pushed his girlfriend down the stairs after accusing her of being unfaithful after he was arrested he flagrantly breached bail conditions not to contact her and go within 100metres as he gained access to her home Cope boasted he did not regret the attack and later drove past the victim at a school and stuck up his middle finger 'in a jokey way'. The 33-year-old from Valencia Croft in Castle Vale pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm and harassment He was sentenced to 22 months at Birmingham Crown Court on Thursday Judge Martin Hurst dismissed 'glowing' work references praising Cope and described him as a 'Jekyll and Hyde' character He said: "Looking at the photographs and descriptions of your behaviour I would be failing in my public duty if I did suspend the sentence This will be 22 months served immediately." READ MORE: Boss of dirty Dixy Chicken in Walsall avoids jail for serious rat infestation Prosecutor Omar Majid told the court the couple had been together for ten years before separating for 11 months after Cope 'had an affair' only for the victim to take him back 'reluctantly The attack occurred in the early hours of April 30 this year Mr Majid said: "They were both in bed together Around 2am her mobile phone rang or buzzed The defendant became irate and demanded she hand over the phone "He called her a 'f***ing slag' and accused her of cheating He slapped her across the face twice which made her ears ring got on top of her restricting her movements and preventing her escape "He punched her several times to the face and the body He repeatedly grabbed her around the throat She was struggling to breathe and begging him to get off." Snapchat(Image: Publicity Picture)‌The prosecutor continued: "She managed to get downstairs but the defendant pushed her with force She managed to stay on her feet but at the bottom of the stairs she lost her balance and hit a wall "She went into the kitchen covered in blood and tried to get a towel The defendant pursued and kicked her in the back of the leg knocking her to the floor." Cope eventually left in his van while the victim fled to a neighbour because she did not have a phone He then tried to find her and called numbers on her mobile telling one person 'I took it off her and beat her up bad because she's a slag' Cope returned to her address 'crying and saying he was sorry' before driving off again The defendant then harassed the victim between May 19 and 26 with calls and texts as well as an incident when he entered her home from the rear leaving her 'scared in case he became aggressive' Birmingham Crown Court(Image: Birmingham Mail)In a statement she said: "I don't want to feel intimidated He tells me I'm stupid and crazy and talks for me He puts words in my mouth and I don't mean what I say "I don't want to be in this situation anymore He tells me I'm playing the victim and I'm sick of it." stated Cope suffered a serious back injury and over-used prescription medication which led to the down-turn of their 'generally good relationship' and ultimately his 'loss of control and disgraceful behaviour' He added: "The papers (pre-sentence report) speak of two polarised versions of this defendant There's the Dale Cope who committed the offences; someone who has real issues controlling his emotions and temper in terms of stress and particularly within relationships Against that there's a side which is evidenced by the references Judge Hurst questioned whether the relationship was as good as Cope had claimed in light of his affair He described his actions as a 'classic case of jealousy and controlling and coercive behaviour' whilst acknowledging he had not been charged with the latter offence Judge Hurst added: "A number of people are prepared to write glowing references about you in the context of work "In my experience men who behave like this are often highly valued by work colleagues and friends It's Dr Jekyll at work and Mr Hyde at home." He also granted an indefinite restraining order. Sign up here to get our daily court and crime updates straight to your email inbox Following the huge customer demand for Jaguar’s two latest models Jaguar Land Rover today revealed that the mid‑sized premium sport sedan is to be built at Castle Bromwich ‑ marking the return of all Jaguar sports and saloon car manufacturing to the Birmingham plant The XE will gradually transfer from its current home at Solihull demonstrating the inherent flexibility of Jaguar Land Rover’s West Midlands manufacturing operations ‑ the result of more than £1bn of infrastructure investment at Solihull and Castle Bromwich body shops and final assembly halls supports production of the three Jaguar models built on the company’s technically advanced aluminium architecture* Jaguar Land Rover’s Executive Director of Manufacturing said: “The significant investment to create two centres of excellence in aluminium vehicle manufacturing It gives us the flexibility to quickly respond to consumer demand for our growing range of products.” The arrival of XE at Castle Bromwich continues the renaissance of the plant The £100m investment to welcome the latest model takes the total invested in the site to more than £500m over the last two years supporting continuous improvement in the production of XF said: “2016 is a pivotal year for Castle Bromwich The arrival of the XE sees us increase our model lines and volume.  “This plant has a rich heritage and is undergoing its most significant transformation in decades with major infrastructure projects either complete or under way The commissioning of our all‑new press line and launch of our body shop to support the introduction of XE means Castle Bromwich is future‑proof.” This strong performance is driven primarily by F‑PACE which made its US market debut in the summer Jaguar Land Rover’s Solihull plant will continue to operate three shifts to keep up with global demand for the Jaguar F‑PACE and Range Rover Sport which are built on the same production line XE and XF are all built on the same lightweight vehicle architecture the Jaguar XE was the first model developed using Jaguar's advanced Together with highly sophisticated double wishbone and Integral Link suspension systems this enables an unrivalled combination of ride handling and refinement.  The XE is the most fuel‑efficient Jaguar and offers the lowest total cost of ownership of any Jaguar boasting leading residual values and CO2 emissions from just 99g/km.  Products: An all‑aluminium line‑up including the Jaguar F‑TYPE Investment:  £500m invested in the Castle Bromwich plant in support of XF and XE introduction Jaguar Land Rover today revealed that the mid-sized premium sport sedan is to be built at Castle Bromwich - marking the return of all Jaguar sports and saloon car manufacturing to the Birmingham plant The primary school pupils heard all about the former footballers career By InYourArea Community · 29 June 2022 Pic: Tony Daley with students at the school A Castle Vale primary school recently welcomed a former professional footballer to talk to the children Pegasus Primary School pupils heard all about Tony Daley's career when he visited the school Tony was born in Birmingham and played football for England Following his professional football career Tony completed a degree in Sports and Exercise Science at Coventry University he also remained at Forest Green Rovers as their fitness coach during this time and worked with youth players at Aston Villa's academy Principal of Pegasus Primary School said: "It was great to welcome Tony to the school and I want to say a big thank you to him for visiting and it was brilliant to hear all about his fantastic career and how hard work at school pays off." Get all the latest news, updates, things to do and more from your local InYourArea feed LoadingDaily Email Updates {{contentTitle}} Home > News > Jaguar to end production of XE XF and F-Type models at Castle Bromwich plant News Jaguar has confirmed a major shake-up to its vehicle production after confirming three major models will no longer be built at its Castle Bromwich site Bosses have announced that the West Midlands plant will cease production of the XE Insiders say the trio will not be taken off sale and will remain available to order direct from Jaguar it is believed the cars will be made to a set standard with the option being removed for customers to spec their own configurations Jaguar’s line-up will become SUV-only with the F-Pace E-Pace and I-Pace remaining as the three cars left in the firm’s range a JLR spokesperson said: ‘As JLR transitions to its electric future current Jaguar production at our Castle Bromwich site will come to an end in June 2024 ‘Our UK production facilities are being reconfigured to produce JLR’s next-generation electric models this includes the stampings operation at Castle Bromwich which will be expanded to manufacture body panels for all our brands ‘Jaguar will begin an exciting new era as a pure-electric modern luxury brand with production commencing at our Solihull facility from 2025.” The F-Pace remains in production at JLR’s Solihull site while the electric I-Pace is built in Graz The Castle Bromwich factory was originally the production site for both Spitfire and Lancaster planes during the Second World War before falling under British Leyland ownership It was after this that Jaguar took the reigns reinvigorating the facility and building a range of cars there including the S-Type and XJ Car Dealer has been covering the motor trade since 2008 as both a print and digital publication In 2020 the title went fully digital and now provides daily motoring updates on this website for the car industry A digital magazine is published once a month Before the 1970's the estate was hit by high levels of unemployment and crime and its wide straight roads were particularly popular with joy riders It became stigmatised due to its reputation but it underwent a massive programme of regeneration from the mid-1990s Over the past 15 years the estate has undergone a remarkable process of transformation which has seen 32 of the area's 34 tower blocks demolished and replaced with low-rise The reputation of the area had improved dramatically to the point where demand for housing was high But some residents now fear the hard work of the last 25 years is being destroyed by a rise in crime There have been claims the estate is the grip of a new crime wave led by terrifying gangs intent on violence. Castle Vale was the scene of just 16 burglaries in 2007 but in 2018 there were 55 burglaries up to September Government statistics from website www.police.uk showed 1,333 crimes were recorded by police on the Castle Vale estate between September 2017 and September 2018 There were more reports of violence and sexual offences than any other crime Anti-social behaviour was second with 194 incidents reported Recently there have been a string of carjackings and robberies led by balaclava-wearing robbers wielding hunting knives Police are investigating three robberies which took place on Castle Vale estate on Thursday November 1 and are linking them.The first saw a woman in her 40's threatened with a large hunting knife and robbed of her Vauxhall Meriva by two men in Sheridan Walk The car was later recovered in Hawkinge Drive.Then three people wearing masks stormed the Best-one convenience store in Squires Gate Walk armed with hunting knives Owner Selliah Vasanthan beat them out of the shop using a broom handle which was target of robbers(Image: BIRMINGHAM MAIL) The terrifying attack was captured on CCTV and can be viewed below Watch hero Castle Vale shopkeeper fend off three knife-wielding thugs with broom handle said: "My son Mithunan was in the shop at the time so my instinct was to protect him I have been at the shop seven months and I have had many problems with people stealing "My instinct was to get them out of my shop "I picked up the broom handle and chased them out There have been problems with these gangs on the estate I have passed the CCTV on to police and I hope they will be caught." Watton Green, Castle Vale(Image: BIRMINGHAM MAIL)‌And at 2.20pm it was reported that Brooks Newsagent on Brooks Road was held up at knifepoint by three individuals wearing balaclavas The trio threatened staff and made off with money and cigarettes There are also reports of youths on bikes throwing fireworks at people walking on the estate said: "People are too scared to leave their homes "Some of the elderly people living round here are virtual hermits now I know the woman who had her car stolen at knife-point and she is terrified "There are gangs going round attacking people robberies at knife points and car-jackings "I feel it is going back to the bad old days when the estate had a terrible reputation We need a greater police presence in Castle Vale to deal with these problems." added: "I have grown up on the Castle Vale estate I don't feel safe walking on the estate now "Young people walk about with knives now You speak to most people on the estate and they have been a victim of crime or know someone close to them who has." Another Castle Vale resident told BirminghamLive: "I had my car set on fire in March "I know people who have had fireworks thrown at them by gangs of young men on push bikes My friend's son and another man were stabbed by a gang recently The situation is spiralling out of control." Castle Vale councillor Suzanne Webb called the latest incidents "shocking" and called for more police on the estate to bring the situation under control Castle Vale Councillor Suzanne Webb(Image: Birmingham Mail) She said: “The incidents that took place in Castle Vale were shocking It is clear that we need more police officers on our streets to keep our families and community safe "It is the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner David Jamieson who is responsible for providing an efficient and effective police force and I will be writing to him to provide my community in Castle Vale with the money and resource we desperately need for policing "We are not back in the days we all remember when Castle Vale was Birmingham’s notorious crime hotspot I do believe if the Police and Crime Commissioner does not dig deep and provide the resources we need there will be no deterrent to a future increase in gang related crime "It is clear that there is a shift in the nature of crime and we must keep our young adults safe from knife and gang culture "I will therefore be calling on all the local community groups in my area to create a Neighbourhood Framework to work alongside the police; a framework that will draw the community together and work with schools and businesses to provide opportunities to prevent our young adults entering a cycle of crime and gang culture at an early age.” the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner said: “Nationally we are seeing a rise in violent crime The situation is mirrored here in the West Midlands “Whilst I understand the concerns Coun Webb has I would like to reassure her that police officers are working around the clock to keep Castle Vale safe and punish those who flout the law I would also urge Coun Webb to contact the government “Sadly West Midlands Police has had its budget cut by £175 million since 2010. It means the force has shrunk by around a quarter, losing more than 2000 officers in the process. “As Coun Webb will understand – and Home Office officials have acknowledged - the cuts are now having a big impact on policing here and across the country.” BirminghamLive has contacted West Midlands Police for a response.