Councillor Ade Adeyemo (Lib Dem, Lyndon) has blasted Solihull MP Julian Knight for ‘claiming credit’ for securing funding for a new unit to be built at Heartlands Hospital. Councillor Ade Adeyemo (Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Solihull)
The Department of Health confirmed funding on Monday for the Ambulatory Care and Diagnostics (ACAD) Centre to be built at Heartlands Hospital. The state-of-the-art facility will help manage the Trust’s growing activity and the needs of patients across Birmingham and Solihull. Councillor Adeyemo said, “This is yet another example of the Solihull MP claiming credit for something he had nothing to do with. The ACAD facility was on the cards well before Julian Knight became aware of it.” Planning permission for the new ACAD facility was granted in 2017. Demolition of buildings on the site started in 2018 with construction works scheduled to start in 'spring 2019'. Construction of the new facility is scheduled to complete in 'late 2020'. “Sadly, we are now used to this MP’s hypocrisy and his habit of claiming credit for everything under the sun. "Solihull deserves better than this. We deserve an MP who represents the wishes, hopes and aspirations of the people of Solihull. "We demand better". Councillor Ade Adeyemo Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Spokesperson for Solihull
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Councillor Ade Adeyemo compares Solihull Council Leader Ian Courts’ WMCA Climate Emergency declaration to ‘Saul’s conversion on the road to Damascus’. On the 28th of February, Ian Courts was one of the Conservative Councillors who unanimously supported the then Leader of Solihull Council, Councillor Bob Sleigh, as he refused to support Councillor Karl McNaughton’s motioncalling for Solihull Council to declare a climate emergency. Instead, Councillor Sleigh resolved for the motion to be ‘referred to the relevant Cabinet Member for further consideration’, effectively kicking it into the long grass.
Commenting on the WMCA declaration, Councillor Ade Adeyemo said, “I and my fellow Lib Dems Councillors welcome the WMCA Climate Emergency Declaration. It is a step in the right direction but there’s much more to be done to make sure that our children can live in a greener, safer and more prosperous world. “The climate emergency is an existential threat. Air pollution is damaging too many lives. The Conservatives in Solihull haven’t taken this problem seriously. We have no time to lose: this is an urgent crisis that demands real action now. “I was dismayed when the Conservatives, on the 28th of February, refused to back Councillor Karl McNaughton’s motion to declare a Climate Emergency in Solihull and commit to achieving carbon neutrality, even if it was "just an aspiration", as I recommended in the Council chamber. “Yet, just four months later, there was their new Leader, Councillor Ian Courts, "spearheading" the WMCA's Climate Emergency Declaration. Quite frankly, the Conservatives' change of heart is tantamount to Saul's Conversion on the road to Damascus! “It is shocking just how out of touch Conservative Councillors and the Solihull MP are on the big issues of the day that affect the lives of local residents. Everyone can see that they are having to be dragged kicking and screaming into the modern age. “It is not that long ago that David Cameron ordered his aides to ‘get rid of all this green crap’. On current evidence, it's clear that Solihull’s Tories still can't shake off the ‘green crap’ mentality. "Solihull deserves better. Demand better". Elmdon Councillor Laura McCarthy has expressed her dismay at Julian Knight’s description of school underfunding as ‘Tosh’. Councillor Laura McCarthy (Elmdon) “I was horrified to read Julian Knight describe the subject of School Funding as “tosh” on Twitter this week”, Councillor Laura McCarthy said. Councillor McCarthy was responding to comments on Twitter by the Solihull MP about school funding and his assertion that claims of underfunding were based on “misleading figures”. Councillor McCarthy added, “However flawed the statistics (to which he refers), what is clear to everyone, except for Julian Knight, is that Solihull’s schools are suffering from chronic underfunding. “Headteachers, Teachers, Governing Bodies, School Support Staff, PTAs, and parents have repeatedly warned that Solihull schools are underfunded. “We have heard from teachers who have paid for pencils from their own pockets, schools that photocopy books for home reading as they just don’t have enough to go around, and from PTA volunteers who are making themselves unwell whilst trying to raise funds for essential resources. “Our children are being disadvantaged by chronic underfunding and schools across Solihull are fighting an uphill battle to ensure that every child is given the best possible start in life. “I have heard it said by Conservative colleagues that schools should just make more cuts. The truth is, there is nothing left to cut. Solihull schools have been bled dry. What they need is proper funding. “Our schools are in crisis and are screaming for help. “When will the MP who is supposed to represent them listen? Solihull deserves better." Less than two weeks ago, I warned about the risk of massive job losses at Jaguar Land Rover and "the deafening silence" from Solihull's MP over the threat of job losses at Solihull's largest employer. Councillor Ade Adeyemo outside JLR's Lode Lane plant So far, Julian Knight has said nothing about JLR since CEO Ralf Speth announced that 10,000 job losses were on the cards.
That so many jobs are under threat is a direct result of this Conservative government's inability to come up with a coherent Brexit proposal that will help secure local jobs here in the UK. For someone who claims that "a big part of his previous job" was "making economic stories interesting and accessible to everybody" (Observer, 4.10.2018), Julian Knight's silence on this matter tells us loud and clear that he is more interested in dancing down the aisle with Theresa May than saving local jobs at JLR's Lode Lane plant. Solihull deserves better than this. Thousands of local jobs are at risk and our MP keeps talking about 5G broadband and Channel 4 moving to Birmingham - anything but jobs at JLR! Solihull residents demand better from their local MP. This one, sadly, is a disappointment. Councillor Ade Adeyemo (Lyndon ward) Parliamentary Spokesperson for Solihull Councillor Ade Adeyemo has expressed concern at “the deafening silence” from Solihull’s MP overjob losses at Jaguar Land Rover. Councillor Adeyemo outside JLR's Lode Lane plant Commenting on recent announcements by Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), Councillor Ade Adeyemo said,“Several times now, Ralf Speth, CEO of Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), has warned about the risk of joblosses in Solihull and other JLR plants yet our MP has been largely silent on the issue. Quite frankly,the silence from Julian Knight has been deafening!”
Earlier this year, JLR laid off 1000 workers, mostly agency staff, and Dr Speth warned again last weekthat ‘tens of thousands’ of jobs may be lost in the event of a bad Brexit deal. Since then, JLR has announced cuts in production at its Castle Bromwich plant and plans to enforce a 3-day working week. Production of the new Discovery model has already been switched away from Solihull to Slovakia. Councillor Adeyemo added, “Whatever your views on Brexit, nobody voted for massive job cuts,which will severely affect people’s livelihoods in Solihull. While the Conservatives are infighting and making a hash of the UK’s exit from the EU, jobs have been lost and many more are under threat.” “When will our MP speak up for JLR, the largest employer in Solihull? It will be a disaster for the area if thousands more jobs are lost. Quite frankly, Solihull deserves better that an MP who sits on hishands and does nothing whilst thousands of jobs are lost!” |
AuthorCouncillor Ade Adeyemo is the Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Solihull Archives
August 2019
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