Dear John,

While the votes are still being counted from yesterday’s elections, I would like to thank everyone who voted for our brilliant Labour candidates. I would also like to say a huge thank you to everyone who volunteered and campaigned on their behalf. The power of Labour is in those who stand up, work hard and are counted and I only hope we get the representatives we deserve. 
 
This afternoon we should hear the results of the Quinton By-election. Elaine Kidney will make a fantastic councillor. One that will work hard for the residents of Quinton and will make a difference to people’s lives. I hope to be working side by side with Elaine as she takes her seat. 
 
Over the weekend we will learn who our new Metro Mayor is for the West Midlands and our Police and Crime Commissioner. After a decade of Conservative cuts to Policing, the region has lost 2,200 police officers and unsurprisingly, crime has risen substantially. I hope we see Simon Foster and Liam Byrne being given the chance to work together. One of Liam’s pledges is to return 450 community police officers to our streets and to really push back against this Conservative Government to get the West Midlands our fair share. This is exactly what we need. We can’t afford to have another four years of passive acquiescence. 

On Tuesday, an eight-week closure notice was granted by Birmingham Magistrates Court that will see an unsafe and substandard exempt property forced to close for the first time in Edgbaston. On behalf of the residents that live nearby and who have been affected by the longstanding issues with anti-social behaviour and with the property attracting drug dealers and sex workers, I was delighted to hear this news. While exempt properties are needed, the vulnerable residents who use this type of accommodation, shouldn’t have to live in substandard housing without the support they need; and neither should the business operating the property be able to impact the community so critically.  

Moving forwards, I hope this serves as a roadmap where other problems with exempt properties exist and acts as a deterrent so that to other exempt providers should they not operate in a responsible manner for both their residents and their neighbours. 

I joined together with the nine other Birmingham MPs to write a letter to the Consul General to express our solidarity with India as they face this second deadly wave. On behalf of the 1.5 million people in Britain’s Indian diaspora, we are determined to play our part and the UK needs to step up its support to India in its hour of need.  

Watch me on BBC News explaining our cross-party letter and talking about what more the Government can and should be doing. 

The Clean Air Zone is due to launch in Birmingham, in less than a month. With a go-live date of 1 June, a fee will be placed on drivers of vehicles that are particularly high polluting and when they enter certain parts of the city. This is a part of a plan to tackle unsafe levels of nitrogen dioxide in our air around the city centre and contributes to as many as 900 deaths a year. 

Before the launch date, please make sure that you have checked your vehicle to find out if you will be charged when travelling through the Clean Air Zone. If your vehicle isn’t compliant and will be charged, you can also find out if you are eligible for a temporary exemption permit or financial incentive on the links provided. 

Please find out more information about Birmingham's Clean Air Zone including charges, timings and operations on the link below.