And if it wasn’t the Council's Chief Executive… who was it? Over recent months, a growing number of residents, blue badge holders, and even taxi drivers have found themselves hit with Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) after pulling into Manor Square — a short access road that serves both the Council House and Touchwood Shopping Centre. In many cases, they were stopping for only a few seconds to drop off a passenger, only to receive a fine in the post days later. And yes — enforcement officers were reportedly seen chasing moving cars, snapping photos of number plates in real-time. This raises serious questions.
🤔 Who actually made the decision?At first, the public was told that Touchwood Shopping Centre had raised concerns. That would have made some sense — the road is used for emergency access, deliveries, and connects to the centre. But Freedom of Information responses, internal documents, and consultation files now show something different. The push didn’t come from Touchwood alone. In fact, the council’s own documents admit the restrictions were introduced “in response to concerns from Touchwood Management and colleagues in Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council.” And therein lies the real issue: Which “colleagues” inside the council? Which senior officer pushed this through? Was it a committee decision? A Cabinet vote? Or simply the preference of a powerful individual behind closed doors?
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