Our ambitions

The following pages describe our seven ambitions - what we aim to achieve for people and the borough over the next five years and beyond.

Our ambitions take into consideration the national and regional context, enabling us to identify the challenges that Solihull is facing, whilst capitalising on the opportunities available to us.

Our first four ambitions aim to support people and ensure that they have the right conditions to thrive and achieve their potential. The final three are about Solihull as a thriving, sustainable and attractive place.

• Solihull has the largest gap in the West Midlands between the life expectancy of those living in the most and least deprived neighbourhoods (more than ten years for women and more than 12 years for men).
• People in North Solihull are less likely to say that their health is good or very good than people who live elsewhere in the borough (78% vs 85%).

We aim to create the conditions for everyone in the borough to thrive; for example, by supporting people through our Family Hubs programme, improving education and training opportunities for young people and creating stronger communities for all our residents.

The right conditions for everyone to thrive

• In 2024, five new Family Hubs opened in Solihull including one outreach hub – they can be used by parents and carers to access support.
• 15% of working age people claim Universal Credit - 37% of these are in part-time employment.

Solihull is one of the least deprived local authorities in the West Midlands, but this is not consistent across the borough: - Solihull has the largest gap in the West Midlands between the life expectancy of those living in the most and least deprived neighbourhoods (more than ten years for women and more than 12 years for men).

Enjoying craft activities at one of our Family Hubs

opportunities for young people and creating stronger communities for all our residents.

Reducing health inequalities across Solihull requires concerted, system-wide efforts across the ‘life course’, i.e. from maternity to end of life, as well as targeted efforts aimed at those population groups at greater risk of poor health outcomes. Our Joint Local Health and Wellbeing Strategy (JLHWS) was finalised in autumn 2024, covering a period up to 2032. Five of the six themes in the strategy are focused on the life course, whilst the final theme relates to improving mental health for people of all ages. It is an overarching strategy,