A new detached youth work programme, delivered as part of a wider package of support for young people at risk of exclusion or offending, is already making a positive impact in key areas of Wolverhampton. Commissioned by the Safer Wolverhampton Partnership, the programme is being delivered by Wolves Foundation and Inpower Academy and sees trained youth workers and mentors engage directly with young people in community locations on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings. Over recent weeks, they have been spending time in the Bentley Bridge and Whitmore Reans areas, speaking with young people, offering help and advice, and identifying…

Bilston will celebrate the return of its annual carnival on Saturday 4 July with exciting plans announced for a bumper day of family fun. The revival of the carnival – brought back by popular demand as part of the town’s Pride in Place programme – will honour the event’s rich history with a 1960s theme, in a nod to the decade when it first took place. The festivities will begin with a vibrant carnival parade at 11am, weaving its way through Bilston town centre. Local businesses, community groups and organisations are invited to take part by entering a themed…

Sandwell Council has begun work on a series of 38 new priority road safety projects across the borough as part of its Community Road Safety Concern Programme this year. Six are already completed or nearing completion and more are on the way. Over the past 25 years, Sandwell has halved the number of casualties on its roads, including reducing child casualties by 60 per cent. This significant reduction follows a long-term programme of targeted engineering measures, road safety education, and support for police enforcement action. The council is continuing this work through its Community Road Safety Concern Programme, which focuses…

Residents who would like help and support on a range of money, health and safety matters can attend an open event in Bantock Park. Help at the Hub will see a wide variety of city organisations offer free advice and information. The event will take place on Friday, 17 April between 12pm (midday) and 3pm at The Coach House, Bantock Park, Finchfield Road, WV3 9LQ. The event has been organised by the council’s Public Protection Scams Team who will be handing out free scams awareness and prevention packs. Residents can speak with officers from Act on Energy, Admiral…

A number of vehicle safety concerns have been addressed during a targeted enforcement operation by Walsall Council’s Licensing Services. The operation was carried out in Brownhills on Friday 28 March and was delivered in partnership with West Midlands Police, Community Protection Officers and specialist vehicle testers. During the operation, 12 licensed vehicles were stopped and brought in for inspection. Of those, six vehicles were suspended from use due to safety concerns, with three also issued prohibition notices preventing them from being driven until defects are addressed. A number of the issues identified related to tyre safety, including damage, excessive wear…

Partners across Wolverhampton have made significant progress over the past year, as shown in a recent update to the city’s Health and Wellbeing Together board. It outlines achievements across the priority areas of Wolverhampton’s Joint Local Health and Wellbeing Strategy for 2025–2026 and demonstrates the strength of partnership working between the City of Wolverhampton Council, the NHS, the voluntary sector and wider organisations. A wide range of initiatives have helped improve outcomes for the board’s starting and growing well priority, raising the profile of the importance of the first 1,001 days of life. For example, self‑weigh baby scales…

Sandwell Council’s Cabinet has agreed to invest an extra £1.5million to help maintain roads and footpaths, building on the authority’s top national Green rating for highway maintenance. This boost means the council will invest more than £14million in total over the next year on keeping Sandwell’s roads, footpaths and street lights well maintained. The additional £1.5million – approved by the council’s Cabinet last month – will specifically support maintaining local residential roads as well as footpaths in neighbourhoods and town centre shopping areas. Sandwell has recently celebrated a Green rating under the government’s new national traffic light system for…

A major new initiative aimed at reducing antisocial behaviour and bringing underused green spaces back to life is set to launch across the city next month – with local voluntary and community organisations being encouraged to get involved. The project, led by Wolves Foundation in partnership with the City of Wolverhampton Council and supported with funding through the Premier League Foundation, as an extension to its Premier League Kicks programme, will target 4 areas that have become associated with nuisance behaviour and low level crime. By filling these spaces with positive activities and a regular community presence, the initiative…

The city’s much loved mechanical sheep sculpture is back in action after a full restoration, delighting visitors once again from its home above the entrance to Wolverhampton Art Gallery. Affectionally nicknamed Baa-Bara, the quirky ‘Woolf in Sheep’s Clothing’ has taken pride of place above Lichfield Street since it was installed by artist Andy Plant in 2000 but has been out of commission for several years due to mechanical issues. This project has received £22,000 from the Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, which has meant a full programme of restoration has been made possible by David Cranmer of…

Sandwell Council has helped turn dozens of abandoned properties into homes as part of a major push to tackle empty properties across the borough. The announcement comes as councils across the country mark National Empty Homes Week (9-15 March) – demonstrating the work being done to bring wasted empty properties back into use. The work includes tackling long-term empty properties in Smethwick and West Bromwich over the past 11 months – helping to provide housing for up to 50 local families a year. There are currently around 1,500 privately-owned properties that have been empty for six months of more in…