Walsall Council’s budget for the 2025/26 financial year was considered and approved at a Full Council meeting on Wednesday 26 February 2025. A balanced budget for 2025/26 was presented, which included proposals for spending, efficiencies and council tax. Council has received an 18.5% real term cut in funding, equivalent to £688 per household. Alongside this, the council has experienced the challenges faced by the pandemic closely followed by the cost-of-living crisis. What we and our residents need though is a fair, multi-year government settlement in future years and the Government must address funding for local authorities to enable councils to…

AI Generated Descriptions and Vehicle Highlights now available to all retailers through Portal and Auto Trader Connect Follows November launch of Smart Image Management which is already being utilised by over 7,100 retailers to optimise their adverts every day. Advanced AI powered by Auto Trader Intelligence, underpinned by more than 80m visits and circa 619m combined search minutes every month, as well as 1.6m daily vehicle observations. 26th February 2025 – Auto Trader is giving retailers direct access to its wealth of data and insights with the launch of two brand-new AI (artificial intelligence) powered tools as part of its…

The latest data from Auto Trader points to a promising month ahead for the new car market with the automotive platform reporting a significant rise in interest from consumers for brand new cars. Visits to its new car platform increased 15% month-on-month (MoM) in February, whilst year-on-year (YoY) it jumped by a massive 23%. It marks a record start to the year, with January and February receiving the largest volume of new car visits for the period, as motorists across the country prepare their new car buying purchases ahead of the introduction of the highly anticipated 25 number plates next…

Left: Mike Foster, City of Wolverhampton Council rough sleeper coordinator, Paul Burns and Shaz Kaur (Good Shepherd), Paul Hale (Recovery Near You), Councillor Jasbir Jaspal, Cabinet Member for Adults and Wellbeing at City of Wolverhampton Council, Kate Downing (P3 Charity), Councillor Steve Evans, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for City Housing at City of Wolverhampton Council, John Doyle (Recovery Near You), Cheryl Langford (West Midlands Police), Jo Leek (Wolverhampton BID) and Jim Corry (P3 Charity) Rough sleeper numbers in Wolverhampton remain in single figures as partnership work spearheaded by the council goes on, official statistics show. The data snapshot -…

In skin care, doctors use chemical peeling as a procedure to remove sun damaged pigmented and wrinkled skin by peeling it with chemicals. In skin care, doctors use chemical peeling as a procedure to remove sun damaged pigmented and wrinkled skin by peeling it with chemicals. As the old skin peels off, new skin appears that is much fresher looking. But chemical peeling does not slow the aging process or prevent it. What it does is to remove old damaged skin with a fresh looking new skin. After that it is up to you to take better care of…

The Sandwell Colleges’ £9.3million Skills Campus has reached a significant milestone, with a topping out ceremony taking place today marking the completion of the core building phase of the project. The ceremony, attended by college leaders, Sandwell Council representatives and other key partners, highlights the substantial progress of the new development in Cradley Heath, which remains on track to open in early 2026. The Skills Campus will provide essential training and learning opportunities to equip local people with the skills needed for in-demand industries, supporting economic growth and employment in Sandwell and the Black Country. Lisa Capper MBE, Principal…

A series of community events will be held across the Walsall borough to coincide with the COVID-19 Day of Reflection on Sunday 9 March 2025. The events will give residents an opportunity to remember loved ones lost to COVID-19, reflect on personal and collective experiences and give thanks to health and social care workers, key workers, community groups, volunteers and many more for their response to the pandemic. Some of the activities taking place include a lighted memory tree at Moxley Peoples Centre on Wednesday 5 March from 12pm to 2pm, where residents can write a message on wooden hearts…

The annual Mayors Fest rock show returns to Wolverhampton this April to raise vital funds for good causes. It is one of the biggest fundraising events of the year for the Mayor of Wolverhampton Councillor Linda Leach’s Charitable Fund, in aid of the Beacon Centre, Age UK Wolverhampton and The Samaritans Wolverhampton. It opens on Friday 4 April at 7.30pm with a show at The Giffard Arms, Victoria Street, headlined by Doomsday Outlaw. The main event is on Saturday 5 April at KK’s Steel Mill, Frederick Street. Doors open at 1pm and headlining will be the hugely popular band Massive…

Kia Corporation has entered into a strategic partnership with Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. to introduce next-generation ‘Internet of Things’ (IoT) solutions for its Platform Beyond Vehicles (PBVs) offerings. The two companies signed a Memorandum of Understanding during Kia’s 2025 EV Day in Spain, marking a significant step toward redefining both the ‘In-Vehicle’ and ‘Out-of-Vehicle’ experience for PBV customers. The signing ceremony was attended by Sangdae Kim, Head of Kia’s PBV Division, and Chanwoo Park, Executive Vice President of B2B Integrated Offering Center at Samsung Electronics. The collaboration aligns with Kia’s wider Platform Beyond Vehicle strategy, which seeks to expand the…

As people age, their epidermal cells become less sticky that makes skin noticeably thinner. When skin becomes thinner, the effectiveness of its barrier function decreases and releases moisture instead of locking it in the skin. When this happen, the skin is more prone to dryness and it is likely to lose its ability to repair itself. When the dermal layer becomes thin, it produces less collagen and elastin fibers. These causes wrinkles and make skin sag. Causes Aside from the ageing process, sun damage is also linked to wrinkle formation. When skin is exposed to sun for a long period…