If you’ve started the new year with a technology upgrade, don’t forget you can donate any old and unused devices to Wolves Tech Aid. The initiative, led by City of Wolverhampton Council, accepts laptops, tablets, mobile phones and desktop computers and puts them back into use for school pupils and others in the community. Donating is easy – just drop devices off with staff at any library in the city. All personal data is wiped before donated kit is redistributed. More than 1,600 devices have been recycled by Wolves Tech Aid since the not for profit project began…

Sandwell pensioners who received a letter from the council before Christmas with a £200 payment are being reminded to make sure they cash it in by the middle of March. Older people who didn’t receive a Winter Fuel Payment but who qualify for Council Tax Reduction (and not Pension Credit) were written to in December along with a voucher that needs to be cashed in at the Post Office. These payments are aimed at supporting households with people of pension age who aren’t eligible for Pension Credit, but who are on a lower income than most. More than 75% of…

Wolverhampton is making ‘strong, accelerated progress’ to further improve services for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities’ (SEND). That is the finding of the most recent review meeting between the city’s SEND Partnership Board, the Department for Education (DfE) and the Care Quality Commission, which concluded that the city continues to make ‘sustainable progress’ and that this work is ‘having a positive impact’. It follows a Local Area Review of SEND services which looked at how well partners – including the City of Wolverhampton Council, the Black Country Integrated Care Board, The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust,…

With new research suggesting people who stop smoking will save a whole day of their life within a week of quitting, smokers in Wolverhampton are being encouraged to get help and support to stub it out. The University College London study found that smoking is more harmful than previously thought – with each cigarette ‘stealing’ approximately 20 minutes of life from smokers, the equivalent of nearly 7 hours per average pack of 20 cigarettes. Smoking is the number one preventable cause of death, disability and ill health in the UK. It causes around 80,000 deaths a year in the UK…

Sandwell residents are being asked to share their opinions about local pharmacy services. This feedback will help Sandwell Council to update the Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment (PNA). This report looks at what pharmacy services people in Sandwell need, where pharmacies are located, what they offer, and if anything is missing. It also suggests ways to improve pharmacy services. Sandwell Council’s Cabinet Member for Adult Services, Health and Wellbeing, Councillor Jackie Taylor, said: “The feedback from this survey helps us to make sure there are enough pharmacies in Sandwell offering the services people need. Residents may not know what provision is available…

Animal keepers at West Midlands Safari Park have had a busy start to the year by completing the annual animal count. At the start of each year, every animal must be counted, from the tower of tall giraffes to the colonies of tiny fruit beetles. This year, over a thousand individuals were counted, with some new additions increasing the numbers, including several baby animals, born in 2024 and some new arrivals from other wildlife parks. Head of Wildlife, Angela Potter, said, “Our dedicated keepers count and check the animals in their care daily, but the annual count is required as…

These packs will include essential items to help vulnerable residents stay safe and warm. The aim is to include blankets, thermos flasks, hot water bottles, winter duvets, hats, gloves and scarves. The campaign is being spearheaded by Council Leader Councillor Garry Perry. We understand the challenges facing our residents on low incomes during the winter and we are committed to providing support where it is most needed. We are determined to do everything we can to support those in need and I am appealing to the generosity of our local communities. Anyone who feels able to donate, please consider doing…

From left: City of Wolverhampton Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport and Green City, Councillor Qaiser Azeem, with Councillor Adrian Andrew, Associate Leader of Walsall Council Work is set to begin next week on a £2.5 million scheme including cycle lanes, better crossings and other improvements on the A454 between Wolverhampton and Walsall. City of Wolverhampton Council and Walsall Council are working together to create a new cycle route from Noose Lane to Pinson Road, along the A454 Willenhall Road and Somerford Place. The 2 way cycle lane will be built on the central reservation of the A454 Willenhall Road, Wolverhampton,…

A revolutionised NHS App is among a raft of proposals aimed at giving patients greater power over how and when they receive elective treatment, as the government sets out its roadmap to cutting waiting times as confirmed in the Plan for Change. Currently, less than a quarter of patients recall being offered a choice of hospital for their treatment. Patients have a legal right to choose their provider and the government wants to give them more control over their own care. Under measures in the forthcoming elective reform plan, patients will be offered a wider choice of providers and the process…

Millions of patients will be able to access more appointments closer to home and get the treatment they need faster under a new plan to tackle hospital backlogs set out by the PM. Tackling the 7.5million strong waiting list inherited by the government so that the NHS once again meets the 18 week standard for planned treatment is a key milestone in the government’s Plan for Change. Restoring this standard will mean millions of patients no longer have to have their lives put on hold. Currently, too many patients face long waits for appointments or surgeries and may be referred…