Wolverhampton Council’s business growth team directly supported hundreds of city businesses during 2024/25 to provide grant assistance, signpost to support and advice, and deliver expert reviews Wolverhampton Council’s business growth team directly supported hundreds of city businesses during 2024/25 to provide grant assistance, signpost to support and advice, and deliver expert reviews. Forty five businesses benefitted through its grants programme – leading to the creation of 83 new jobs and the safeguarding of a further 179 jobs in Wolverhampton. The business growth team exceeded its targets using the £1.3 million UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) government funding it was allocated…

Among those taking part in the Reverse Jobs Fair was Alyssa Dunn from Tettenhall Wood School The City of Wolverhampton Council teamed up with other local authorities recently for a ‘Reverse Jobs Fair’ – giving jobseekers with additional needs the chance to show off their skills to potential employers. It took place at the Black Country Living Museum to mark National Supported Internships Day and was facilitated by the council’s specialist Supported Employment team. Unlike a traditional jobs fair where employers host the stands, the Reverse Jobs Fair saw dozens of jobseekers showcase their skills to employers from across…

Leader of Walsall Council, Councillor Garry Perry, has called upon agencies in Staffordshire in a bid to collectively tackle the use of illegal off-road bikes. In a letter to Staffordshire Police, the Staffordshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner’s office, and to the Canal & River Trust, Councillor Perry has requested a roundtable discussion to devise a joint operational approach to address the issue. The letter explains Councillor Perry’s concerns about off-road vehicles, the dangers they pose to the communities they disrupt, and how he believes agencies can work together better to deter the issue. Three hotspots on the Walsall/Staffordshire border…

If you eventually decide to sell the organisation that you have nurtured, parting ways with it and moving on to a new project can If you eventually decide to sell the organisation that you have nurtured, parting ways with it and moving on to a new project can be even more difficult, for a number of reasons. To effectively manage this process, you not only need to understand how to sell a business, but also why you might want to take this step and what obstacles lie in your way. From the first discussion to the final negotiations, here Business…

Hosting the new community stall at Bilston Indoor Market are pupils from St Thomas More Catholic School in Willenhall with Councillor Jacqui Coogan, cabinet member for children, young people and education and Councillor Obaida Ahmed, cabinet member for digital and community A new community stall giving opportunities for local organisations, schools and charities has been launched at Bilston Indoor Market. The stall, in the centre of the market, is a designated place for local groups to raise awareness of projects, share information or organise fundraising. It is free for local organisations to use and has been funded by £3,000 from…

8 SIMPLE METHODS TO SAVE MONEY It can be challenging to figure It can be challenging to figure out easy ways to save money as well as the best ways to utilise your savings to pursue your financial objectives. This step-by-step overview of money-saving practices can aid you to develop a realistic cost savings plan. Document your expenditures The very first step to saving money is to determine just how much you spend. Track all your expenditures- such as every coffee, newspaper, and snack you buy. Preferably, you could make up every dime. When you have your data, organise the…

On Friday 11th April 2025, MP Liam Byrne visited the Community Plaza to meet UK Goodwill Youth & Community Ambassador and the Founder of Community Plaza CIC, Mohammed Zafran known as Zaf to talk about why knife crime is on a rise and why are more and more youths turning to crime. Zaf who is the Chair of West Midlands Crimestoppers told Liam that,” the youths are frustrated for many reasons such as lack of employment and even if they get interviews, a lot of them get turned down because of lack of experience. Unfortunately these rejections and pressure from…

Walsall Trading Standards, in partnership with West Midlands Police and a specialist search dog team, including sniffer dogs Griff, Bran and Cooper, searched seven retail premises and one associated vehicle. Illegal goods were found in the vehicle and all shops visited, including across storeroom floors, hidden concealments, and even inside a jigsaw puzzle box. The seizures removed more than 150,000 cigarettes, 20.5kg of illegal hand rolling tobacco, and 1543 illegal disposable vapes from Walsall’s streets. “ Our Trading Standards team really put the pieces together with this investigation, managing to find goods which pose a real danger to our residents…

British businesses across the country have been given further stability and certainty with access to new support through a multi-billion-pound increase in government-backed financing as the world enters a new era of global trade. The new package will give UK Export Finance (UKEF) the power to expand financing support for British businesses by £20 billion, with small businesses also able to access loans of up to £2 million through the British Business Bank’s Growth Guarantee Scheme. Thousands of companies are expected to benefit from the move, including those directly affected by tariffs – with iconic British brands like Rolls Royce…

Birmingham City Council is delighted to announce that three local schools have been granted the School-Based Nursery Capital Grant for the 2024-2025 academic year. Grestone Academy, Montgomery Primary Academy, and The Shirestone Academy will receive funding to expand and enhance nursery provision, creating more childcare opportunities for local families. This funding initiative is part of the government’s wider strategy to increase access to early years education, particularly in areas where demand for nursery places outstrips supply. The initiative aims to ensure that families across the country have better access to affordable, high-quality early years provision, supporting children’s development and preparing…