Daily Mail front page from October 1988 A teacher who tragically died whilst saving approximately 50 children from drowning on a school trip has been awarded an Elizabeth Emblem. Bernard Butt was on a school trip to Egypt in 1988. Until his tragic death, Mr Butt was teaching at the former TP Riley Comprehensive School, now Walsall Academy, in Bloxwich. The school trip had been organised as part of the school’s history studies. It was on that trip where a SS Jupiter cruise liner ship collided with a cargo ship near Piraeus in Greece, and within 40 minutes,…

M6 J9 resurfacing areas of closure – National Highways network (Blue) local authority network (Red) Carriageway resurfacing works on the M6 Junction 9 roundabout will be taking place every night from Sunday 20 July to Friday 8 August between 10pm and 5am. Whilst working is taking place the whole roundabout, including exits from, and accesses to, the motorway will be closed. Anyone passing through or intending to use Junction 9 is advised to plan ahead of the roadworks taking place and be aware of the diversions in place if travelling northbound or southbound of the M6 or passing through…

Birmingham City Council tenants in more than 2,000 households are now living in greener, warmer council homes thanks to a scheme that won a Retrofit Project of the Year award. Birmingham City Council’s Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF) programme won the Retrofit Project of the Year for the Midlands and Wales at the Unlock Net Zero Awards. The scheme – completed by sustainable regeneration specialist Equans, on behalf of the council – has helped tenants save £600-£1200 each year on energy bills, depending on the home and measures installed. Solar panels placed on buildings can save residents as much as…

The City of Wolverhampton Council celebrated its place among the nation’s best at the prestigious National Learning Disabilities and Autism Awards 2025. With over 1,000 attendees from across the UK, the event showcased excellence in social care and support for individuals with learning disabilities and autism. The council was named a finalist in 2 major categories – the Employer of the Year Award and the Positive Behaviour Support Award. Cabinet Member for City Development, Jobs and Skills, Councillor Christopher Burden, said: “As a council, we are committed to championing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace and beyond, and these…

Six new sites for the location of speed cameras across Birmingham have been announced by the city council, which will be installed by the end of the year. The average speed enforcement cameras will be funded through the Clean Air Zone net surplus revenues and the locations agreed following joint working with West Midlands Police. Routes have been selected and prioritised based on the number and severity of road traffic collisions along the route and/or where compliance with speed limits is poor which leads to an increased risk of road harm. All the routes chosen have the full endorsement of…

A three-day pop-up exhibition celebrating the borough’s inspiring women through art will take place this July. ‘My Queen’ will run from 15 to 17 July 2025 at The New Art Gallery Walsall, with a special open day on Tuesday 15 July at 12.30pm. Organised by LGK in The Community, the exhibition marks the launch of Queens of the City, a flagship project funded by the Heritage Lottery and part-funded by Walsall Council. This pioneering initiative celebrates Walsall’s rich and diverse heritage by uplifting the stories of women from both migrant and established communities through food, art, and storytelling. As part…

A report outlining the key priorities for Public Health in 2025/26 will be presented at Walsall Council’s Social Care and Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 10 July 2025. Presented by Councillor Gary Flint, Portfolio Holder for Culture, Health and Wellbeing, the report highlights how Walsall Public Health is working with partners across sectors to improve health and wellbeing through better housing, employment, planning, green spaces and sustainability initiatives. The Public Health team delivers services that ensure every child has the best start in life and tackles the four biggest preventable causes of premature illness and death: tobacco, poor diet,…

Children and young people across Wolverhampton can enjoy a summer packed full of fun, free activities with Yo! Active over the holidays. Yo! Active is delivered by WV Active and Wolves Foundation and offers a wide range of free activities all year round to children and young people aged up to 18, or 25 for care leavers or those with a disability. Young residents whose family pay Council Tax to the City of Wolverhampton Council can take their pick from over 40 hours of free physical activity sessions per week, including free swimming, gym and court hire, multi sport sessions,…

The City of Wolverhampton Council’s Counter Fraud Team has achieved savings of £2.9 million for the public purse through robust tenancy fraud investigations over the last year. Working in close collaboration with Wolverhampton Homes, investigators tackled a range of fraudulent activities, including the illegal subletting of council properties, false applications for social housing, fraudulent Right to Buy applications, tenants not residing at their registered addresses and unlawful succession claims to council tenancies. As a result, 30 council homes were recovered and re-let to families in genuine need, nine fraudulent housing applications were cancelled, five Right to Buy applications were stopped,…

Sandwell Council will continue supporting families of 46,000 children with vouchers during school holidays. The announcement comes as the council confirmed how it will spend just over £6million of Household Support Fund funding over the next financial year. The funding for April 2025 to March 2026 will be allocated as follows: £3million on providing vouchers for pupils who get benefits-related Free School Meals – worth £130 per child, per year. Find out more about Free School Meals, eligibility and holiday vouchers. £1.2million on helping council and private rented tenants with rent arrears and other housing costs. £300,000 on Local Welfare…