Every year, Sandwell Council is legally required to set a balanced budget and the authority is now looking at the money available to spend next year. A consultation is now open to give residents, businesses and voluntary organisations the chance to have their say on proposals and what their priorities are for 2026/27. The survey gives people the chance to tell the council where they think the council should prioritise spending, where savings should be made and what could be done differently. Sandwell Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources Councillor Paul Moore said: “It has been…

The Sandwell community came together for a charity penalty shootout aimed at raising awareness of youth mental health and encouraging local engagement through sport and wellbeing. The event took place on Sunday 26 October 2025 at York Road Sports and Social Club in Sandwell, drawing families and football fans from across Sandwell and Oldbury for a day filled with laughter, friendly competition, and community spirit. It was organised by Wellness Education, the non-profit arm of Active Clinics — a Birmingham-based wellness and aesthetics clinic founded by Sandwell resident Tammy Takkar. Active Clinics specialises in advanced, non-surgical treatments for recovery, performance,…

Sandwell Council has published its Annual Housing Report for Tenants and Leaseholders 2025 and Annual Complaints Report. These give residents a clear update on progress and improvements made over the past year. Following the Regulator of Social Housing’s C3 judgement in October 2024, the council has taken decisive action to raise standards. The Housing Report highlights: Stock condition surveys being carried out on all Sandwell homes A new contract in place to deal with the outstanding backlog of home repairs A new housing management system to track repairs more effectively £46.7million invested in modernising homes 8,891 home checks completed to…

A new Sandwell Story display has been installed at the Midland Metropolitan University Hospital (MMUH) Winter Gardens as part of the hospital’s first anniversary celebrations. Sharing portraits of local families from across Sandwell’s six towns, the display helps tell Sandwell’s story of the communities that the UK’s newest hospital is part of. “We are delighted to see these portraits displayed at Midland Metropolitan University Hospital, after it opened its doors for communities across the borough a year ago,” said Councillor Kerrie Carmichael, Leader of Sandwell Council. She added: “They are a striking reminder of the families who are living, working…

Sandwell Council is reminding parents and carers that applications for reception and junior school places for the academic year starting in September 2026 are now open. If your child was born between 1 September 2021 and 31 August 2022, or is currently in Year 2 at an infant school and due to move to a junior school, you can now apply for their school place online. The deadline for applications is 15 January 2026. Sandwell Council’s Cabinet Member for Education, Councillor Harnoor Bhullar, said: “We’re proud that a high percentage of schools in Sandwell are currently rated Good or Outstanding…

Work has started on-site in preparation for a brand-new £24million Haden Hill Leisure Centre. The new leisure centre will feature a wide range of facilities including a main swimming pool, a learner pool, two multi-purpose studios, a 100-station gym, a 27-station indoor cycling studio, a four-court sports hall and a dedicated community room. Contractor Speller Metcalfe has now moved onto the site to strip out and then demolish the old centre, with building work on the new one set to start in January 2026. The redevelopment of the centre, which is expected to open to the public in spring 2027,…

The British Parking Awards have recognised Sandwell Council and APCOA for cracking down on Blue Badge misuse and fraud to help protect spaces for people who are disabled or have mobility issues. Since April 2023, Sandwell Council has brought 30 successful prosecutions for Blue Badge fraud. The authority has also issued a further 31 warning letters and cancelled one Blue Badge. The figures include 25 prosecutions and 18 warning letters since April 2024, showing how the crackdown has stepped up over the past year. The council and APCOA were shortlisted in a new ‘breakout award’ category that recognises frontline teams…

Plans to regenerate one of the largest brownfield sites in the West Midlands and build a new, 600 home community have reached a key milestone. Sandwell Council and the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) have appointed top 10 housebuilder Keepmoat as their preferred developer to construct the Friar Park Urban Village scheme in Wednesbury. The appointment follows a selection process which has been progressed since January 2024 and ending with Sandwell Council Cabinet approval at the end of July. The scheme, a joint project between the council and WMCA, will see around 600 homes built on the huge site, approximately…

Sandwell is set to have new boundaries for its council wards. The Local Government Boundary Commission is the independent body that draws these boundaries. It has reviewed Sandwell to make sure councillors will represent about the same number of electors, and that warding arrangements will help the council work effectively. The Commission has published final recommendations for changes in Sandwell. It says residents should be represented by 72 councillors. This is the same as the existing arrangements. There will be 24 three-councillor wards, all wards will see changes to their boundaries. Publishing the recommendations Professor Colin Mellors, Chair of the…

Home Latest news Plas Gwynant team take on epic 240km challenge in aid of Sandwell Young Carers Dan Jackson, who along with colleagues is taken on a paddleboarding challenge to raise money for Sandwell Young Carers A team of Sandwell Council staff are taking on a 240km cycling and paddleboarding challenge in aid of incredible children and young people who care for a loved one. Dan Jackson and the Plas Gwynant Outdoor Education Centre team will set out on their adventure next week (Monday 1 September) from the hills of Snowdonia on a journey to the Sandwell Aquatics Centre in…