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…

The fight against loan sharks comes to the Black Country this month (SEPT) as Operation Sharknet hits the streets of Sandwell. The England Illegal Money Lending Team (IMLT) is working with Sandwell Council and West Midlands Police to bring its campaign to the area next week to raise awareness about the dangers of loan sharks and keep residents safe. The IMLT, known as Stop Loan Sharks, is a national organisation hosted by Birmingham City Council. It was set up over 20 years ago to investigate and prosecute illegal lenders and support borrowers across England. The visit to Sandwell, which runs…

Sandwell is proud to announce that in the latest national Green Flag Awards, 15 of our parks and green spaces have once again been recognised as well managed. And we are even more pleased to announce that West Smethwick Park has joined them to win the prestigious standard! The Green Flag Awards are an international scheme recognising well managed parks and open spaces and it sets the benchmark standard for the management of green spaces across the United Kingdom and around the world. This week’s award ceremony for the West Midlands, as well as for the East of England and…

Sandwell Council is proud to launch Stop For Life Sandwell, a new community stop smoking service designed to help people quit and live healthier lives. Run by behaviour change specialists ICE, the service is free and available to anyone living, working or registered with a GP in Sandwell. Support includes: One-to-one behavioural support Tailored quit plans Advice on Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) and vapes, plus 12 weeks of free products The Best-You healthy lifestyles app The service is welcoming, easy to access and here to help people take that first step – or try again – on their journey to…

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…