Leader of the Council, Kerrie Carmichael was joined by Tunmi Agbona and Natalie Nyengerai from Sandwell College and representatives of Sandwell’s Culture Forum Sandwell Council is entering Smethwick into the first ever UK Town of Culture competition, celebrating the town’s vibrant and cohesive community, rich heritage and growing arts and culture scene. Made 50 years ago from six proud towns, the borough of Sandwell is a place built on making things happen. It’s where industry met innovation, and where strong, creative, diverse communities shape its future. Councillor Kerrie Carmichael, Leader of the Council said: “If it can be made, it’s…

Sandwell Council has begun work on a series of 38 new priority road safety projects across the borough as part of its Community Road Safety Concern Programme this year. Six are already completed or nearing completion and more are on the way. Over the past 25 years, Sandwell has halved the number of casualties on its roads, including reducing child casualties by 60 per cent. This significant reduction follows a long-term programme of targeted engineering measures, road safety education, and support for police enforcement action. The council is continuing this work through its Community Road Safety Concern Programme, which focuses…

Sandwell Council’s Cabinet has agreed to invest an extra £1.5million to help maintain roads and footpaths, building on the authority’s top national Green rating for highway maintenance. This boost means the council will invest more than £14million in total over the next year on keeping Sandwell’s roads, footpaths and street lights well maintained. The additional £1.5million – approved by the council’s Cabinet last month – will specifically support maintaining local residential roads as well as footpaths in neighbourhoods and town centre shopping areas. Sandwell has recently celebrated a Green rating under the government’s new national traffic light system for…

Staff involved in the campaign together with the Cabinet Member for Adult Services Health and Wellbeing, Councillor Jackie Taylor and Dr Frances Howie, Director of Public Health holding campaign materials. Sandwell Council has been shortlisted for Campaign of the Year at the 2026 Local Government Chronicle (LGC) Awards for its impactful men’s mental health campaign, You ok, mate? This national recognition reflects Sandwell’s commitment to being a caring, community‑focused council that puts residents’ wellbeing at the heart of everything it does. It also comes at a time when the council is being recognised more widely for its improvement and transformation…

The council is to invest around £1.66million to create and enhance Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) resources at Ocker Hill Academy in Tipton and Wood Green Academy in Wednesbury. This funding will help more children and young people to learn, grow and thrive in their local communities and contribute to new purpose‑built facilities being delivered as part of the Department for Education’s national School Rebuild Programme, which is comprehensively redeveloping both academy sites. At Ocker Hill Academy, the existing SEND resource offer will be expanded from 10 to 15 places, strengthening an already well‑established offer for pupils…

A major new Learning Campus is set to open on the Midland Metropolitan University Hospital site, marking a significant milestone in the regeneration of Smethwick and the wider Sandwell area. The campus will expand access to education, training, and professional development for residents of all ages, helping local people gain the skills needed for future careers in a rapidly changing economy. Developed through a unique partnership between Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS trust and its Learning Works, Sandwell College, the University of Wolverhampton, Aston University, and Sandwell Council the Learning Campus will provide access to entry-level learning through…

Sandwell Council is delighted to announce it has been awarded nearly £300,000 from the West Midlands Combined Authority’s Cultural and Creative Investment Programme. The funding will support and upgrade cultural and heritage infrastructure across Sandwell, with the aim of increasing cultural activity and participation for residents of all ages. Investment will be directed towards a wide range of cultural spaces and initiatives, including enhancements to digital infrastructure, improvements to high streets, and upgrades to museums, archives and libraries. A portion of the funding will also be distributed as grants to grassroots and community organisations, helping to strengthen the borough’s…

On Sunday 8 March, residents, families and communities came together to celebrate the transformation of Britannia Park at special free open day showcasing the park’s extensive new improvements. The improvements have been made possible through grant funding of over £3million from the UK Government’s Towns Fund, with additional funding from Sandwell Council, the Lawn Tennis Association, the England and Wales Cricket Board, and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF). The regeneration has introduced a new low-carbon community building with modern changing rooms, providing an improved space for community activities and sports users. The car park has been expanded to 90…

Residents are being thanked by Sandwell Council after recycling a record amount of quality paper, card and food waste since the borough’s new waste and recycling service launched last September. In just a few months, residents have increased the amount of paper and card recycled, while cutting non-recycling grey bin (residual) waste by around 16% compared with earlier in the year – a major step forward for recycling in Sandwell. The improvements mean the council can now collect higher-quality recycling, ensuring materials are reused rather than wasted. Paper and card collected separately can be turned into new cardboard…

Smethwick has reached a major milestone with the submission of its plans for regeneration and investment as part of the Plan for Neighbourhoods programme. In March 2025, the government announced Smethwick is set to benefit from up to £20million over the next decade through the Plan for Neighbourhoods Programme. The Smethwick Partnership Board, which oversees the programme, working closely with Sandwell Council, has led extensive engagement with residents, businesses and community groups throughout July and August 2025 to understand local priorities. The top five priority areas identified through engagement are: Regeneration, high streets and heritage Community cohesion Health and wellbeing…