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…

Sandwell Council has confirmed that the cost for garden waste collections will remain frozen at £40 for 2026, the same price as this year, giving residents good value for money for the 20 collections. Garden waste collections will take their usual winter break, and the last collection of 2025 will be Friday 12 December, returning in spring 2026. Residents can check the online bin day finder for their last garden waste collection day and present their bins for collection accordingly. Subscriptions for 2026 garden waste service will open on Monday 19 January 2026. Collection day changes for 2026: From 2026,…

A targeted operation was carried out early on 6 November to tackle the growing issue of untaxed and suspected abandoned vehicles causing disruption to traffic flow and local businesses in Smethwick. Local residents and businesses had raised concerns about ongoing problems with vehicles being left on public roads and in business areas. In response, Sandwell Council’s Environmental Protection Team and Neighbourhoods Services Team coordinated the action, ensuring support from West Midlands Police. Sandwell Council’s Environmental Protection Team led the coordinated effort alongside partners including Penham Excel and Serco. The operation focused on Heath Street, Cranford Street, Fawdry Street and Alma…

More than 200 young people have worked together on a community art project, which has been unveiled by youth workers in Sandwell. A professional artist delivered workshops aboard Sandwell’s double-decker Youth Bus during October half-term, taking canvases to parks and housing estates in each of the six towns. The final designs, which have gone on display at the Coneygre Art Centre, in Tipton, aim to celebrate young people’s sense of pride in their communities. Freelance artist Ginger Dan (real name Danni Evans) led the drop-in sessions alongside trained youth workers and said: “The project is about what their communities mean…

Sandwell’s annual roadshow for Anti-Bullying Week is now under way and is travelling to 10 schools across the borough. Pupils at Crocketts Community Primary School in Smethwick wore odd socks to celebrate their individuality and uniqueness to help launch the first roadshow as part of nationwide Odd Socks Day yesterday (Monday 10 November), the first day of Anti-Bullying Week. Adults attending the launch also wore odd socks to show their support. Sandwell Council’s SHAPE Team will deliver the roadshow in partnership with West Midlands Police, visiting seven primary schools and three secondaries. The theme of this year’s roadshow is ‘Power…

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,…