The centre, on New Forest Rd, will be retrofit to make it as close to carbon neutral as possible so that it can become an exemplar building to educate domestic and commercial users on the benefits of renewable energy. The centre will offer support to businesses and residents to explore funding available, such as carbon credits that can be obtained to retrofit homes to save people money. The centre has received £325,995 funding from Walsall Council’s Community Capital programme, which is funded by the Government’s Town Deal. “ As a council we are keen to support projects like this that…

Councillor Mike Bird was elected as Leader of the Council, following the resignation of Councillor Garry Perry last month. Councillor Bird was first elected to Walsall Council in 1980. He previously held the position of Leader of the Council between 2018 and 2024. Following his election the new Leader of Walsall Council, Councillor Mike Bird said: “ It’s good to be back! It has been an honour for me to represent the people of Walsall for more than 40 years. Walsall is my home and I want the best for the borough and the very best for Walsall people, they…

Families in Walsall are being urged to check they and their children are up to date with their MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccinations, especially ahead of the summer holidays. The latest data from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) shows that outbreaks are continuing, with a sharp increase in cases in the West Midlands. There has also been a global increase in measles cases including Europe over the last year and the Agency is concerned, that with travelling for holidays or to visit family this summer, there is a risk this could lead to another surge of measles cases…

Across April, 1834 bags of rubbish were removed from Walsall’s streets. This builds on work carried out during the Great British Spring Clean, which saw 1750 bags collected in just two weeks. Litter picking events are organised through the Walsall Community Litter Watch (WCLW), established in August 2019 to help address the litter issue within the Borough. Volunteers dedicated more than 1000 hours across April to keep the borough clean. This effort included three formal events, at Barr Beacon in Aldridge, Anson Road in Bentley and Bath Street Centre in Caldmore. “ Our Community Litter Watch is a resounding success…

Walsall Council has officially launched its Net Zero 2041 Strategy on World Environment Day, setting a clear path for the borough to become a healthier, greener, and more prosperous place to live, work, and do business. Building on the 2019 climate emergency declaration, the strategy focuses on six key themes designed not only to reduce emissions but also to create new economic opportunities, improve residents’ quality of life, and build resilient communities. Progress is already visible, with 860 solar panels installed at Oak Park Active Living Centre and ongoing work through the Walsall Energy Action Project (WEAP), demonstrating how…

Grants of between £5000 and £15,000 are now available for projects in the Walsall borough that promote and increase volunteering opportunities. The Walsall 2040 Volunteer Programme is funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UK SPF) and managed by Walsall Council and will offer grants for approximately 8 small charities and not-for-profit voluntary sector organisations who are established, based and providing services in the borough of Walsall. Projects will be required to deliver activities which create new volunteer opportunities and support Walsall residents to access them. “ This is a great opportunity for local organisations to access funding and help…

As of 1 June 2025, the sale and supply of single use (disposable) vapes became illegal across the UK. This ban applies to all disposable vapes (whether or not they contain nicotine) and includes both in-store and online sales. Walsall Council’s Trading Standards team are reminding all local businesses and retailers of their legal obligation to comply with the ban. The ban aims to protect public health, by addressing the rise in youth vaping, protecting the environment, reducing fire and safety risks and limiting access to these products by children. Reusable vapes, which have to be refillable, rechargeable and have…

Quit with Bella is a free app which has an AI-powered personal stop smoking robo-coach. The coach, Bella, is able to talk in a completely natural way and allows the user to have a human-like conversation. The app supports thousands of people to give up smoking around the world and has already been used across the West Midlands (Birmingham, Dudley and Solihull). Bella uses knowledge from trusted sources, including expert advice and guidance and provides a personalised response to a variety of different situations for users. The app is ready to provide support for up to 12 weeks. Users have…

Walsall Council is pleased to announce the return of the much-loved Arboretum splash pad in time for summer. Starting from Saturday 24 May until Sunday 31 August 2025, the splash pads at Walsall Arboretum will be open daily for everyone to enjoy. On weekends, school holidays and bank holidays, the attraction will be open between 11am to 5pm. On weekdays, outside of school holidays, opening hours are from 11am to 3pm, These times provide preschool children an opportunity to enjoy the splash pad. “ It’s always a fun time of year to reopen our popular Arboretum splash pad for our…

The project has been funded by Walsall Council and supported by a £60,000 grant from FCC Communities Foundation, a not-for-profit business that awards grants for community, conservation and heritage projects, through the Landfill Communities Fund. A new children’s play area and an outdoor gym have been installed at the park and are now open to the public. The play area features a range of equipment, including toddler and junior swings, a roundabout, a wheelchair accessible roundabout, two castle climbing frames, sensory play panels and more. The project has also seen the old play area repurposed into a dog-friendly user area.…