Poundland founder Steve Smith Steve Smith launched the retail chain Poundland in 1990. From humble beginnings he worked his way up from selling on market stalls to running the multi-million-pound retail business which he went onto sell almost 20 years ago. Speaking recently at the first ever We Are Walsall 2040 conference, Smith originally from Willenhall, was optimistic about the future of the borough: “It is the people of Walsall who make me most proud to come from this area. I built my business with good people and with good people, who work hard, you can achieve a great deal.”…

M6 J9 resurfacing areas of closure – National Highways network (Blue) local authority network (Red) Carriageway resurfacing works on the M6 Junction 9 roundabout will be taking place every night from Sunday 20 July to Friday 8 August between 10pm and 5am. Whilst working is taking place the whole roundabout, including exits from, and accesses to, the motorway will be closed. Anyone passing through or intending to use Junction 9 is advised to plan ahead of the roadworks taking place and be aware of the diversions in place if travelling northbound or southbound of the M6 or passing through…

A three-day pop-up exhibition celebrating the borough’s inspiring women through art will take place this July. ‘My Queen’ will run from 15 to 17 July 2025 at The New Art Gallery Walsall, with a special open day on Tuesday 15 July at 12.30pm. Organised by LGK in The Community, the exhibition marks the launch of Queens of the City, a flagship project funded by the Heritage Lottery and part-funded by Walsall Council. This pioneering initiative celebrates Walsall’s rich and diverse heritage by uplifting the stories of women from both migrant and established communities through food, art, and storytelling. As part…

Walsall Council’s planning service has been recognised for its significant progress and transformation following a recent Planning Peer Challenge conducted by the Local Government Association (LGA) and the Planning Advisory Service (PAS) in March 2025. The Peer Challenge, held from 5–7 March at the Council’s invitation, provided an independent and honest assessment of the planning service’s performance. The findings highlighted a service that has made substantial strides since its last review in 2021, evolving into a high-performing, customer-focused operation that consistently exceeds national targets. “ We are very proud of the progress our planning service has made. This recognition…

Bookings have gone live for Walsall Council’s successful Holiday Activity and Food (HAF) programme. Eligible families can book activities for the summer programme that will take place for four weeks this summer: Monday 28 July – Friday 1 August Monday 4 August – Friday 8 August Monday 11 August – Friday 15 August Monday 18 August – Friday 22 August The council works with over 75 providers in the borough to offer children and young people aged 5 to 16 years old, fun, local activities, while providing the opportunity for learning and developing new skills. The programme enables children…

His Majesty’s Ofsted inspectors described Walsall Council as a place where children are at the heart of, in a report published today, Tuesday 8 July 2025. The accolade builds upon the council’s previous rating of ‘good’ in 2021 and puts Walsall firmly on the map of excellence as the only outstanding local authority for overall effectiveness in the Black Country. Since 2018, children’s services have been on a transformational journey of improvement to provide better outcome for children, young people and their families, which is set out in the council’s Walsall Right 4 Children approach. Following an inspection in May,…

Work has commenced on improvements to three parks and play areas in Walsall. The £470,000 project will be delivered on behalf of One Palfrey Big Local, with funding from Local Trust, following consultation with residents which identified green spaces for investment. As part of the work, the play area at Palfrey Park will be extended with four new items of play equipment installed and a new seating area created. The play areas at Bescot Crescent and Rutter Street arena will also be refurbished and resurfaced with the existing outdated equipment removed and replaced with new items. Meanwhile, the sports arena…

Illegal goods with a retail value of approximately £365,000 were seized in an operation carried out by Walsall Trading Standards and West Midlands Police on 2 July 2025. Officers, supported by a specialist search dog team, investigated four retail premises, one associated vehicle, and a storage unit. The operation uncovered approximately 100 kilograms of illegal hand-rolling tobacco, 287,000 illicit cigarettes, and 350 illegal disposable vapes. Sniffer dogs Griff, Cooper, and Bran—highly trained in detecting tobacco and vapes—assisted the team. At a self-storage yard, Griff identified a unit containing the illegal cigarettes and hand-rolling tobacco. Inside, some counterfeit cigarettes were even…

With high temperatures forecasted, Walsall residents are advised to take steps to stay well during the hot weather, as the UK Health Security Agency (in partnership with the Met Office) issues a yellow heat health alert for the West Midlands. The alert is in place from Wednesday 9 July to Tuesday 15 July. High temperatures can pose a risk to health, particularly for older adults, young children and individuals with long-term health conditions who may need extra help to stay cool. “ As warmer weather is forecast, there are things we can do to stay well. Keep indoor spaces cool…

Approximately 100 attendees gathered at Walsall Football Club on 26 June 2025 for the inaugural Neurodiversity and Wellbeing Conference, with the theme ‘Shifting the Narrative’. The event brought together professionals from various sectors such as public health, wider local authority teams, the NHS, education, housing, health and social care, the voluntary and community sector and DWP (Department for Work and Pensions). Individuals with lived experience also participated to advocate for inclusion and promote wellbeing in neurodiverse communities. Organised by Walsall Council’s Mental Wellbeing team in Public Health, the conference aimed to drive system-wide improvements and foster a more inclusive society.…