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Walsall Council’s Call for Sites, which launched on 31.01.24, invites the public to submit their ideas and thoughts to the local authority to help shape the future of the borough through the Walsall Borough Local Plan. 

This may include ideas for sites that could be suitable for new buildings, homes, jobs, community use - or land they would like to see protected.

Residents, businesses and landowners can submit their ideas via the Council’s online engagement platform Commonplace. By dropping a pin on an interactive map and suggesting a use for a site, people are encouraged to share any ideas, big or small, for derelict sites and vacant land in their communities.

The results from the call for sites will help to influence and inform plan preparation, so residents, businesses and landowners in Walsall are encouraged to take part.

“A call for sites will give us an opportunity to consider the proposals of local people when writing the local plan. We want people to put forward ideas, not just for land that can be developed into houses or employment uses, but we want ideas for community specific developments too.

We welcome all ideas big or small, including potential land for green spaces, nature conservation enhancement and other community uses. I’d also urge anyone that submitted a proposal under the previous Black Country Plan to please re-submit it on this next round."  Councillor Adrian Andrew, Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, Walsall Council.

Work on the Walsall Borough Local Plan will continue in place of the Black Country Plan which ceased production in October 2022.

Local Plans are key statutory documents that will shape the future of the borough through sites allocated for different types of employment, housing and public space. They show where the new homes and jobs that we need will be provided, and make sure these are in the best locations. They also protect open spaces and land for nature. Local plans, once they are adopted, form the basis of decisions on planning applications. The plan will also provide a framework to help enable regeneration, to attract investment into the borough.

The Walsall Borough local plan will support the overall council objectives, and the aims set out in the We Are Walsall 2040 partnership strategy, including supporting a dynamic and diverse economy and making Walsall a cleaner, greener borough.

Walsall Council is inviting residents to participate in a quick survey to share their thoughts and experiences on home recycling. It takes just 10 minutes to complete.

The survey is designed to gather information on recycling habits at home and the challenges people face when it comes to recycling. Feedback will be used to help identify opportunities for improving communications around recycling.

“Walsall Council is eagerly seeking to understand the knowledge and experiences of its residents concerning recycling. By gathering these valuable insights, the council aims to enhance its communication strategies related to recycling and improve overall waste management in the community. Your input and feedback are highly valuable in shaping the council's initiatives, ensuring effective communication, and promoting sustainable practices." Councillor Kerry Murphy, Portfolio Holder for Street Pride at Walsall Council.

“The council has a statutory responsibility to set a balanced budget and I am confident that our track record of strong and robust financial management will achieve this.

It’s a challenge that all councils are facing because of the unprecedented cost-of-living increases that we are all experiencing, and rising demand on many of our services, particularly within adult social care and children’s services. Our priority remains to deliver a balanced budget for 2024/25 and keep the council tax increase as low as possible. We know that many of our residents are finding it hard and our proposals have taken this into account. If you live, work, study, visit or do business in the Borough, please have your say in our budget consultation, which starts today."Councillor Mike Bird, Leader of Walsall Council.

The council is proposing a 2.99% general council tax increase and a further 2% precept for adult social care The proposals are equivalent to an increase of 16 pence per day (£1.14 per week) for an average Band D property.

Outlined in the budget is the draft capital programme for 2024/25, which totals £132.08 million. This contains significant investment into regeneration initiatives, highways and education. It also outlines investment into adult and children’s social care and housing to support vulnerable households through the provision of aids and adaptations.

A number of savings proposals are also included in the proposed budget. The council’s Proud transformation plan is designed to improve service efficiency and performance whilst improving outcomes for customers. By the end of this year, £64 million worth of savings will have been delivered by the transformation programme.

The budget for 2024/25 is currently not balanced and there is a budget gap of £18.06 million. Proposals will be identified to close the gap, and a further update will be provided to Cabinet on Wednesday 13 December 2023. The final 2024/25 budget will be presented to Cabinet and then to Full Council in February 2024. A period of public consultation to seek feedback on the proposals begins on Thursday 19 October 2023.

Find out more and have your say

A new pattern of wards is being developed for Walsall Council.

The Local Government Boundary Commission has decided that the number of councillors in Walsall should be 60, the same as now. The Local Government Boundary Commission wants to hear what residents and organisations think about their local area. A ten week consultation inviting proposals will run until 30 October 2023.

The Commission is the independent body that draws these boundaries. It is reviewing Walsall to make sure councillors represent about the same number of electors, and that ward arrangements help the council work effectively. It wants to be sure that its proposals reflect community ties and identities.

The Commission is interested in views on which communities should be part of the same ward. What facilities do people share, such as parks, leisure centres or schools and shopping areas? What issues do neighbouring communities face that they have in common, such as high numbers of visitors or heavy traffic? Have there been new housing or commercial developments that have changed the focus of communities? And are there roads, rivers, railways or other features that people believe form strong boundaries between neighbourhoods.

The Commission will use local views to help it draw up proposals for new ward boundaries. There will be a further round of consultation once the Commission has drawn up those proposals.

Launching the consultation Professor Colin Mellors, Chair of the Commission, said: “We want people in Walsall to help us. We are starting to draw up new wards for Walsall. We want our proposals for new electoral arrangements to reflect communities. We also want them to be easy to understand and convenient for local people. Residents and local organisations can help us understand community ties and identities at this early stage of the process. It’s easy to get involved. Go to our website. Or you can e-mail or write to us. Just tell us what you think and give us some details why you think that. It’s really simple, so do get involved.”

Map showing current wards in Walsall Credit: contains Ordnance Survey data (c) Crown copyright and database rights 2023

Walsall Council is encouraging residents, visitors and those who work in Walsall town centre to participate in a consultation on the future of its Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) and whether it should be extended or varied for another three years.

The order, which has been in place since 2017, was enacted to tackle anti-social behaviour and ensure that law-abiding residents can use and enjoy public spaces safely. It deals with specific nuisances or problems in a defined geographical area that are detrimental to the community’s quality of life.

In collaboration with our key partners including Walsall Police, WM Fire Service, Walsall College, WHG, One Walsall, NHS Black Country and West Birmingham, the University of Wolverhampton, Walsall Together, Walsall for All and Walsall Football Club, Walsall Council is leading on 'We are Walsall 2040', the creation of an ambitious future focussed borough plan.

Since May 2022 we have been working on one of the biggest listening and engagement exercises ever conducted in the borough. Over 8,000 people, organisations and groups responded.

Findings from the public engagement highlighted:

Walsall is a Borough undergoing real transformation, creating a wealth of opportunity. There is a shared ambition to deliver well connected, attractive places where people are proud to live and work and where businesses want to locate; where there is a strong mix of housing for all our residents, where our communities are well served and all of our residents have the best life chances.

Walsall Council is working in partnership with Henry Boot Developments (HBD) to deliver this project which is a major part of the Council’s ‘Brownfield first’ policy to bring back to life disused land.

A major clean-up operation is underway and will be completed next year. The 44 acre site, which is the equivalent size to more than 20 football pitches, will be transformed into an industrial and business park creating more than 1000 new jobs for Walsall.

Exciting plans are in place to transform Walsall town centre which will include improvements to the train station and the Saddlers Centre, creating a landmark arrival experience into Walsall.

Walsall is to be greener, safer and a more attractive place to visit. Walsall Council wants to go even further with ambitions for Walsall to become a healthy town centre where cycling and walking is encouraged and where public spaces are used regularly for activities, performances and for events.

Once transformed it is hoped that the town centre will become a catalyst for new types of businesses and for innovative community ventures. The development of Walsall’s waterfront outside the prestigious New Art Gallery will continue.

Walsall Council is proud to work with private sector partners and also with Government, and has secured over £50 million through the Government’s Future High Streets and Town Deal funds while looking to achieve further support through the Levelling Up Fund and the Creative Development Fund, amongst others.

Alongside improvements to the town’s infrastructure are ambitions to unleash Walsall’s creative spirit to develop a vibrant heritage sector. Walsall has a rich history and the ambition is for Walsall to be a place to be truly proud of with a positive and resilient future.

This is in addition to the increased learning opportunities that will be provided by the Advanced Electric Vehicle Technology Centre and the Digital Skills Hub, as well as plans for further town centre adult skills provision.

Many may not appreciate it but because of its parks, open spaces and its farmland one third of Walsall is currently green and there are plans to add to that. In Bloxwich green spaces are being developed and improved featuring sports facilities and allotment patches, as well as room for festivals and events.

Improvements to junction 10 of the M6 motorway will reduce congestion and reduce journey times. The £78 million upgrade works are being completed by National Highways in partnership with the Council.

In the Walsall to Wolverhampton Growth Corridor, construction is well underway across a number of housing sites, transforming former derelict brownfield land. Schemes include the development of the former Caparo Engineering Works next to the A34 Green Lane in Walsall. More than 250 houses are being built on the site which has been derelict for more than a decade. Collectively these schemes will deliver more than 1400 much needed new homes for Walsall.

As the regeneration of Walsall gains pace organisations from across the Borough are coming together to develop a vision for its longer term future. The We Are Walsall 2040 programme is being shaped by the views, experiences, ideas and ambitions of those who live, work and visit the Borough. It will provide a strategic framework for the Council and its partners to prioritise resources and to develop shared ambitions for a Walsall that works for everyone

A Borough plan is now in development and will be unveiled in the spring.

New road safety schemes have been proposed for Bescot Crescent, Walker Road & Ingram Road, following safety assessments designating these roads as poor performing roads for road casualties.

The proposed road safety scheme has been designed to reduce the number of road casualties, installing multiple sets of speed-reducing cushions along Bescot Crescent, Walker Road & Ingram Road.

A new road safety scheme has been proposed for Churchill Road and Western Avenue, Bently, as these roads have been recently assessed and designated as poor performing roads for road casualties.

The proposed road safety scheme has been designed to reduce the number of these casualties, installing 2 sets of speed-reducing cushions along Churchill Road between Monmouth Road and Western Avenue, and 3 sets of speed cushions on Western Avenue between Churchill Road and Lindon Close.

Residents in Walsall have helped raise £956.50 for the Black Country Foodbank by taking part in the We are Walsall 2040 (WAW 2040) residents survey. By the closing date (on 30 September 2022), the survey, run by BMG Research on behalf of Walsall Council, had amassed a total of 1,913 responses with BMG Research pledging to donate 50p for every response received.

Jen Coleman from Black Country Foodbank said, “We are thrilled to receive such a generous donation which will help us provide essential food and other supplies to some of the most vulnerable people in our communities. With the continued cost of living crisis, more and more people are coming to us for support so any and all donations are most welcome.

“We were particularly pleased as this gift came through an initiative which aims to improve the borough for the benefit of everyone – a vision we share and value. Thanks to all those residents who took part in the survey – your commitment to making the borough a better place in the future means you are making a real difference to the lives of those in need in your communities right now.”

Black Country Foodbank was set up in 2006 and is a Christian-based charitable organisation. It welcomes anyone in need, whether young, old, single or in a family and from whatever background, religious belief or ethnic origin.

Walsall residents can visit a number of centres across the borough, including All Saint’s Church Hall in Darlaston, The Rock in Walsall town centre, Bridge the Gap in Willenhall, The Thomas Project in Aldridge and The Lamp Foodbank in Brownhills.

Donations can also be dropped off at these and other foodbank centres. Tinned and packet food and basic toiletries are always gratefully accepted.

The WAW 2040 survey focussed on what people want the borough to be like in 2040 and analysis is still ongoing with results due to be shared soon.

Jack Harper, Research Director at BMG said “We are extremely pleased so many people took the time to respond to the survey and in turn help raise this significant amount of money. With the ongoing cost of living crisis we are very happy to support the foodbank and that the money goes some way to helping those most in need.”

The WAW 2040 plan is being shaped by the views, experiences, ideas and ambitions of those who live, work, study, visit and do business in the borough. Ultimately it will help Walsall Council and its partners prioritise resources and develop shared ambitions for the whole Walsall area that works for everyone.