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Month: December 2021

Housing Policy Improved To Crackdown On Rogue Landlords

The government is planning to make some changes to current housing policies that will give Walsall Council more power to crackdown on rogue landlords.

housing

A new Housing Enforcement Policy aims to tackle those landlords that house their tenants in poor quality conditions. This will give the council legal powers to come down on landlords and agents who fail to carry out repairs and maintenance on their rented properties.

Part of the policy requires landlords to provide an electrical safety certificate to their tenants every five years and provide a minimum energy efficiency standard.

The news follows changes to Council Tax Reduction, which is set to be approved by the council in January 2022 and an additional licensing scheme for houses of multiple occupations in areas including Birchills, Leamore and Blakenall.

Full details of all policies can be found in the links within this article.

Councillor Adrian Andrew, Deputy Leader of Walsall Council said: “We want to do everything we can to improve housing standards and the lives of residents in our borough.

“These changes will support good landlords, support tenants and target funds where they are most needed.

“Our new enforcement policy gives us the power to tackle rogue landlords with robust and proportionate action, our proposed HMO scheme will give us greater oversight of the private rented sector, and our Council Tax Reduction scheme will give over 12,000 residents a council tax break through a new, simplified system.”

If you are concerned about the condition or management of a private rented home in the borough please get in touch with our Housing Standards team at TacklingRogues@walsall.gov.uk.

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Exciting Walsall Projects Get Closer To Green Light

Walsall Council are pushing forward with two big regeneration projects in Walsall and Bloxwich.

walsall council house

With a total of £42.6m awarded following an application to the government’s Town Deal fund, Walsall and Bloxwich will split the money equally to carry out some exciting new initiatives.

Business cases are currently being put together ready for approval, including a 1,000-seater performing arts centre, a construction skills academy, Advanced Electric Vehicle Technology centre and a creative industries hub in the town centre.

Projects in Bloxwich in include new programmes for Construction Skills, an Incubation Space & Digital Access Centre and improvements to the Green Bloxwich programme to improve parks, heritage buildings and allotments.

Manjit Jhooty, Chair of the Town Deal Board and CEO of the Jhoots Group said:

“This process has demonstrated what can be achieved when the private sector works in partnership with the local council. We’ve been there to provide our commercial expertise and will ensure that all the projects have a robust business case and provide the maximum benefit for the local economy. I believe these schemes have the potential to make a real difference in our communities”

Deputy Leader of Walsall Council, Cllr Adrian Andrew said:

“It’s been a truly collaborative effort to get to this stage and being able to draw on the experience of the Advisory Boards has been invaluable. I’d like to thank all those involved and look forward to the day when we can finally start to deliver these exciting projects in both Bloxwich and Walsall. We are working with the Government to deliver the levelling up strategy through the towns fund and build back better in Walsall Borough.”

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Walsall School Children Donate 48 Christmas Eve Boxes

Children at Hydesville Tower School in Walsall have put together 48 Christmas Eve boxes filled with gifts for children in emergency care.

hydesville-children

These wonderful Christmas gifts are the work of all Hydesville pupils – from Nursery to Year 11 – who collectively donated the contents, which will be delivered to local children who have fled domestic violence.

The children have also raised £166.30, which will be donated to the Salvation Army.

French teacher Mrs Dhabba said: “I would like to thank the Wellbeing Ambassadors for their support in organising the boxes, and in particular to Year 9 girls Ayesha, Jessica, Ore and Safiya for giving up their lunch times to check contents and to label them correctly.  An amazing effort by everyone, thank you to parents, staff and children! “

Recently, pupils at the school also donated ‘bags of love’ to a women’s refuge.

Arrests Made After Man Stabbed At St Paul’s Street Bus Station in Walsall

[Update] Arrests have been made in connection with a stabbing incident at St. Paul’s bus station on Monday.

West Midlands have revealed that four men have been arrested, including two men who taken to hospital after suffering minor injuries. Three men age 17, 20 and 32 have been released on conditional bail, while an 18-year-old man is still in hospital awaiting questioning.

Anyone with any information should contact West Midlands police or call CrimeStoppers on 0800 555 111 quoting reference number: 20/1913224/21.

Original Story

Emergency services were called to St. Paul’s Street bus station in Walsall yesterday, 13 December, following reports of a stabbing.

st paul's bus station walsall

The incident took place at approximately 5pm where a man was treated at the scene and taken to hospital for additional treatment. The injury is not expected to be life-threatening.

The immediate area was cordoned off while police investigated. It’s not known at this point whether anyone was arrested.

The incident follows another recent stabbing in the town, which saw the Victorian Arcade closed after a man was assaulted.

We’ll provide more updates as soon as we get them.

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Mysterious High-Pitched Noises In Walsall Wood Keeping Residents Awake

Mysterious beeping noises and the sound of a siren in the middle of the night have been keeping the Walsall Wood community awake for a number of nights.

Some residents have taken to local social media groups, including Brownhills Bob and Walsall Wood (& surrounding) Friends, to express their anger at the high-pitched sounds and to try to work out the cause.

Though no official statement has been made as to the source of the noises, residents have speculated that it’s coming from the area by the landfill site on Coppice Lane.

Councillor Vera Waters from the Rushall-Shelfield ward stated in a Facebook post that she has raised the issue with Aldridge North & Walsall Wood Councillor Keith Sears, who she says is contacting the council to investigate.

Other residents have taken action by sending complaints to the environmental department at Walsall Council.

As for what is causing the sound, it’s still a mystery. With no official confirmation, this has led some residents to speculate that it may be a methane warning alarm. However, Councillor Waters has suggested that the issue is a defective pump and the alarm sounds because it needs servicing.

With Councillor Sears looking into the issue and multiple complaints made by Walsall Wood residents, we’d expect to hear more on the issue very soon.

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Alleged Bloxwich Scissor Attacker Charged Following Attempted Car-Jacking

A Bloxwich man who allegedly threatened a driving instructor with a pair of scissors has been caught and remanded in custody this week.

The crime sent shockwaves through the community, who took to social media earlier this month to warn others that there was a car-jacker who was allegedly attempting to tie up women to steal their cars.

Paul Nightingale, aged 40 from Stafford Street, has now been charged based on several incidents in Bloxwich, including the scissor incident which took place on December 7 on New Street.

Mr. Nightingale, who has previously been in jail for burglary and aggravated vehicle taking was due to appear at Wolverhampton Magistrates Court on Monday where he is accused of assault with intent to commit robbery, three counts of attempted theft from a shop, theft of a motor vehicle, theft from a motor vehicle and attempted theft of a motor vehicle.

Source: Walsall Police

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Free Trial Membership Offered At Walsall Leisure Centres

Walsall Leisure Services are offering a free membership trial until 25 January 2022 at Bloxwich and Oak Park Active living centres, Darlaston Swimming and Fitness Centre and Walsall Gala Swimming and fitness centre.

exercise

There is a slight catch. You do have to sign up via direct debit to a minimum membership term of three months. Prices start from £17 per month and the first payment begins on 25 January. The free trial also doesn’t include swimming lessons.

It does, however, include a free consultation with a fitness instructor who will give you guidance about the various activities on offer.

To take advantage of the free membership trial, you’ll need to sign up online (using promotional code XMAS2021) or at one of the centres before 24 December.

To find out more, check out the homepages of the various centres.

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Aldridge Home Lights Up For Xmas To Raise Money For Charity

If you want to see a fantastic Christmas lights display and help raise money for a local charity then look no further than Aldridge!

aldridge christmas lights

Every night from 6pm until 8.30pm until Christmas Eve, 70 Westbrook Avenue in Aldridge is lit up for the festive season.

Visitors are invited to attend and to make a contribution of £1 via a coin operated box to view the lights in the front garden, and £2 for adults/£1 per child to view the back garden., where you’ll find Santa, Snow White and the Seven Dwarves and much more.

Proceeds raised will towards three fantastic charities: Acorns, The Thomas Project and Help Make Tummies Full.

Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, there’s also a special visit from Santa!

Find out more by visiting the 70 Westbrook Avenue Charity Christmas Lights Facebook page.

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Walsall Council Reiterates Government’s COVID Plan B

The first phase of COVID Plan B, as announced by the government yesterday, starts today, 10 December.

covid vaccine

In response to the spread of the Omicron variant, the government has laid out a plan for the coming weeks, which includes mandatory face covering in most indoor settings, apart from the hospitality sector.

Starting from 13 December, the government is recommending people should work from home when they can, and from the 15 December, Covid passes showing a double vaccination or a negative Covid test, will be required to enter nightclubs and settings with large crowds. This covers:

  • Unseated indoor areas with 500 or more people
  • Unseated outdoor events with 4,000 or more people
  • Any event with 10,000 or more attendees

Statement from Stephen Gunther, Director of Public Health, Walsall Council,

“The Plan B measures announced by the Government are needed and aim to help slow the spread of COVID-19. The new measures are important, as the UK Health Security Agency believes that the doubling rate of the Omicron variant is three days. This means that every three days, the number of COVID-19 cases in England will double.

“It is only a matter of time before the new variant arrives in Walsall. It is already prevalent in London and the South East and it is clear it will soon spread everywhere. With the virus spreading so fast, it means more people may require hospital treatment and this could overwhelm our local health services.

“We can reduce the number of cases, and pressure on the NHS, by ensuring as many people as possible have their first and second jabs and boosters. There are many places across Walsall where you can get your vaccine. You can either walk in or book an appointment online or by calling 119.

“Don’t forget the basics. If you have COVID-19 symptoms stay at home and book a PCR test and stay there until you have had your results, wash your hands frequently and use hand sanitiser when out and about, keep indoor spaces well ventilated. This means when you have friends or family to your home open your windows for just 10 minutes every hour as this will blow away the COVID-19 particles.

“I appreciate that everyone in Walsall has made huge sacrifices and I am asking you to continue to play your part. Please do all you can to keep yourself your family, friends and colleagues as safe as possible.”

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Walsall Council Awarded £5 million For Sustainable Warmth Project

A £5 million pound grant has been awarded to Walsall Council to aid a Sustainable Warmth Project.

fire

The grant comes as part of a national £430 million investment to help local authorities upgrade homes that are energy inefficient.

The money will be used to help low-income households get their homes fully upgraded without having to contribute to the costs.

Full details of the project will be revealed next year.

Councillor Adrian Andrew, Deputy Leader at Walsall Council said, “This significant amount of funding to support sustainable warmth in Walsall is welcomed and I am pleased that our bid has been successful.”

“The project will help to support those people who most need it in the borough to be able to heat their homes affordably and efficiently which in turn will support their health and well-being.”

“Boosting energy efficiency is a key priority in helping to reduce our carbon-footprint.”

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