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Month: July 2022

Leamore Park and Barr Beacon Recognised With International Award

Two local green spaces have been awarded Green Flag Awards, an international mark of approval for recognition of their quality.

Barr Beacon and Leamore Park were two of 2,208 UK sites that were awarded the Green Flag this week.

Barr Beacon

Commenting on the news that Barr Beacon and Leamore Park have met the Green Flag Award standard, Councillor Gary Flint, Portfolio Holder for Health and Wellbeing said:

“I would like to congratulate everyone involved in making these sites worthy of a Green Flag Award. Over the course of the pandemic, visitor numbers to our parks and other green spaces have shot up and we know how much they’re loved and valued.

Councillor Chris Towe, Vice-chair of the Barr Beacon Trust said:

“The Trust, in partnership with Walsall Council and with the help of many volunteers, has put a lot of time and effort into maintaining the high standards demanded by the Green Flag Award over the last 10 years or so and I’m pleased to say that investment is really paying off now.

Leamore Park

Councillor Mike Bird, Leader of Walsall Council said:

“I’d also like to give a shout-out to our friends at The Canal and River Trust on achieving Green Flag status for the Walsall Flight and Walsall canal basin. The canal basin is a really attractive feature of our town centre and firmly at the forefront of our vision for the town centre of the future.”

The Green Flag Award scheme, managed by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy under licence from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, recognises and rewards well-managed parks and green spaces, setting the benchmark standard for the management of green spaces across the United Kingdom and around the world.

Other Green Flag Local Spaces

Other local areas with a Green Flag award include:

  • Blackwood Park, Streetly
  • Fibbersley Local Nature Reserve, Willenhall
  • King George V Playing Fields, Bloxwich
  • King’s Hill Park, Darlaston
  • Palfrey Park, Palfrey
  • Rough Wood Local Nature Reserve, Willenhall
  • Walsall Arboretum, Walsall
  • Willenhall Memorial Park

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Commonwealth Games Police Puppies Ready To Greet You

If you’re attending the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games this summer, then keep an eye out for these three adorable puppies!

Meet Jaffa, Dodger and Bourbon, who will be popping up at various events and fan zones – alongside their West Midlands Police handlers – during the games to greet attendees.

Keep an eye out for the Commonwealth Games puppies.

These six-month-old pups will be watched over closely by their mother, Biscuit, and you are encouraged to come and say “hi” and take some photos with the cute pups.

Commonwealth Games Pups Want To Meet You

Breed Scheme Manager, Dave Raymond, said: “We’re really excited to be supporting the policing operation for The Games and as always at major events, our dogs and their handlers will be there along with lots of other officers to keep everyone safe.  “But we will also have our three little mascots and their mum Biscuit visiting and we really want them to get as much out of their visits as possible.

“It really helps with their development. So if you do see them, please say hello as it really helps develop their social skills that will be vital for their development in becoming furry crime fighters in the future.”  

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Images Of Grave Vandalism At Willenhall Cemetery Spark Fresh Concerns

Walsall Council has released a statement to clarify that images recently circling on social media showing vandalism of children’s graves at Willenhall Lawn Cemetery were from last year.

willenhall cemetery
Willenhall Lawn Cemetery.

The disturbing pictures sparked a new outcry with many believing that a new spate of vandalism had taken place.

Bereavement staff immediately went to examine the graves and found no signs of damage.

The images show damage from approximately 12 months ago and the council reacted by installing CCTV at the cemetery to help prevent further instances of vandalism.

Old Images Spark New Concerns

Councillor Garry Perry, Deputy Leader for Resilient Communities said:

“I imagine that this speculation has very naturally caused a great deal of concern to many bereaved families and I would like to reassure them that we are taking this matter very seriously.

“Our cemeteries are public places for quiet reflection and remembrance and it is important that visitors feel safe on these sites and also that their loved ones’ graves are safe.

“Almost 12 months ago, there was an incident at Willenhall Lawn Cemetery which was investigated and resulted in the installation of additional CCTV. It seems that images taken at that time have appeared again on social media this week and no doubt people seeing those images will believe them to be recent.”

Nevertheless, Councillor Perry states that they will be monitoring the area closely over the next few weeks. He said:

“We are mindful that this time of the year might have some significance to the person who caused the previous damage.  Our cemetery staff will be stepping up our monitoring of this area over the next few weeks.”

If any parents or family members have any information or concerns, please  contact our bereavement services team, or, if they believe a crime has been committed, to contact West Midlands Police.

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New Park, School And Homes In Sandwell Being Built Despite Backlash

Plans to build a new park, homes and a school on a former Oldbury golf course have been given the green light by Sandwell Council.

Despite backlash from the community and a demonstration outside Sandwell’s Council’s chambers by concerned residents, the plans to build on green space at Brandhall Golf Course will be going ahead.

Sandwell Council House was the scene of demonstrations.

Sandwell Council Revises Original Plan

However, the original plan, which included a proposal to build 550 new houses in the area, has been revised following political pressure from the Brandhall Green Space Action Group (BGASG). 

The new plans, approved by Sandwell’s Cabinet, were decided by councillors who were presented five different options upon consideration of what to do with the land. 

After deliberation, the council decided on proposal number 3: Providing land for a new primary school (2.68 hectares), a new public park (26 hectares plus 1.47 hectares for Parsons Hill Park) and around 190 new homes (5 hectares).

New School Is  “Essential”

The current Causeway Green Primary School will soon be rebuilt into a new, modern school for its children, something seemingly essential. 

Headteacher, Julia Shingler, said: “A replacement school is much needed for our local community. The school buildings are ageing, uneconomical to repair and can’t keep being patched up. We very much welcome this news that the local community will benefit from a brand-new school to continue providing high-quality education in modern facilities that are fit to serve children and staff for generations to come.”

Priorities for the area must be deeply considered by the council. Necessities such as ecology, good school facilities and affordable housing- upon increasing demand- and preservation of green space are of greatest importance. However, consideration of council resources and different levels of investment within each sector must be weighed.

Low cost housing is vital for the success of the 190 properties, so, consequently a minimum of 25% are promised to be “affordable”, says the council. The Government has issued a warning over the discrepancy between the number of houses built, compared to the number of houses needed in this area. 

Despite Sandwells ‘brownfield first’ policy (the full potential of brownfield land should be harnessed before any greenfield or Green Belt land is considered for development) little impact is made on the increasing high demand for more housing.

brandhall golf course
Brandhall’s current, open-spaced golf course.

   Peter Hughes, Sandwell Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Growth, said: “We have decided that creating space for around 190 new homes – significantly fewer than the 550 proposed as part of last year’s consultation – is the right balance for the site, having listened to all views and information. There is a desperate need for more housing in Sandwell, especially affordable housing, and we must fulfil our duties to make land available for this.”

New Park To Be More Accessible To Community

He then went on to comment on the development of a 26-hectare park, and the preservation of 1.47 hectares at Parsons Hill Park: “We will be investing in a large, brand-new, high-quality park, making up around 70% of the site. Currently, the site is not managed or maintained as a publicly accessible park, so we will now be able to make the green space at Brandhall much more accessible for all of the local community to use and enjoy.”

“We have also approved the designation of the majority of the site as a Site of Local Importance for Nature Conservation, which will give greater protection to the ecology of this space.”

“We have taken the decision that we feel best meets the future needs of the local community, and Sandwell as a whole.”

Written by Ellie Lovatt.

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Theft of Walsall Drain Covers Escalates, Costing Over £100,00 Of Public Money

The theft of drain covers in Walsall is escalating with West Midlands Police now reporting 342 thefts already this year.

The cost of these thefts to the public purse is reported to be £110,800, which could have been used for other vital services.

missing drain covers
Missing drain covers in Walsall

Consequently, Walsall Council is urging residents to be on the lookout for drain thefts and report them, or come forward with any images or videos that may help catch the perpetrators.  

 It’s believed that the missing drain covers are being sold to scrap dealers and Walsall Council says it will come down hard on anyone involved in purchasing the metal.

Walsall Residents Asked To Be Vigilant

Councillor Mike Bird, Leader of Walsall Council said:

“That’s a significant amount of public money that we’d rather spend on our looked after children and caring for our most vulnerable residents, rather than fixing things after criminals have left our highways in a dangerous condition.

“If residents see this criminal activity in progress, I would ask them to consider their own safety and not attempt to intervene, but report any information they have to West Midlands police via https://west-midlands.police.uk/incident-report and also to Walsall Council via roadworksmanagement@walsall.gov.uk. Any footage from doorbell cameras is particularly welcomed. If we can find them and recover costs from them, we will. We will also come down heavily on scrap dealers who allow these to be ‘weighed in’, as a drain cover’s purpose is patently obvious. 

drain cover
Drain covers come in all shapes and sizes

Councillor Bird also explains that the exercise of replacing the drain covers is more complicated and costly than people might expect.

Replacing Drain Covers Isn’t That Simple

“We have around 37,825 gully covers across the borough, of varying ages, designs and sizes. This means there isn’t a handy stockpile of covers in the yard which can be quickly fitted, so our contractor Tarmac has to ‘plate’ the missing covers while replacements are organised to ensure the safety of highway users.

“We’re not just replacing like for like though. Our approach is to do a more thorough job and install covers in such a way that it will make it very much more difficult for these criminals to get their hands on their ill-gotten gains. It does cost more, but it’s investment for the future.

“I can understand people may think it’s just a 10 minute job, but it isn’t and certainly not if we want to future-proof. When we walk, drive or cycle, we only see the surface, but there’s a lot of engineering underground.

“I’d like to place on the record my thanks to our highways teams for their vigilance and also to Tarmac for their responsiveness; they work closely together to keep us all safe.”

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Warning Over £150 Cost Of Living Council Rebate Deadline

Walsall Council is urging residents to apply for the £150 council tax rebate if they have not already received it.

walsall council office
Walsall Council House

Thousands of pounds has already been sent to residents that pay for their council tax via direct debit to help with the rising costs of living, specifically energy costs.

However, those who pay via alternative means need to ensure that Walsall Council has their bank details, or ask for their council tax bill to be credited.

Thousands Have Not Appplied For Cost Of Living Rebate

Currently, there are over 18,000 homes within council tax bands A to D that have not claimed the rebate.

council tax rebate letter
Government Council Tax rebate letter

Councillor Gaz Ali, Portfolio Holder for Customer Engagement said, “It is so important that people register to claim this £150 payment – this is the council tax rebate that the Government announced earlier in the year to help with the rising cost of energy.

“We have already paid out to around 81% of eligible households, but we need the remaining eligible households to understand they must apply to get the money.

“If residents are struggling with the process they can get support by visiting a community locations local to them. Details are available of where they are on our website. If you have a family member, friend or neighbour that has been unable to register then please do pass on this information.”

For those who have applied online, it is currently taking approximately 14 days for the rebate to be paid.

Councils have been set a deadline to ensure all payments are made by 30 September 2022. Anyone who hasn’t applied for the rebate prior to this time will not receive it.

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NHS 111 Helpline Moving Away From West Midlands Ambulance Service

West Midlands Ambulance Service (WMAS) is to hand over the running of the NHS 111 helpline in October.

ambulance

The service employs approximately 450 staff at its base in Brierley Hill, but will come under control of DHU Healthcare in October, who currently runs the East Midlands 111 service.

As a result, the East and West Midlands NHS 111 services will merge and become integrated as one.

“What is important is that patients will not see any change in the way they access NHS 111 across the East and West Midlands,” WMAS chief executive Anthony Marsh said.

New 111 Helpline Providers Seeking New Local Call Centre

The contract with DCU Healthcare will last for a period of 18 months and the company is currently on the lookout for a new call centre location in Brierley Hill to cause minimum disruption to staff.

WMAS has been in control of the 111 service since 2019, taking approximately one-and-a-half-million calls each year. Once the new contract begins with DHU Healthcare, WMAS plans to focus on improving the 999 service.

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Walsall Leather Museum Announces Summer Holiday Activities

Walsall Leather Museum has outlined its summer holiday activities which run through July and August 2022.

Walsall Leather Museum on Littleton St

Giving youngsters the opportunity to craft leather wristbands, bookmarks and notebooks, your young ones can also look forward to Commonwealth Games activities and much more!

Every Tuesday At Walsall Leather Museum

Have-a-Go Leathercraft

10.30am- 12.30pm & 1.30pm – 3.30pm

  • 26 July – bookmarks
  • 2 August – hanging decoration
  • 9 August – personalised notebook
  • 16 August – leather wristband
  • 23 August – purse

£1.50 – no need to book.

Wednesday Art and Craft Holiday Sessions

  • 10.30am – 12.30pm & 1.30pm – 3.30pm – drop-in, no need to book.

27 July – We are the Champions! Drop-In

  • As the Commonwealth Games arrives in the Midlands, why not drop in and create your own winning medal?
  • £1.50 – no need to book.

Sunday Funday

3 August – Fantasy Stadiums workshop with Rob Conway

  • Make your own fantasy sports stadium.
  • £4 – booking and pre-payment essential.  The session will last 2 hours. Suitable for 5-12s

10 August – Sporting Legends Drop-In

  • Drop in and make your sporting hero finger puppet.
  • £1.50 – no need to book.

17 August – Pottery Portraits Workshop with Kate Tilley

  • Come and make your own textured pottery portrait with artist, Kate Tilley.
  • £4 – booking and pre-payment essential. The session will last 2 hours.  Suitable for 5-12s

24 August – Small World Drop-In with Ruth Turnbull

  • Make yourself a tiny summer scene in a matchbox with artist, Ruth Turnbull.
  • £1.50 – no need to book.

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Five-Year-Old Walsall Boy Dies After Bin Lorry Incident

A five-year-old boy from Walsall has died after being hit by a bin lorry on West Bromwich Road on Sunday 17 July.

Scene of incident on West Bromwich Road – Google images

The boy was reported to be riding his Spider-Man bike near the West Bromwich Road junction with The Broadway when the incident happened.

He was pronounced dead shortly after and The Broadway was closed for investigations.

West Midlands police are appealing for witnesses or anyone with dashcam footage to come forward.

Walsall Council issued the following statement:

“Our deepest condolences to the family of the young boy that sadly died in the road traffic accident that took place on West Bromwich Road yesterday, July 17.

“The council can confirm the vehicle involved was a private vehicle and not engaged in any council work.

“As with all serious road traffic accidents our Highways and Transport team will work with WM Police and follow up on any reports and concerns as part of our future road safety programme planning.”

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Walsall Weather Alert – Residents Issued Advice

With temperatures due to hit up to 39 degrees over the next couple of days, Walsall Council has issued some advice from residents.

A Level 4-Emergency alert has been issued by the Met Office for Monday and Tuesday across the West Midlands with temperatures expected to drop by Wednesday.

Walsall Council Hot Weather Advice

During this period: 

  • Residents are asked to ensure their bins are out for collection by 5.00am on Monday and Tuesday as collections may take place earlier than they usually do. 
  • Our Customer Experience Centre will be taking reports of emergencies and working with service areas to ensure we respond effectively and in a timely manner. 
  • Our services are expected to be extremely busy during the heat wave. Please bear with us and only call in the event of an emergency. This will help us prioritise effectively and return to business as usual more quickly. 
  • The decision to close a school lies with the leadership team and governing body for each school. The council has been working closely with schools in the borough by sharing public health advice regarding the predicted hot weather. Schools will put in place whatever is needed and appropriate to their environment to ensure the health and wellbeing of their staff and pupils. 

Stephen Gunther, Director of Public Health said:  

“As we are entering a period where very high temperatures have been forecast, it is important to look out for each other, especially older people, those with underlying conditions and younger children who may need help to keep cool. Close curtains on rooms that face the sun to keep indoor spaces cool. 

“The hottest hours of the day are between 11:00am and 3:00pm. If you do need to go outside in the heat, keep cool, apply sun cream, wear a hat and drink plenty of water to stay hydrated. Cars can get hot, so never leave infants, young children or animals inside a parked vehicle.  

“If you or others feel unwell, get dizzy, weak or have intense thirst move to a cool place, rehydrate and cool your body down. Call NHS 111 or in an emergency dial 999. 

“By looking out for each other and keeping up to date with the weather forecast, we can beat the heat and enjoy the weather safely.”