Tag: Walsall Council

Starting in September 2024, families in Walsall can benefit from a new initiative aimed at making childcare more affordable and accessible. The introduction of these new childcare codes marks a significant step forward in supporting parents and guardians, ensuring that children have access to quality early education and care.

Walsall Council has announced that eligible families can now apply for these childcare codes, which will provide up to 30 hours of free childcare per week for children aged 3 to 4 years old. This initiative is part of a broader effort to support working families and enhance early childhood development.

How to Apply

Parents and guardians can apply for the childcare codes through Walsall Council’s official website or at designated community centres throughout the town. The application process involves an online form, requiring basic information about the family’s income and employment status. Once approved, families will receive a unique code that can be presented to participating childcare providers to access the free hours.

To be eligible, both parents must be working (or the sole parent in a single-parent family), and each must earn a minimum equivalent of 16 hours per week at the National Minimum Wage or Living Wage. However, families where one parent is in receipt of benefits related to disability or caring responsibilities may also qualify.

Benefits of the Scheme

The introduction of these childcare codes is expected to have numerous positive impacts on the Walsall community. By reducing childcare costs, parents and guardians can reallocate their resources towards other essential needs, thereby improving the overall quality of life for their families. Furthermore, access to early childhood education has been shown to significantly enhance children’s cognitive, social, and emotional development, laying a strong foundation for future learning and success.

Local childcare providers are enthusiastic about the new scheme, anticipating an increase in enrolments. “We are excited to welcome more families to our nursery,” said Sarah Williams, director of Little Stars Nursery. “The free hours will allow more children to benefit from our educational programs, giving them the best start in life.”

You can check the eligibility requirements here > https://tinyurl.com/j7m5kvx3

Community Support and Engagement

In addition to the 30 hours of free childcare, the council is also exploring partnerships with local businesses and organisations to provide additional support services for families, such as parenting workshops and financial planning assistance.

Members of Walsall Council’s Youth Justice Service team will be climbing Snowdon this weekend to raise money for the James Brindley Foundation.

A team of 11 will take on the ‘Pyg Track, an 11km, six-hour ascent to the top of the mountain.

Funds raised will go towards helping tackle the causes of youth violence.

The James Brindley Foundation was set up in 2017 following the death of the Aldridge teenager who was stabbed in the heart while walking home.

“I’ve spent a fair amount of time speaking with Mark Brindley to understand his experience of the justice system and try and imagine what it must have been like for him and his family,” said Phil Rutherford, Youth Justice Service Strategic Lead.

“For me, Mark and the James Brindley Foundation serve as a great inspiration and we as a team wanted to play some role in the great work they do.

“We are having a bit of competition as a team to see who can raise the most money, and any donations would be greatly appreciated.”

If you’d like to support the team and donate, head over to the James Brindley Foundation website.

Walsall Council is one of twenty local authorities that is taking part in a new initiative to recruit more staff into the early years sector.

The recruitment drive will give approved childcare providers a cash incentive of £1,580. While £580 can be set aside for tax and national insurance payments, the remaining £1,000 will be given to the new starter.

To be eligible for the funding, providers must be registered to offer Early Education Funding, be located in Walsall and request permission from the Council to use the incentive in job adverts.

Providers can apply for the funding here.

The £1,000 incentive will be for new starters, or those returning to early years work if they haven’t worked for a childcare provider over the last six months. The new position must also be permanent and they must be working with children for 70% of the time.

Anthony Harris has been elected as the new Mayor of Walsall. The election, held on May 22, 2024, saw Harris, a long-time community advocate and local councillor, secure a decisive victory.

Harris, who has been a dedicated member of the Walsall Council for over a decade, is well-known for his commitment to social issues and community development. His campaign focused on improving local infrastructure, increasing support for small businesses, and enhancing social services, particularly for the elderly and youth.

“It’s a huge honour to have been selected to serve as Mayor of Walsall and I’m looking forward to serving the borough over the next 12 months,” Harris stated in his inaugural speech.

A lifelong resident of Walsall, Harris has a background in education and social work, which has shaped his compassionate approach to leadership. He has previously chaired several key committees, including the Health and Wellbeing Board and the Children and Young People’s Scrutiny Committee. His work in these roles has earned him widespread respect and admiration.

One of Harris’s primary goals as mayor is to address the economic challenges facing Walsall. He plans to implement a series of initiatives aimed at revitalising the local economy, including attracting new businesses to the area and supporting existing enterprises. His vision includes creating more job opportunities and fostering a business-friendly environment that encourages innovation and growth.

In addition to economic development, Harris is also passionate about enhancing the town’s educational facilities and services. He has pledged to work closely with local schools, colleges, and universities to ensure that Walsall’s youth have access to quality education and opportunities for personal and professional development.

As he begins his term, Harris has called for unity and collaboration among the residents of Walsall. He emphasises the importance of community involvement and has invited all citizens to participate actively in the town’s development. “Together, we can achieve great things,” he remarked. “Let’s work hand in hand to make Walsall a better place for everyone.”

The new mayor has already started to outline his plans for the coming months, promising transparency and regular updates on his progress.

 

Triathlon England has teamed up with Walsall Council to deliver a new plan aimed at improving the health and wellbeing of local residents.

The focal point of the collaboration is Birchills, which has been earmarked as one of 17 priority zones under Triathlon England’s initiative, ‘The Big Active’. Plans will now be laid out to help the Birchills community get more active through the likes of walking, swimming and cycling.

“It’s great to work closely with Walsall Council to support local people to get active and improve their health and wellbeing,” said Helen Marney, Director of Development, British Triathlon.

“The council has recently created more active travel routes and we’re looking forward to helping people make the most of them as well as taking advantage of the fantastic green spaces and leisure centres available to them. “

The partnership follows work by Walsall Council with the Canal and River Trust to make travel routes around the borough more accessible. This includes improving tow paths in Bloxwich and Willenhall to create more efficient cycle routes.

 

 

Walsall Council has announced a ban on public attendance at its council meetings, following a recent Pro-Palestine protest at a full council meeting last week.

The council’s decision came in the wake of a demonstration where Pro-Palestine activists interrupted a council session to demand action with shouts of “ceasefire now” causing significant disruption that led the meeting to being abandoned.

Walsall Council stated that the ban is a temporary measure, aimed at ensuring the safety of both council members and the public, citing vulnerabilities in their security protocols and raising concerns over the potential for future incidents that could compromise the council’s ability to conduct its business effectively.

The ban has implications for how Walsall residents engage with their local government. For some, attending council meetings is a direct way to stay informed, express opinions, and hold elected officials accountable. The decision to exclude the public from meetings has left some residents feeling disenfranchised and disconnected from the decision-making processes that affect their lives.

In response to the backlash, the council is reportedly considering alternative approaches to address security concerns without completely shutting out the public. This includes stricter security checks for attendees, rather than an outright ban.

A meeting held at Walsall Council was interrupted this evening (22 February 2024) following a “public disturbance” from the gallery.

Following prayers by St. Martin’s vicar Jenny Mayo-Lythall, the meeting, hosted by Walsall mayor Chris Towe, was disrupted by multiple members of the public shouting out “ceasefire now” and other inaudible remarks. 

The mayor called for a temporary adjournment to clear the gallery as elected members swiftly left the chamber.

Pioneer Magazines contacted Walsall Council for comment. A spokesperson stated: “The meeting of Full Council on Thursday 22 February 2024 was adjourned shortly after 6pm due to a protest in the public gallery. The meeting will be rescheduled for another date.”

At a Walsall Council meeting held yesterday by the Education Overview and Scrutiny Committee, the latest figures show that youth unemployment in Walsall is almost twice the national average.

Though it was noted that progress had been made between 2000 and 2020, recent statistics show that youngsters not in education, employment and training (NEET) are rising.

The current UK average is 5%, while the rate in the borough of Walsall stands at 9.2% (2,060 aged between 18-24). The highest area of youth unemployment in the West Midlands is in Wolverhampton (10.9%).

The figure for Walsall is up 11.4% compared to the previous year.

From the minutes:

“In addition, recent increases in economic inactivity have been driven largely by young people, many of whom are inactive because of health-related reasons. The picture is even more stark for young people in our most deprived wards, and furthermore for those with particular characteristics, including care leavers, young offenders, young people with disabilities and some ethnic minorities.

On skills levels, 16,400 of the working age population have no qualifications in Walsall requiring 5,693 to be upskilled to meet regional averages. At a higher level, only 27.2% or 46,900 of Walsall residents possess a NVQ Level 4+.”

Walsall Council plans to work alongside the WMCA as well as training providers, employers and partners to help develop solutions.

Full Education Overview and Scrutiny Committee minutes