Local Headlines
-
Former Stourbridge bank to become chicken restaurant
Stourbridge looks set for another restaurant and takeaway after planners approved conversion of the former Nat West bank.
-
Food waste collections for Dudley borough
Food waste collections will start in Dudley at some point before the end of March 2026 the council has confirmed and will be part of the normal recycling and rubbish collection process.
-
Lib Dems drop out of council election in north Dudley wards
Dudley’s Lib Dems have agreed to not stand in Gornal and Sedgley in the upcoming local elections in a bid to benefit independent candidates in the north of the borough who are targeting Conservative voters.
-
£16.6m boost for buses across the West Midlands
Increased frequency bus services, more safety officers and better live arrival information are among improvements being planned as part of a £16.5m funding package.
-
10 years for County Lines drugs dealer in Dudley
A man has been sent to prison for running an operation selling heroin and crack cocaine to drug users in Dudley.
-
Work underway at former museum and art gallery building
A £4 million transform of two Dudley landmark buildings are getting underway as part of an exciting new Entertainment Quarter.
-
New business partnership set up for Dudley town centre
A new multi-stakeholder partnership has been formed with local businesses to stimulate the local economy and improve the vibrancy of Dudley town centre.
-
Birmingham’s Cavern Club gets listed status
A Birmingham pub where Black Sabbath played their first gig has been given Grade II listed status by Historic England.
-
All change for Sandwell's political boundaries
The periodic review of constituency boundaries carried out last year will see the old parliamentary seats of West Bromwich East, West Bromwich West, Warley and Halesowen and Rowley Regis scrapped, redrawn and renamed West Bromwich, Tipton and Wednesbury, Smethwick, and Halesowen.
-
Environment projects share £300,000 of new funding
Eight locally led projects have shared almost £300,000 in the first round of grants from the West Midlands Combined Authority’s £1 million Community Environment Fund.
-
Police appeal after woman hit by car and lost unborn baby in West Bromwich
West Midlands Police are appealing for witnesses after a woman sustained serious injuries and lost her unborn baby after being hit by a car in Hill Top, West Bromwich.
-
Dog fouling order across Dudley extended for three years
An order which cracks down on dog fouling and bans canines from fenced off children’s play areas has been extended.
-
Sharp rise in school suspensions and exclusions
The number of pupils excluded from Dudley schools has risen sharply since the start of the current academic year.
-
Telecare user numbers down by a third after price hike
Dudley’s Telecare service saw user numbers drop by a third after a hike in charges.
-
Company and director sentenced after employer crushed to death
A company and its director have been sentenced following the death of an employee.
-
More than £200,000 to be spent in community from developer levy
More than £200,000 is to be allocated on two schemes in Stourbridge from a levy on developers building in the borough.
-
Dudley Zoo to celebrate an egg-splosion of colour this Easter
Dudley Zoo and Castle has a cracking variety of activities lined up for the Easter holidays as it celebrates an ‘Egg-splosion of Colour’.
-
Black Country to benefit from £6.1 billion transport revolution
Transport for West Midlands is investing £6.1 billion to deliver a transport revolution across the region, expanding Metro, bus, rail, cycling and walking networks.
-
Wall Heath primary school to boost kids’ online safety
Wall Heath school children get boost to online safety skills with help from Google, Parent Zone and Dudley South MP Mike Wood.
-
Boy arrested on suspicion of murder after teenager fatally stabbed at West Park
West Midlands Police have arrested a 16-year-old boy on suspicion of murder after a teenager was fatally stabbed at Wolverhampton’s West Park.
-
Community ambassadors from Kingswinford and Wall heath will be standing at the local council elections
Shaz Saleem, a former councillor in Kingswinford North will be leading a team of community members to stand in the local election.
-
Bromley Pensnett Primary School celebrates new Ofsted rating
Dudley South MP Mike Wood has joined pupils, staff and parents at Bromley Pensnett Primary School to celebrate the school’s recent Ofsted success.
-
Planners have given the go-ahead for a new Hindu temple in Lye listed building.
The three-storey building, on the junction of Stourbridge Road and Dudley Road in Lye, is currently occupied by an off-licence and restaurant.
-
Walsall education programme wins at West Midlands Natural Environment Awards
The winners of the second West Midlands Natural Environment Awards were announced last Thursday evening, with a community garden in Birmingham, an outdoor education programme in Walsall, a tree planting campaign in Solihull and work to restore lost meadows picking up the prizes.
-
Brierley Hill Market remains open during works
Shoppers are being reminded that Brierley Hill Market is very much open for business as major refurbishment works are undertaken to this important heritage asset.
-
'Youth takeover' of council meeting to give views on key issues
Sandwell Council's SHAPE programme initiated a 'youth takeover' of the council's Cabinet and Leadership Team meeting.
-
Council plans to close nursery saying dwindling numbers were draining budget
A council is pushing ahead with permanently closing a nursery after the number of children attending fell by more than half in five years.
-
Halesowen school gets academy green light
Dudley Council has given the go-ahead for a Halesowen primary school to leave the authority’s control to join an academy trust.
-
Government intervention at Sandwell Council to end
The Minister for Local Government, Simon Hoare MP, has confirmed that Government intervention at Sandwell Council will come to an end.
-
Bonnie & Clyde UK Tour opens in Wolverhampton
Bonnie & Clyde The Musical has opened at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, marking the official beginning of the 2024 UK and Ireland tour.
-
Reminder to register to vote
Residents in Dudley borough are being urged to register if they want to vote in the elections in May.
-
Bar’s licence suspended after ‘serious’ police complaints
A bar and grill’s licence has been suspended following police complaints about “serious” crime and disorder.
-
Black Country BGT star releases debut book
Black Country BGT finalist, Eva Abley has released a new book charting the highs and lows of living with Cerebral Palsy.
-
Homes plan on pub site set to fail
Plans to build houses on the site of a former pub in Walsall are set to fail due to the ‘Cannock Chase Tax’.
-
Budget approved but still a mountain to climb
Dudley’s finance chief admitted the council has a mountain to climb during a debate on the 2024 budget.
-
New cycle path approved despite objections
A new cycle route linking West Bromwich town centre with Sandwell Valley has been backed by the council.
-
Police make arrest after ten-year-old found dead
Police have arrested a woman on suspicion of murder after a ten-year-old girl was discovered dead in Rowley Regis.
-
More funding for adults and children in Dudley borough
More than £40 million of extra funding is being invested in services for adults and children to tackle the financial pressure on the system.
-
Green bin charge and council tax rise confirmed after budget approval
A charge for green waste collection and a 4.99% rise in council tax were confirmed at last nights full council meeting in Dudley.
-
Youth service closures could cause more trouble on the streets
Former councillor Shaz Saleem, believes changes to youth services could cause more anti-social behaviour on the streets of Dudley
-
Financial crisis explained: why Dudley nearly went bust
A meeting of full council on Monday March 4 is expected to approve the financial package for 2024/25 which, despite the savings, will still require the use of dwindling reserves to fill a £5.5m gap between spending and the authority’s income.
-
New local travel hubs bring cycle hire and transport services to Halesowen
New local travel hubs offering communities easy access to bikes, electric car chargers and other services are to be trialled on the streets of Halesowen.
-
Stolen vehicles discovered following search of suspected Dudley chop shop
West Midlands Police have discovered stolen cars alongside a collection of other suspected stolen car parts following a search of a suspected chop shop in Dudley.
-
Fifteen sentenced to more than 100 years for conspiracy to burgle
Fifteen men have been jailed for over 100 years for their parts in a string of burglary offences which culminated in the murder of two men in February 2020.
-
Dudley tree planting will boost butterfly habitats
Dudley Council has overseen two days of tree planting at the borough’s two National Nature Reserves.
-
Council tax hike as budget is agreed
A near-five per cent hike in council tax along with increased charges and cuts to services will come into effect after Walsall Council agreed its budget.
-
Work worth millions in Brierley Hill approved
Delayed regeneration work in Brierley Hill worth millions of pounds will now be delivered by March 2025.
-
Mum's go free at Dudley Zoo
Dudley Zoo are bringing back their Mums go free offer as part of the attraction's Mother’s Day celebrations.
-
Dudley celebrates ten years of same sex marriage
It’s nearly ten years since the first same sex marriage ceremony was held in the UK and Dudley Council wants to celebrate.
-
Private firm will double parking officer numbers in Dudley
Dudley Council is planning to more than double the number of parking enforcement officers pounding the borough’s streets.
-
Council clashes with PCC on off-road bikes
A row has blown up between Dudley Council and the police commissioner’s office over how to tackle illegal off-road motorbikes.
-
Council prepares to take legal action against developer
Walsall Council is preparing to take legal action in the High Court against a national housing developer to protect the interests of its residents.
-
Governors needed for Sandwell schools
Sandwell Council is launching a year-long campaign encouraging residents to volunteer as school governors across the borough.
-
‘Stalwart’ local councillor resigns with immediate effect
Long-serving Conservative councillor for Kingswinford South, Peter Miller has resigned from the Conservative party with immediate effect.
-
Sedgley pop-up tip site enjoys busy opening day
Thirteen tonnes of waste were collected at Sedgley’s first pop-up tip as Dudley borough residents kicked off their spring cleaning.
-
Public barred from crunch council meeting
Members of the public will be barred from a crucial Walsall Council meeting after it was halted by Pro-Palestine protesters.
-
Controversial plan for homes on much-loved green space approved
A much-loved green space enjoyed by children and dog walkers will be lost after controversial plans for new homes were backed by the council.
-
Paul Smith steps down as manager of Halesowen Town
Paul Smith has stood down as Manager of Halesowen Town FC with immediate effect.
-
Crooked House owners ordered to rebuild pub exactly as it was before fire
A local campaign group are celebrating after an enforcement notice was issued against the owners of the Crooked House pub requiring it to be rebuilt exactly as it was before it was knocked down.
-
Sandwell Council makes serious and unsubstantiated allegations during Ombudsman investigation
Sandwell council refused to let a vulnerable mother have her representative present at an important meeting and made serious and unsubstantiated allegations about both of them during an investigation by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.
-
Man Arrested Over Bartley Green Shooting
A 20 year-old man’s been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder following a shooting in Bartley Green on Sunday.