Community News

Councils across ​the West Midlands face a collective funding gap of over £222m in the next financial year forcing them to cut essential services, says a report published by UNISON. 

Waste collections, leisure centres, nurseries and other vital services will all be hit according to the findings based on information* from local authorities in England, Scotland and Wales.

A new ‘Star’ on Broad Street’s celebrated Walk of Stars in Birmingham, is to be awarded to Steve Gibbons, the famous Birmingham singer-songwriter.

The Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Councillor Maureen Cornish, will make the presentation at the Birmingham Rocks event, which opens at Velvet Music Rooms on Broad Street at 5pm on Sunday 6 November.

Work is under way on Birmingham Airport’s new security screening area.

The new facility, being built within the existing terminal building, will result in a speedier, simpler pre-flight security screening process for customers. UK Government requires all airports to be compliant with new standards by 1 June 2024, which is the completion deadline for the project, a total investment of more than £20m.

Members of the RMT and TSSA unions have announced strike action, impacting Network Rail and West Midlands Railway employees on Friday 4, Saturday 5, Monday 7 and Wednesday 9 November 2022. As a result, a limited timetable will be in operation on these dates.
Strike action will also take place across other train operators, with people asked to check before travelling. Apologies are made for the inconvenience caused by this industrial action.

A survey of residents in and around Birmingham by Project Solar UK indicates that now is the time to consider solar energy as an alternative to heat and light our homes. An original poll, six months ago in March 2022 showed 5% of respondents in and around Birmingham said they would switch to an alternative energy source such as solar panels if there was an increase of up to 10% in their electricity bills.

The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games was a wonderful event, with so many iconic people and highlights. Who could forget the amazing Raging Bull at the Opening Ceremony, the many memorable moments with athletes like Eilish McColgan, Adam Peaty, Katrina Johnson-Thompson, Olivia Breen and Delicious Orie and, of course, the Games mascot Perry.

Three more organisations have successfully secured funding from the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) to help better connect their local communities to nature.

All Saints Action Network in Wolverhampton, Marsh Hill Allotments in Stockland Green, Birmingham and Northfield Stroke Club in Birmingham have each received funding under the WMCA’s Community Green Grant scheme which helps green space poor communities improve their existing open spaces and enhance the local environment.

Residents, businesses, schools, faith groups, charities and other organisations are once again being encouraged to 'Orange Wolverhampton' next month, as the city says ‘No’ to interpersonal violence.

The annual Orange Wolverhampton campaign, which begins on 25 November, aims to raise awareness of the city’s continuing drive to end domestic abuse, female genital mutilation, forced marriage, ‘honour-based’ violence, sexual violence and stalking and harassment.

Plans to grow and develop the region’s rail network over the next 30 years are to be revised following the Covid 19 pandemic.

The updated draft West Midlands Rail Investment Strategy sets out how the region’s rail sector plans to tackle challenges like post-pandemic recovery, maximise the benefits of HS2 and contribute to achieving net zero carbon targets. Like the first strategy, issued in 2018, key elements remain the continued development of HS2 and the delivery of the Midlands Rail Hub.

The City of Wolverhampton Council threw its doors open across the city as it launched its Warm Spaces scheme to help residents beat the cold and soaring bills this winter. 

The council opened its own wide range of buildings across the city providing a warm welcome, as well as a Warm Space and somewhere to charge devices, connect to WiFi and get a hot drink. 

Whilst the daughter of the man who saved the Flying Scotsman from being scrapped travelled to England to ride behind the famous train, Wilston Samuel Jackson was being recognised for his part in the illustrious history of the Flying Scotsman.

Penny Pegler, whose father, Alan (Pegler) who bought the redundant locomotive from British Railways in 1963 for £3,000, said that it had been a lovely and special part of her family life, before travelling from her home in Portugal to see the locomotive when it visits Swanage Railway in Dorset later this month.

A network of free-to-use Warm Welcome sites is being made available across Birmingham, with the first hubs opening today as part of the city’s response to the cost-of-living crisis.

Working with our partners, and building on the community response during the pandemic, Birmingham City Council is working with a partnership of voluntary and community sector organisations to help grow a network of spaces for people to use and visit during the winter period and beyond.

In his first speech as Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said that there would be difficult decisions ahead as his new government grapples with what has been describe as “a profound economic crisis". His speech outside No 10 came after he was appointed PM by King Charles.

Mr Sunak promised to deliver the manifesto that won the Conservatives a landslide election victory in 2019. He said he was elected as Tory leader to fix the mistakes made by his predecessor, Liz Truss.

Rishi Sunak has issued a plea for unity in the face of a profound economic challenge after winning the race to be the next prime minister. He won the Tory leadership contest after rival Penny Mordaunt failed to secure enough backing from MPs.

In his first speech, Mr Sunak said bringing his party and the UK together would be his "utmost priority".

Campaigning for change, television personality and author Baroness Benjamin came to the UK in 1960 during the Windrush.

Today she is Chair of the Windrush Commemoration Committee and has used her place in the Lords to draw government attention to the troubles faced by the Windrush generation.

Residents across Wolverhampton will benefit from a further green and healthy way to travel thanks to the launch of a second new cycle route in the city. The new cycle path forms the first section of a high-quality dedicated cycling route which will run along the A4124 Wednesfield Road. 

It was officially launched by Commonwealth Games gold medallist and city Cycling Ambassador Hugh Porter MBE, Councillor Steve Evans, City of Wolverhampton Council’s cabinet member for city environment and climate change, Adam Tranter, West Midlands Cycling and Walking Commissioner and Councillor Lynne Moran, chair of Wolverhampton Cycle Forum.