Dog owners can get their pets microchipped for free at an event being held in the City of Wolverhampton.

RSPCA Stafford, Wolverhampton and District Branch are working in partnership with City of Wolverhampton Council’s Public Protection team to offer the service at West Park on Saturday, September 23, from 10am to 2pm.

A new law which came into force on April 6, 2016, requires all dogs over eight weeks old in England, Scotland and Wales to be microchipped.

The measures are aimed at cracking down on vicious or illegal dogs as well as helping protect animals that may become lost.

Dogs need to be microchipped and registered with their keepers’ contact details. All keepers, including breeders, will need to keep these details up to date.

The microchip is the size of a grain of rice and its information about the dog and the owner’s contact details will be officially held on an approved micro-chip database.

Councillor Steve Evans, City of Wolverhampton Council Cabinet Member for City Environment, said: “Microchipping is a great way to make sure that you and your pet can be reunited should the unthinkable ever happen, and your dog does go missing.

“Unlike dog tags and collars, which can fall off or be removed, microchipping is a permanent form of identification. By microchipping your companion, you can help to increase your chances of being rightfully reunited with your pet, should they ever be lost or even stolen from you.”

If a pet is already microchipped, it is important to remember to keep the dog’s details updated. If people move house or change phone number, they should contact their microchip database provider to let them know.

Not only it is a legal requirement to ensure that contact details are up-to-date, but the microchip is useless without them.

Jenny Stringer, Chair of RSPCA Stafford, Wolverhampton and District Branch Chair, said: “There are so many owners that aren't aware that by law all dogs must be microchipped, so the local RSPCA Stafford Wolverhampton & District Branch have held a number of events to help microchip local animals.

“Thousands of animals are lost every year and many never reunited with their owners - having your dog microchipped reduces this happening. We are really pleased to be working in conjunction with the council to provide this free service at West Park. Microchipping can cost up to £25 so it's a huge saving.”

If a dog without a microchip comes to the attention of the authorities, its keeper could be served with a notice requiring the dog to be microchipped, and may face criminal prosecution and a £500 fine if they do not comply with the notice.

The only exemption is where a vet has certified in writing that a dog is unfit to have the chip fitted.

Wildflowers could be adding a splash of colour to gardens as well as grass verges in Sandwell next summer.

In the spring, Sandwell Council planted wildflowers on grass verges and roundabouts – reducing the need for mowing and creating a haven for bees and butterflies.

Photographs of the flowers received more than 1,500 likes on the council's Facebook page and were seen by close to 100,000 people.

Sandwell Council’s cabinet member for highways Councillor David Hosell said: “We’ve had so many compliments and enquiries from residents who wanted to buy the seeds that we’re working with our supplier to see if we can sell the seeds for people to plant in their own gardens next spring.”

Cranberry and blood orange liqueur brand, Cranes, names Danilo Sassanelli of Soho based bar, Graphic Bar as the winner of their first cocktail competition.

Competitors were challenged to create innovative cocktails that will 'Paint the Town Red', with the only specification that they included 20ml of Cranes Cranberry & Blood Orange Liqueur.

Danilo of Graphic Bar, London, triumphed over two other competitors in the final of the competition, which took place at the Prince of Wales, Brixton on 11th September.

The contest was judged by Tom Arnold, who also judged the WFA Flair Bartending World Championship; Sean Cambridge, mixologist and Cocktail bar manager; and twin brothers and co-founders of the Cranes brand, Benjamin and Daniel Ritsema.

Danilo was awarded a cash prize, a years supply of Cranes liqueur for the bar he's employed by and also the title of Cranes Brand Ambassador.

The other finalists were Sammy from First Aid Box and Louis from The Shrub and Shutter, who both created exquisite cocktails.

The winning cocktail '160 Cranes' consisted of;

• 25ml Cranes
• 30ml Calvados
• 5ml Aperol
• 25ml Lime juice
• 5ml cider vinegar
• Bergamot bitters
• Egg white

People are being urged to sign up for adult learning in Sandwell.

Sandwell Adult and Family Learning (SAFL) has held three open days where hundreds of new learners have enrolled on a wide range of courses.

Learners have been signing up to courses in English and maths as well as employability courses offering support on writing CVs and interview skills. There has also been a good take-up of the more creative courses such as art, sewing and textiles courses.

Adult learner Moreen Campbell has already completed courses at Tipton College and has again signed up for more courses this term.

After studying English at entry level and Level 1 Moreen is going on to study for her Level 2 in English which is equivalent to a GCSE. While doing her English studies, Moreen learned about the sewing and dressmaking classes on offer and has now signed up for her third term on that course.

Moreen said: "I love coming to the adult learning classes. The staff have given me real encouragement with my studies. My confidence has improved and I'm glad I've been given the opportunity to better myself.

"Before signing up for the sewing and dressmaking course, I couldn't sew at all but now I'm making my own dresses. I'd recommend adult learning to anyone."

Students can enrol on classes for this term until the end of September. Enrolment is taking place at any of the three adult learning centres; Tipton College in Alexandra Road, Ron Davis Centre in Smethwick and Hateley Heath Family Education and Training Centre in West Bromwich.

Councillor Simon Hackett went along to the recent open day at Tipton College and met the staff along with some new learners. He said: "The learners I met were so enthusiastic about the courses they have done and the tutors who taught them. It was great to see them signing up for more courses.”

“I encourage people to have a look at the courses on offer and enrol. There really is something for everyone including GCSE equivalent qualifications.”

To find out more details about the courses on offer please visit www.learnsafl.ac.uk or call 0121 557 0387. Alternatively you can go along to any of our colleges to find out more.

The Crowne Plaza Hotel Birmingham on Monday evening played host to an auspicious gathering of BME Civic, Faith, Housing and Community Leaders, amassed for an appreciation dinner in honour of the West Midlands Combined Authority Mayor, Andy Street CBE.

Invited by Nehemiah UCHA Honorary President, Bishop W R Powell, OBE & Chairman Mr Jimmy Ogunshakin, the assembled group welcomed Mr Street and congratulated him on his election to Mayor of the West Midlands.

Nehemiah UCHA are a Housing Association with a portfolio of 1100 properties serving the multicultural African Caribbean, Asian, Irish and European communities within the West Midlands, and the night was as much a celebration of their success over the years as well as honouring Andy Street.

"With such an influential group of leaders from across the West Midlands here, thank you very much for bringing everyone together tonight," Mr Street began, "Part of my reason for coming tonight is to learn from what you all do, and to build those relationships."

"There is no point in saying what you're going to do during a campaign, if you're not prepared to actually do it when you're in office as well. I am determined to continue the engagement of all of the communities, because genuinely I believe that being Mayor has to mean being Mayor of the whole of the West Midlands, not just one community."

Mr Street fielded questions from the room adequetly, talking expertly on the topics of Social Change, Housing, and his first 100 days in office, with his usual charismatic charm shining through, immediately putting everyone at ease.

For someone who stepped into the political arena from a business background, and set out a checklist of promises that by his own admission, he would be judged on, he was brutally honest in his admission that those promises haven't all been hit to the standard he would have liked, yet. A true breath of fresh air from a politician.

With regards to the Homelessness Task Force, Andy agreed with a statement from Nehemiah UCHA Chief Executive Llewellyn Graham earlier in the evening, that "actually the government record on this is poor, we have to lobby carefully to win change and drive improvement in that area, and I'm pleased to say that everyone is coming together to do that."

Nehemiah UCHA have responded to the needs of their customers by providing large homes for those with extended families, specially designed homes for people with disabilities or specific religious/cultural needs, and energy efficient homes to minimise the impact of fuel poverty. They are committed to serving the community and aims to build it into a thriving social unit in which people of all ethnic backgrounds feel at home and valued.

With the help and support of those gathered in the room, and the wider communities they represent, Andy Street definitely has a good ear to the ground to discern exactly what is required. Whether he is able to enact change for the betterment of these communities as he has set out to do, only time will tell.

Councillors are being asked to flick the switch on plans for brand new Christmas lights to brighten up Sandwell’s towns and neighbourhoods over the coming years.

A four-year contract to supply distinctive Christmas lights in each of the borough’s six towns, as well as neighbourhoods, is being considered by cabinet.

It is hoped new lights would make for great switch-on events, create a sense of community pride and overall brighten up the borough.

Councillor Syeda Khatun, deputy leader, said: “Our current contract is coming to an end and so this is an opportunity to brighten up the borough with updated Christmas lights and great switch on events at each of our towns from 2018 onwards.”

A report to cabinet says the current contract with an external company ends in January 2018 and the council needs to start the procurement process for a new four-year contract.

It says the current contract is based on a mixed hire and ownership basis whereby the council owns some of the lights and hires others with the contractor responsible for installing, repairing, removing and storing the lights as part of the contract.

And it adds some of the council-owned lights are now reaching the end of their life and need replacing.

If approved a new tender for £600,000 over four years will be drawn up looking for a supplier who can provide the most eye-catching lights to make the most impact across the borough.

The report before cabinet on September 20 says most councils hire lights because it allows the cost to be spread over the term of the contract and removes large upfront capital costs.

The new contract will place a high priority on the quality of the lights as well as excellent ongoing aftercare and would include a minimum of 396 column-mounted lighting motifs, 10 small tree lights for trees outside Oldbury Council House and Wednesbury traffic island; 16 festoon lights for Christmas trees in:

•                     Bearwood (Lightwoods);

•                     Blackheath;

•        Birchley Island sign

•                     Langley (High Street);

•                     Oldbury (Council House);

•                     Old Hill (Reddall Hill Road);

•                     Smethwick (Council House);

•                     Smethwick (rear of Victoria park hotel);

•                     Tipton (Owen Street);

•                     Cradley Heath (Mary McArthur Memorial Gardens);

•                     Wednesbury (Crankhall Lane);

•                     Wednesbury (Union Street);

•                     West Bromwich (Queens Square);

•                     West Bromwich (Junction one island;

•                     West Bromwich (Carters Green);

•                     West Bromwich (Stone Cross)