Walsall First

10/10/2026

What do you think about in ?

Do you feel that local people have enough say in the decisions that affect their lives and communities? Is it easy to find out what’s happening, have your voice heard and hold decision-makers to account?

Or are there things you think could work differently?

We want to hear from people across Walsall — whether you’re politically engaged or have never really taken part before.

Tell us what you think in the comments.

What’s working? What isn’t? And what would you change?

is campaigning for a Walsall : an independent look at how local democracy works and how local people could have a stronger voice.

https://sites.google.com/view/dbdwalsall (🔗 in bio)

09/10/2026

08/10/2026

This video about Blakenall in is going viral and, frankly, this kind of coverage does us no favours. A town with a proud history, plenty of good people and some genuinely great communities shouldn’t be reduced to a backdrop for videos asking whether it is “the worst place in the UK”.

But if outsiders are coming into Walsall, filming the problems and getting thousands of views by telling the rest of the country how bad things are, perhaps it is time we started asking some rather more uncomfortable questions ourselves.

What is Our Walsall actually doing about the problems people are filming? What is working? What isn't? How much is being spent? What decisions have been made? Who is accountable when things don't improve? And, perhaps most importantly, are local people actually being listened to? Let's not forget has had significant investment in recent years, yet still features in coverage like this.

We don't want to see Walsall dragged through the mud for clicks, but neither should we pretend that everything is fine. Perhaps it's time we stopped simply defending Walsall's reputation and started properly scrutinising the people responsible for running it.

It is with this in mind that we at Walsall First fully support the Democracy by Design Walsall campaign, calling on to invest in a that will examine the democratic deficit in Walsall and propose some solutions. Head on over to https://sites.google.com/view/dbdwalsall to find out more!

Enjoy the videos and music that you love, upload original content and share it all with friends, family and the world on YouTube.

21/09/2026

21/09/2026

Walsall’s future is being decided. Again. This time, make sure you have a say.

The consultation on the ( ) opens today — and if you live, work or run a in the borough, I would strongly encourage you to take the time to look at it and respond.

This is not just another council questionnaire. The will provide the framework for where homes, , and go across , while determining what happens to much of the land and green space around them. It is intended to shape the borough for the next 15 years. The council itself has previously described having an up-to-date plan as essential to retaining local control over where development takes place.

And this is a particularly important moment to engage. Over the last couple of years Walsall has seen arguments over , , and , as well as controversies such as the future of the . We have also just come through a local election that produced a dramatically different political landscape at the council. Yet the Local Plan has been in preparation for years and is now reaching the stage at which it moves towards formal examination.

That creates an obvious democratic question: how much influence do Walsall residents actually have over the decisions that will shape their communities?

With campaigns such as Democracy by Design Walsall already underway, that question is at the heart of local politics right now. I believe local people should have meaningful opportunities to understand decisions, scrutinise them and influence what happens in their communities — rather than finding out about major changes when the arguments have already been settled.

The Local Plan is a very practical opportunity to do exactly that.

There is an important distinction at this stage. Regulation 19 is not simply an invitation to say whether you like the plan. It aims to address whether it has been prepared correctly and whether it meets the tests required for it to be found legally compliant. Those tests include whether it is positively prepared, justified by proportionate evidence, effective and consistent with national planning policy.

So, if you have concerns about a particular site, housing numbers, Green Belt, infrastructure, , employment, land, the protection of heritage or the evidence underpinning the plan, this is the time to get informed and put those concerns on the record.

The consultation runs from 21 September to 2 November 2026.

There are also two public events — an online session on Tuesday 29 September at 6pm and an in-person session at Walsall Town Hall on Wednesday 14 October at 5.30pm. Both include a presentation, Q&A with the council’s planning team and information about how to make a formal representation (booking links below).

Don’t assume somebody else will do it.

Read the plan. Ask questions. Challenge what you think is wrong. Support what you think is right.

And, above all, take part.

This is your borough. Its future shouldn't be something that happens to you.

*********

Walsall Borough Local Plan (WBLP) Regulation 19 Consultation

From the 21st September 2026 to the 2nd November 2026, residents and businesses can have their say on whether they believe the Local Plan has been prepared correctly and whether it meets the national tests required for approval. The plan can be viewed online and in local libraries.

Alongside an online consultation process through Commonplace, interested parties are also invited to the following events:

Tuesday 29 September 2026, 6pm
Online consultation event
Register via Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/walsall-borough-local-plan-regulation-19-consultation-online-meeting-tickets-1997697158979

Wednesday 14 October 2026, 5.30pm
In-person consultation event at Walsall Town Hall
Register via Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/walsall-borough-local-plan-regulation-19-consultation-in-person-meeting-tickets-1994006514161?aff=oddtdtcreator

The events will consist of a presentation about the Local Plan and a Q&A with the council’s planning team, as well as the opportunity to find out how to make a representation on this latest consultation phase. The events are free to attend and open to all, booking via Eventbrite is essential.

https://walsallboroughlocalplan.commonplace.is/news/walsall-borough-local-plan-wblp-regulation-19-consultation

Help guide how land in the borough is used and developed for different uses in the future, such as new homes, jobs, open spaces, and land for nature and other purposes.

17/09/2026

A new campaign has launched in Walsall, calling on the council to find a Democracy Commission, exploring the democratic deficit and potential solutions. Follow the Democracy by Design Walsall page for regular updates, and check out the website https://sites.google.com/view/dbdwalsall

Our .

Want to get involved? Get in touch:

https://sites.google.com/view/dbdwalsall

14/08/2026

The Leader of Walsall Council, Councillor Elaine Williams, has shared a message following the recent increase in fire incidents:

🗨️ “I am deeply saddened by the recent fires in Walsall, having seen first-hand this morning the devastation they have caused.

“My thoughts are with everyone affected. I would like to thank our firefighters and emergency services for their tireless work in keeping people safe, and urge residents to take extra care as we continue to experience dry conditions.”

ℹ️ Please when spending time outdoors. Fires can start and spread quickly in dry conditions, but a few simple precautions can make a big difference. Follow the advice and guidance from West Midlands Fire Service.

12/08/2026

At the beginning of 2026, amidst a wave of ennui, it occurred to me that I should probably get off my arse and do some of the things I am constantly assuring my nearest and dearest would be easily achieved, if only one could be bothered. Perhaps that might reassert some positivity and shake off the malaise of my early forties... and what a first five months it turned out to be!! So exhilaratingly stimulating that the last three have felt like something of a prolonged election comedown; listless days spent poking through local leads - hope of finding some spark of inspiration, even motivation, dwindling in the sapping heat.

But it has been three months since the (not entirely unexpected) political earthquake of May’s local elections, and the time has come for a beady-eyed assessment of the recent past, the present, and the near future. What went wrong for the established two parties to muster only eleven seats between them? Why a huge forty-seat win for Reform? How have they performed so far in power? And what next for these three, along with the growing Community Independents?

Full Article (free): https://walsallfirst.substack.com/p/how-walsall-changed-its-mind-three

24/07/2026

Campaigners fighting against a proposed new school in Reedswood Park have the opportunity to grill councillors at Monday's full council meeting. This is just one of several contentious planning proposals currently being considered in Walsall.

Campaign page: 🌳Keep Reedswood Green🌳 - 🚨 say NO to school development site 🚨