Big stores in Wednesbury are urged to help town

Sandwell Council is contacting larger retailers in the town asking them to get involved in future initiatives to help residents in the town. It comes after councillors raised concerns larger stores were not "putting enough back" into the town. At a recent meeting of the authority's Six Towns Scrutiny Committee, members decided to contact store bosses urging them to take a more active role.

The council is now writing to chains such as Morrisons, Iceland, Ikea and Next.

Councillors said schemes, such as the town's Foodbank, would benefit from additional donations of cash or goods which could be provided by the chain stores.

The authority's area services manager will be asking stores how they presently support the community and how they could do more in the future.

Wednesbury councillor Geoffrey Lewis said: "This has been a concern to councillors for some time and I am glad some progress is now being made. There have been instances in the past where help has been requested from the larger stores to aid community schemes and there has simply been no response.

"All we are asking is for these stores, which are generally chains, to give more help to the community. After all it is residents in the town who shop there every week and keep them open. I do not think it is too much to ask for them to put more back into the community."

Councillor Lewis said it was hoped responses from the stores would be received in the near future and the matter could be taken forward.