Five Black Country towns to share in £100 million government boost

Dudley, Walsall, Darlaston, Bilston and Smethwick will get about £20 million each from the Ministry for Communities, Local Government and Housing.

Walsall will receive £10.25 million next month, followed by a further £10 million next year. The money will be used for improvements to CCTV and a new youth centre to help tackle the root causes of anti-social behaviour, as well as outdoor gym equipment and improvements along the route from the railway station to the town's college.

Dudley, Darlaston, Bilston and Smethwick will get £2 million a year for the next 10 years, and neighbourhood boards will be set up to decide how the money is spent.

"They can choose from options ranging from repairs to pavements and high streets, to setting up low-cost community grocers providing low-cost alternatives when shopping for essentials, as well as co-operatives or even neighbourhood watches," said a government spokeswoman. 

In Walsall, a 'healthy high street' team will promote business engagement, increase activities and events to revive community spirit and boost the local economy.  

New outdoor gym equipment will be installed along the route between Walsall College and the railway station, and improved pedestrian and cycle paths and create a more welcoming route to the town centre with more green spaces, improved signposting and new public art.P

The money will be spent over a two-year period, with the first £10.25 million to be committed by the end of March this year,. and the remaining £10million to be committed by March 2026.

The first portion of funding will cover the purchases of the Park Place shopping centre and former Lex car showroom site in Wolverhampton Road. and support plans for the redevelopment of Walsall’s markets. 

A town centre youth centre will be set up, and the money will also fund the appointment of two town-centre business staff

It will also be used to set up a small capital  grants programme for community groups, as well as working with the existing A’aina Hub for women and children, and the Alumwell Resource Centre. Improvements will also be made to the area around the Walsall canal basin and Gallery Square.

The second round of funding will include the installation of the outdoor gym trail, between the college and the station, and a new plaza with a large digital screen is expected to be created.  

New centres will be created to improve the skills of local people, and improving support for people who speak English as a second language. 

These centres will also support activities such as mental health clubs and domestic abuse prevention. Funding will also provide space in the town centre to deliver health and diagnostic services to reduce pressure on the NHS.   

"Treasured community assets will be saved and the leisure and retail offer in the town centre improved by unlocking future development of the Park Place Shopping Centre and Walsall Waterfront site, boosting the local economy through upgrading the market offer, all of which will protect the unique character and heritage of Walsall," said a spokeswoman for the department.

Local Growth Minister Alex Norris said: “Growth is the Government’s priority and we want every person and community across the country to be part of this. The regeneration and improvements coming to Walsall will really put this town at the forefront of our decade of national renewal.  

“With this £20 million package we are tackling issues that really matter to the region, rather than a one-size fits all approach, this tailored package will guarantee long-term, sustainable growth that means more money in people’s pockets.” 

Councillor Adrian Andrew, Associate Leader of Walsall Council, said: "“It is great news that the Government has confirmed this funding through the Community Regeneration Partnership. Walsall Council is proud to be working in partnership with the Ministry for Communities, Housing and Local Government to deliver a healthier and more prosperous future for Walsall town centre."

He said the money would be spread across 15 new projects that support the council's vision for a thriving, inclusive and sustainable borough by 2040.

"The projects will help us to create opportunities, boost the local economy, improve health outcomes for local people and take back our streets. I look forward to seeing these projects take shape over the coming months.” 

Councillor Stephen Simkins, leader of Wolverhampton Council, said: “We warmly welcome the support for Bilston in the Government’s Plan for Neighbourhoods, which will see the town benefit from up to £2 million a year for the next 10 years.

“Through earlier work we have already established a specific Bilston board and it will now meet to review the latest government guidance and set out plans for how we engage with local people to determine their priorities for the town.”

Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government Angela Rayner MP said: “For years, too many neighbourhoods have been starved of investment, despite their potential to thrive and grow. 

"Communities across the UK have so much to offer, rich cultural capital, unique heritage but most of all, an understanding of their own neighbourhood. 

“We will do things differently, our plan for neighbourhoods puts local people in the driving seat of their potential, having control of where the Whitehall cash goes – what issues they want to tackle, where they want to regenerate and what growth they want turbocharge.”