Smethwick Town Newsletter - March 2026

Untaxed and abandoned vehicles removed in Smethwick

Operations have been targeting the growing issue of untaxed and abandoned vehicles littering the streets of Smethwick. These vehicles had been dumped on the roadside leading to complaints from members of the public. 

Sandwell Council led a co-ordinated effort alongside partners, including West Midlands Police. November's operation focused on Heath Street, Cranford Street, Fawdry Street and Alma Street, aimed at seizing vehicles and cleaning up our streets.

Twenty-three vehicles were subject to enforcement, seven vehicles were removed from the highway, 18 penalty charge notices (PCNs) were issued, £1,600 worth of fines were imposed. Heath Street also received a full street clean from Serco.

A further operation took place in Alma Street in January. Working with our partners, West Midlands Police and Penham Excel, we removed two vehicles, issued 17 PCNs and issued six fines for unnecessary obstruction to the highway via the police.

Watch our Facebook video to see us in action.

And just last week, we held another operation in Woodburn Road, Anne Road and Perrott Street, tackling untaxed and abandoned vehicles and responding to residents' concerns about parking. Eight vehicles were removed, seven PCNs were issued and police gave warnings to a further eight vehicle owners.

West Smethwick Park is a national award winner

Sixteen parks and green spaces in Sandwell have been recognised as well managed.

We were particularly pleased that West Smethwick Park is the latest park to be awarded this status. The Green Flag Awards are an international scheme recognising well managed parks and open spaces.

West Smethwick Park has recently benefited from a £5.1million restoration and improvement project supported by the National Lottery Fund’s Parks for People programme and Sandwell Council.

Thanks to all the staff and volunteers who have helped achieve this result and to everyone who uses the park.

Find out where our other Green Flag parks and green spaces are in Sandwell.

West Smethwick Park was also the setting for the launch of our network of nine Football Foundation PlayZones – safe, inclusive, and accessible outdoor sports facilities – across the borough, thanks to a transformative £1.7million funding from the Premier League, The FA and government’s Football Foundation. Other Football PlayZones in Smethwick are at Victoria Park, Windmill SAFS and Lewisham Park.

Regenerating Smethwick

In March 2025, the government announced Smethwick is set to benefit from up to £20million over the next decade through its Pride in Place programme (previously known as the Plan for Neighbourhoods programme).

The Smethwick Partnership Board, which oversees the programme, and the council held extensive engagement with residents, businesses and community groups last year to understand local priorities.

We gathered feedback through an online survey and eight community workshops held across Smethwick. Thanks to everyone who took part.

Find out the latest on the plan and government feedback on our submission in our Smethwick Partnership Board newsletter.

Smethwick Enterprise Centre

Departments from across the council, the police and fire service came together for a site visit which took place late last year at the former Smethwick Enterprise Centre in Rolfe Street.

The site has been derelict for some time.

Rough sleepers had gained unauthorised access to us it as a place to sleep.

Two people accepted support and engaged with the team. We are keeping an eye on the situation and will update in future newsletters.

We have now secured planning permission for the demolition of the centre, following consultation with Historic England, whereby some of the facades are to be retained as part of the future redevelopment.

'Green hit squads' hard at work

Since October, our 'green hit squads' have been hard at work across all of Sandwell's six towns, tackling long-standing ‘grot spot’ areas and making our neighbourhoods cleaner, greener and safer.

This year we’ve invested £250,000 focusing on places that have traditionally been problem spots, transforming them into spaces the whole community can be proud of.

The photo to the right shows the open space off Brasshouse Lane, near to Galton Valley Canal Heritage Centre, following a 'green hit squad' tidy-up. Another tidy-up was by a bus shelter in Queen's Road.

These are just two of the dozens of 'green hit squad' clean-ups across Smethwick, with visible differences made in each ward.

Watch the video to see the difference made across Sandwell and the reaction from our residents.

Clean-up in Abbey ward

Residents in Abbey ward highlighted the issue of household and commercial waste bins being left out on pavements.

In response, we have created a task group made up of Serco, the recycling team and our environmental health and protection teams. We are looking at how we tackle waste storage and presentation and support local residents to have the appropriate bins and bags.

We want to make sure you receive the correct information about when collections happen and how to book additional services such as a slot at the tip or a bulky waste collection.

Clean-up on Metric Estate

We recently arranged a walkabout and community clean-up session on the Metric Estate.

We looked at areas which need cleaning, something we are doing in every ward across Sandwell with our 'green hit squads'.

This included cutting back overgrown vegetation, tidying grass edging and a general tidy of the estate.

Litter Watch organised a community litter pick and recycling officers asked residents about how we might achieve better recycling levels on the estate.

We were also joined by West Midlands Police who were on hand to discuss any concerns.

Watch our Facebook video from the Metric Estate walkabout and clean-up session.

Big improvements for parks and green spaces

We're proud to be investing this year to improve parks and green spaces across Sandwell.

You've told us how much these spaces mean to you, and this investment is helping to make them greener, safer and more enjoyable for residents of all ages.

Some local examples are the improved tennis courts at Victoria Park, Smethwick, a new cycleway for Black Patch Park in Soho and Victoria, and new bins installed at Harry Mitchell Park.

These are just a few examples of what's been achieved so far, with even more exciting improvements planned to keep Sandwell's parks and green spaces thriving.

Unett Street play area improvements

We have started improvement works at Unett Street play area, marking a significant milestone in the council’s ongoing commitment to enhancing local green spaces for residents.

The project will see an investment of £100,000 into the play area, delivering major upgrades to both the junior and toddler play zones. The refurbishment will include all key play functions, such as climbing, sliding, swinging and spinning, creating a fun, safe and inclusive environment for children of all ages and abilities.

The improvements at Unett Street have been driven by local residents helping to shape the vision for a revitalised play area that meets the needs of local families. Their involvement has played a key role in ensuring the investment reflects what matters most to the community.

Road safety projects – responding to residents' concerns

Sandwell Council has begun work on a series of 38 new priority road safety projects across the borough as part of its Community Road Safety Concern Programme this year.

Six are already completed or nearing completion, including traffic calming in Thimblemill Road, Smethwick. More projects are on the way.

Over the past 25 years, Sandwell has halved the number of casualties on its roads, including reducing child casualties by 60 per cent. This significant reduction follows a long-term programme of targeted engineering measures, road safety education, and support for police enforcement action.

The council is continuing this work through its Community Road Safety Concern Programme, which focuses on locations where residents, councillors and MPs have raised repeated safety concerns – even in places where accident records have not previously met the thresholds set out in the council’s Strategic Road Safety Plan 2024–2030.

Read more about Sandwell's Community Road Safety Concern Programme.

New Learning Campus set to transform skills

A major new Learning Campus is set to open on the Midland Metropolitan University Hospital site, marking a significant milestone in the regeneration of Smethwick and the wider Sandwell area.

The campus will expand access to education, training, and professional development for residents of all ages, helping local people gain the skills needed for future careers in a rapidly changing economy.

Developed through a unique partnership between Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS trust and its Learning Works, Sandwell College, the University of Wolverhampton, Aston University, and Sandwell Council, the Learning Campus will provide access to entry-level learning through to Level 7 programmes, with long-term ambitions to expand advanced study opportunities across the community.

The partners share a commitment to improving life chances, strengthening the local skills base, and ensuring the site becomes a long-term asset for local people.

The project has been made possible through significant investment from the government's Towns Fund programme and the West Midlands Combined Authority.

Apprenticeships – Making it in Sandwell!

Sandwell Council has already achieved its ambition of 100 new apprenticeships, marking a significant milestone in turning the Sandwell Story into reality.

Following the successful launch of the Making It Sandwell campaign last year, this achievement demonstrates that the council’s promises are creating real opportunities for local people to help build their careers in public service.

As the largest employer in Sandwell and a recognised Top 100 Apprenticeship Employer, the council is demonstrating its commitment to raising aspirations and delivering excellent public service.

To mark this achievement, Sandwell Council hosted a special apprenticeship event to recognise our new colleagues. 

The initiative forms part of the council’s Sandwell Story, a project to celebrate, champion and bring people together in making Sandwell a great place to live, learn, work and visit. The apprenticeship programme spans a range of sectors including administration, engineering, social care and digital services, reflecting Sandwell Council’s commitment to meeting the needs of a diverse and evolving local economy.

Watch our celebration video for our new apprentices.