Coseley is the 'forgotten and neglected part of Dudley borough', according to Reform UK councillor Sat Sherwani, who was elected in May 2026. Representing the ward, he says the area suffers from an identity crisis, with outsiders failing to recognise its roots within Dudley.
Overgrown verges and flytipping
Cllr Sherwani highlighted overgrown grass verges and flytipping on the streets of his ward as evidence of neglect. He said: 'Coseley's ignored. It's been ignored for many years. We are part of Dudley borough but there are people out there who do not live in Coseley telling me, are you from Wolverhampton or is it Sandwell? Or is it Dudley? There is an identity issue here, we are not on the map here. There is nothing because the funding that's coming down is being allocated to other parts of the borough.'
Investment priorities elsewhere
Dudley's Place-Based Strategy, adopted in 2024, identifies Brierley Hill, Dudley town centre, Halesowen, Stourbridge and Lye as priorities for investment. Coseley is not listed. Cllr Sherwani's concerns echo those of his Labour ward colleague, Cllr Sue Ridney, who said in 2022 that residents felt neglected and abandoned.
Loss of amenities
Coseley has seen the closure of several amenities in recent years. The swimming baths closed in 2009 despite a public campaign to save them. Public toilets in the village centre were shut by the council in 2011, prompting claims that businesses were affected. In 2017, Coseley School closed due to poor performance and falling pupil numbers.
Waste centre withdrawal
In 2021, Dudley Council pulled out of an agreement with Wolverhampton Council that allowed Coseley residents to use the Anchor Lane waste centre. Dudley's only household waste centre is now in Stourbridge. While the council operates pop-up tips in nearby Sedgley, Cllr Sherwani says residents struggle to book slots, leading to increased flytipping. He said: 'When the pop-up tip idea initially started, I found it quite appealing, for me it was better than nothing. But that was about two years ago, over time it's proved pretty much useless, people can't get slots and that has led to a flytipping increase. A local tip is needed to reduce flytipping, it should not require a trip to get to a tip.'
Coseley as the 'crown jewel'
Cllr Sherwani added: 'Coseley is the access point into the borough, if we leave Coseley looking untidy you are making the whole borough look untidy. Coseley is the crown jewel of the borough.'
