Senior figures at Walsall Council are set to face intense scrutiny over the borough's housing crisis and the potential loss of protected green belt land at a crucial meeting next week.
Three Key Questions on Housing Pressure
The full council meeting, scheduled for 6pm on Monday, January 12, 2026, will see leaders answer three submitted questions. These probe the contentious issues of school placement, government funding, and the consequences of refusing high housing targets.
Elaine Williams, chair of the Walsall and Bloxwich Reform UK branch, has challenged the logic behind selecting a site at Reedswood Park for a new free school. She points to the draft local plan, which proposes thousands of new homes on green belt land in areas like Bloxwich, Pelsall, Brownhills, Aldridge, Streetly, and Pheasey.
"Why," she asks, "has a site been chosen that is not within statutory walking distance for the majority of these proposed new housing developments, which will themselves create demand for school places?"
Securing Funding and Facing Targets
Labour group leader, Councillor Matt Ward, will press the council on its strategy to secure a portion of a major £1.7 billion government fund. This funding, part of the Social and Affordable Homes Programme for 2026–2036, is allocated to the West Midlands region.
Councillor Ward's question seeks clarity on the specific steps Walsall is taking to get a "fair and proportionate share" of this money. The aim is to deliver new social rent homes, support estate regeneration, and tackle areas of acute housing need within the borough.
Green Belt Protection vs. Government Mandates
The third question, from Conservative member Councillor Ken Ferguson, confronts the heart of the planning dilemma. He highlights the Labour government's instruction for Walsall to deliver 1,200 houses per year—a figure he notes is considerably higher than recent averages.
Councillor Ferguson demands to know the consequences if the council chooses to protect the green belt and only include brownfield sites in its borough plan, thereby potentially failing to meet the government-imposed target.
The meeting at Walsall Council House promises to be a pivotal moment in the debate over how the borough balances urgent housing needs with the preservation of its valued green spaces.
