Walsall Council is set for a packed agenda as it convenes for its first full council meeting of 2026, with members poised to question the cabinet on seven critical local issues.
Key Questions on Waste, Schools and Housing
The session, scheduled for 6pm on Monday, January 12, 2026, at Walsall Council House, will see councillors probe topics ranging from a costly new recycling centre to school transport policy and ambitious housing delivery targets. The diverse set of questions reflects the broad challenges facing the Black Country authority in the new year.
Scrutiny Over Dormant 'Super Tip' and Litter
A significant focus will be on waste management. Councillor Graham Eardley, the authority's sole Reform UK member for Pelsall, will demand to know how much public money is being spent to keep the current Merchants Way tip operational while the new 'state-of-the-art' Household Waste Recycling Centre on Middlemore Lane remains closed.
This new facility, built on the former McKechnie Brass works site and completed in 2025, cannot open until the Environment Agency grants an operating permit. The council has stated it will not close Merchants Way until the Fryers Road tip in Bloxwich is redeveloped.
Meanwhile, independent councillor for Blakenall, Pete Smith, will seek data on the efforts of volunteer litter pickers and ask for details on the council's strategy to combat fly-tipping.
Debate on School Walks and New Free School Site
Education and travel are also up for discussion. Labour group leader Councillor Matt Ward will call for assurances that Walsall will not follow Warwickshire County Council's lead in proposing to increase the statutory walking distance to school from three to five miles. Ward warns such a move would have 'serious consequences for working families'.
Elaine Williams, chair of the Walsall and Bloxwich Reform UK branch, will question why Reedswood Park has been selected as the proposed site for a new free school, given that thousands of new homes are planned for the western part of the borough.
Pressure on Housing Delivery and Heritage Celebration
With the Labour government instructing Walsall to deliver 1,200 homes per year, Conservative councillor for Brownhills, Ken Ferguson, will raise concerns. He will ask what happens if the council fails to meet this target by relying solely on brownfield sites and refusing to use green belt land.
Councillor Ward will also query what measures the council is taking to secure a portion of the £1.7 billion government funding for its decade-long social and affordable homes programme.
In a nod to local history, Labour candidate Lee Jeavons will ask if the council plans to mark the 100th anniversary of the Schneider Trophy win in 2026. The winning seaplane was piloted by Walsall aviator Group Captain Sidney Webster, and the project later contributed to the development of the Spitfire.
The meeting promises a robust start to Walsall's political year, setting the stage for key decisions on infrastructure, public services, and community priorities.
