SANDWELL – A PERSONAL VIEW

 

• Sandwell is a diffuse multi-cultural borough with little obvious geographical identity; now described as the six towns of West Bromwich, Smethwick, Tipton, Oldbury, Rowley Regis and Wednesbury.
• Identity resides more in the people – settled, local communities and dialect! - than in architecture or landscape: pride in local celebrities eg West Bromwich Albion football club.
• Area is dominated by manufacturing industry, council housing and small private housing. There is a big impetus to go ‘up-market’ in the borough: industry to become more hi-tech, and new housing to attract the boom in Birmingham of wealthier individuals (borough is only a few miles from centre of Birmingham) and to hold onto the successful locals. Large drop (8%) in population in last census. Office rental and house prices are low.
• Huge amount of regeneration money coming into the borough – for town centre improvements, health and education interventions (which are well below national averages) and housing developments. Regeneration being driven by the Sandwell Partnership.
• Sandwell has very good transport links – easy access to motorways, three rail routes, new roads, tram as well as canals. But it is said that people use the links to escape, rather than to come!
• Politics have been dominated by Labour for a long time, with a tiny Tory and Liberal Democrat representation and a growing vote for the British National Party in some areas.
• Church relationships are varied and scattered – the borough is crossed by three Anglican Dioceses and two Methodist Districts, as well as a large number of independent churches. Church attendance is generally low with few large church congregations. There are large Sikh, Muslim and Hindu minorities (making up about 15% of the population in total).

 

 

            Rev Peter Sellick Nov 05