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Latest News

Walsall Proud Programme update

As part of the Walsall Proud Programme, there have been almost 40 workshops held to help shape the design of our new way of working. These workshops — involving more than 200 people from all directorates — have focused on specific workstreams such as technology, income, third party spend and assets. The information captured is informing the detailed design of the nine Walsall Proud themes.

Good progress in being made and a special Core Brief is planned for 11 April. Following this there will be a number of all-staff briefings at various venues between Friday 12 April and Wednesday 17 April. More information about the times and venues will be released shortly but for now please ‘hold the date’ during this period to maximise your opportunity to attend a face to face briefing similar in format to those held in November 2018.

A question has been raised via [email protected] regarding the make-up of the Walsall Proud Programme Board. The board is chaired by Helen Paterson and members include:  all Walsall Proud Programme theme leads (members of CMT)  our newly appointed Assistant Director, Transformation and Digital Penny Mell  Scott Bailey, Ian Evans and Viv Tong representing strategic partner PwC  Helen Dudson — communications lead  Patricia Newman — programme support.

If you have any questions or comments regarding the Walsall Proud Programme please email [email protected]

Information Governance team update

The Information Governance (IG) team have created a FAQs section on the intranet for service areas to access when they have a query. Any questions that are not answered in the FAQs can be referred to the IG team by phoning 01922 650970.

The topics covered under the FAQs include: consent, data processing/sharing agreements, engaging with third party providers, data protection impact assessments, data breach incidents and questions around training.

If there is anything we have not covered and you would like us to cover in the FAQs, please send your feedback to [email protected]

Do you want to view your accounts online? Online services for Walsall Council tax, business rates and benefits are now available, providing you with instant access to your accounts and notification letters. You can access the revenues and benefits services online by registering via the council website.

Our online services mean you will no longer need to contact the council but instead be able to access your information from the comfort of your own home, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. More online services will be rolled out over the coming year to bring your services into the 21st century

Registration is quick and simple, further information on how to register can be found at: www.walsall.gov.uk/benefits www.walsall.gov.uk/counciltax www.walsall.gov.uk/businessrates

Registering for council tax online will allow you to:  View your council tax accounts online – you will have the ability to view your account. information, balances, instalment information and receive e-billing.  Sign up to pay by direct debit via your account.  View your housing benefit and/or council tax reduction claim information via your council tax account if applicable.  Make payments online.

Registering for benefits online will allow you to:  View your housing benefit decision letters online, you will receive notifications to alert you every time a new letter is ready to view.  Make an online application for housing benefit and/or council tax reduction 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  Upload evidence to support your new application at the point of application – removing the need for you to post evidence or visit us.  Make payments towards housing benefit overpayments online.

Registering for business rates online will allow you to:  View your business rates accounts online – you will have the ability to view your account information, balances and instalment information.  E-billing – you will be able to view your bills via your account 24/7.  Sign up to pay by direct debit via your account.  Make payments online.  View your current rateable value.

Willenhall and railway stations: Drop-in sessions

Willenhall and Darlaston have been selected by the West Midlands Rail Executive and Transport for West Midlands for two new stations. These are aimed to connect the community to the regional and national rail network with services to Walsall, Wolverhampton and New Street stations.

You can view the proposals and have your say by clicking here (until 29 March) or go to a drop-in session.

Drop-in sessions will be held on Monday 18 March at the Saddlers Centre between 11am and 6pm, Tuesday 19 March at Willenhall Chart Centre between 1pm and 8:30pm, Wednesday 20 March at the Walsall New Art Gallery between 1pm and 4pm, Thursday 21 March at Willenhall Library between 2pm and 5:45pm, Monday 25 March at Moxley People’s Centre between 9am and 3:30pm and Tuesday 26 March at Darlaston Town Hall between 1pm and 7pm.

For more information please email [email protected] or call 0121 214 7423

Lent 80 can challenge

As part of Lent, Foodbank has set a challenge, open to anyone, to collect and donate 80 cans of food for the next 40 days and 40 nights (from 8 March to 18 April).

The challenge can be taken up anywhere, from home, in the workplace and at school, church and other religious communities, plus clubs or societies.

It need not be cans – packets and toiletry items are needed too. Donation suggestions include 1L cartons of UHT milk, tinned fruit, jam / marmalade, medium sized boxes of cereal, tinned meat, shampoo, toothpaste, hand wash, deodorant and can openers. For full list, please email the contact below. When you have got your items and if you would like them collected, please email [email protected]

Healthy Royal Mail annual price increase

With effect from Monday 25 March, Royal Mail’s new price tariffs come in to effect on standard franked mail and postage stamps. The price increase on 1st class is quite substantial this time, with 1st class incurring an increase of 4p to 38p and 2nd class items incurring an increase of 2p to 19p across all categories, namely letter, large letter, small & medium parcels. Stamps are also increasing from 67p to 70p for a 1st class letter, with 2nd class increasing from 58p to 61p. See attached for the price increases in more detail.

All staff are reminded that postage is a non-essential spend so the most cost effective option of 2nd class should always be used, unless specific legislation dictates the use of 1st class or there is a specific business time critical need for 1st class, for example situations where the council needs to be seen to have acted swiftly. All letter size items should be presented for posting out in a typed format with a full address and postcode, as these items are classed as “Clean Mail” so the Council gets a discount on these items, for example a 2nd class clean mail compliant letter costs 34p, as opposed to 41p if the item is handwritten.

If you would like examples of clean mail compliant letter formats or wish to discuss the price increase in more detail, please contact Kerri Crutchley on 01922 650315.

Training & Development

Upcoming Learning & Development courses: places still available

Learning and Development can offer a wide range of learning opportunities to staff, including agency and temporary employees. For information, please visit our webpage on Inside Walsall. Adult Social Care staff should also visit our workforce development website for opportunities targeted at the wider adult social care workforce. Full information on all of our e-learning and classroom courses is available by logging onto eCentral.

Course title Target audience & overview Date, Time & Location Agile Working This elearning module is available to all Walsall Council staff as an introduction to Click here to book on – generic agile working and the benefits that it can bring.

Basic Business This elearning module is available to all Walsall Council staff and is aimed at helping Click here to book on Maths those who lack confidence in using mathematics for business & within Excel.

Modern Slavery & Awareness raising sessions on Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking targeting specific audiences. Click here to book on Human Trafficking These courses are mandatory for all first responders & front line staff. Other staff Awareness may attend T2 course or complete the elearning module on eCentral.

Vital skills for This course is aimed at budget holders. Click here to book on budget holders Corporate This course is aimed at any new employees joining the council who are  27/03/2019 Induction recommended to attend the course within the first two months of joining. Staff 9.30am - 4.30pm in Oak Room, HR, Civic Centre are encouraged to discuss this with their line manager as part of their workplace Click here to book on

induction. This course is aimed at any new employees joining the council. Coaching Skills This course will equip you with basic knowledge and the skills required to initiate informal coaching  03/04/2019 Gym Cohort 2 conversations, enabling personal growth and increased confidence in teams and individuals. 9.30am – 12.30pm in Oak Room, Civic Centre Click here to book on

Safeguarding for The aim of this two day workshop is to support staff with the responsibility of  25 and 26/04/2019, Managers (Internal being the Safeguarding Enquiry Manager of section 42 Safeguarding Enquiries to 9.30am - 4.30pm at Forest Arts Centre Adult Safeguarding be able to implement their key legislative duties and responsibilities introduced by Click here to book on Staff Only) the Care Act 2014.

Resilience and This course is designed for all Walsall Council employees. Book on to this course if  09/05/2019 Me you wish to look at personal resilience and gain some tips and ideas for building a 9:30am - 4pm at Forest Arts Centre resilience toolkit. Click here to book on

Accessing Learning and Development courses

All Learning and Development courses are now available through eCentral. Through your account you can: - undertake e-learning - view available courses and dates - book onto one of our classroom courses Simply log into your account (always use Google Chrome): walsall.learningpool.com/login/index.php or to find out more on how to book onto our courses click here.

Workplace autism course

Pioneered by the National Autistic Society (NAS), World Autism Awareness Week (from 1 to 7 April) aims to draw attention to the 700,000 people living with autism in the UK – both to educate those unaware of the condition, and to help make the world friendlier to those who are affected by it.

 Did you know there are approximately 3,000 people in Walsall living with autism?

To support this event, the learning and development team will be raising awareness of how to support someone in the workplace who is autistic with a two-hour taster session.

‘The Workplace Autism’ course will take place on Thursday 4 April, from 2 to 4pm and is aimed at supervisors/managers who would like to know more about autism, how to support someone in the workplace, and practical adjustments that can be made to help people cope with daily challenges at work.

The two-hour session will cover:  What is autism

 Daily life for people living with autism  Myth busters and perception  Support in the workplace There are limited places available so registration will operate on a first come first served basis. To book a place on this course login to your eCentral account For enquiries or further information contact Stephanie Charles or Sharon Davies in the Learning and Development Team on 01922 655535 or 01922 658431.

Training and employment event

Walsall Council in partnership with the Saddlers Centre will host a Training and Employment event aimed at providing jobs, training and apprenticeships to young adults aged 16-29.

The event is organised by Walsall Council’s Black Country Impact team (Children’s Services) on Tuesday 26 March from 10am – 3pm at the Saddlers Shopping Centre (Park Street, Walsall, WS1 1YS).

Training providers including Walsall College, Juniper, Nacro and Rathbone along with employers will be on hand to offer jobs, training and apprenticeship opportunities. Black Country Impact advisors will also be in attendance to offer information, advice and guidance.

For further information contact Black Country Impact Walsall on 01922 636333 or email [email protected]

Autism IT library sessions

IT sessions for adults with Autism are now being held every Friday, from 11am to 1pm at the Walsall Disability Hub (Ground Floor at 17 Lichfield Street Walsall, WS1 1TU).

These weekly classes will give opportunities to try out IT equipment and apps, with support and guidance.

With a wide range of apps, those attending will be able to gain confidence and become more familiar in accessing technology in a supportive and relaxed environment. Sessions cost £1 each and includes a hot drink.

For more information please call 01922 616 798 or email [email protected]

Pelsall Tuition Centre

Maths tuition sessions are held at Pelsall Village Centre (High St, Pelsall, WS3 4LX) every Saturday afternoon from 12:30pm.

The classes cover GCSE Maths and A Level Maths, plus exam preparations. For more information & booking, please contact Tara on 0795 023 8587.

Walsall Works Job Club

Walsall Works Job Clubs are now running throughout Walsall in many of the district and community libraries across the borough. Job Club is open to all Walsall residents but participants do need to book a place in advance of attending. To find out more about Job Clubs or for more information, visit the Walsall Works website on www.walsallworks.com, call the team on 01922 654353 or email [email protected]

Work Experience – do you or are you able to offer work experience placements in your area?

Do you regularly arrange work experience placements within your team? Are you willing to offer placements over the next financial year? If you are, please send details of your team and who to contact to the Recruitment team so that the work experience webpage can be updated with your details.

Many schools and individuals contact the recruitment team weekly, looking for work experience placements. As the team no longer have the capacity to arrange these on behalf of service areas, people are directed to the webpage so that they can contact areas direct. To view the webpage please click here.

Please email any information to: [email protected] or call 01922 655673 if you need to discuss this further.

Black Country Impact registerees: Work experience placements

If any teams are interested in offering work experience placements to any young people registered with Black Country Impact then please contact Rob Beck on Ex 5594 or email [email protected]

Events

Take a look at what’s coming up at Forest Arts Centre: See what’s on at the New Art Gallery: http://www.forestartscentre.co.uk/whats-on/ http://thenewartgallerywalsall.org.uk/whats-on/

Conservation volunteers needed

Enjoy the great outdoors? Want to meet new people? Interested in conserving our local environment? Walsall Countryside Conservation Volunteers are always looking for new people to join. There are plenty of conservation tasks to suit everyone.

The volunteer group at Park Lime Pits local nature reserve will meet each Thursday throughout the rest of March, between 10am and 3pm where they are practicing the traditional woodland craft of hedge laying.

As well as benefitting our local natural environment, working outdoors can help to improve your physical and mental well-being, keeping you active and connected to other like-minded people. It is a great way to develop useful skills and make new friends. The group is friendly and always welcoming to new volunteers. Expect a light workout from lifting, bending and stretching and please bring a packed lunch and drink with you. Sturdy footwear and waterproofs will be needed.

The work party meet at the end of Mellish Drive (Walsall, WS4 2HW) at 10am and work until 3pm. Volunteers do not have to stay all day; any time given will be more than appreciated. Please contact the group to say you would like to come along beforehand, so the right equipment will be there on the day. You can email [email protected] or call 01922 654220.

Caldmore Community Garden: volunteers needed

The team at Caldmore Community Garden (12 Carless St, Walsall WS1 3RH) holds their volunteer days every Thursday and is looking for more to join the team. Volunteers will have the chance to focus on gardening and maintenance, prepare the garden for upcoming events, do some planning and have a few laughs, plus cups of tea. . If it is your first time here, you can come for a quick tour of the garden and to get to know our regulars — everyone is welcome. For more information please email [email protected] or call 07871813252. For additional details please go to the Facebook Page.

Dance classes: Pelsall Community Centre

Dance classes are held at Pelsall Community Centre (Station Rd, Pelsall Walsall, WS3 4BQ):

 Old Time Dancing classes are held on Thursdays from 8 to 10pm – £2.50 per person.  Sequence and Ballroom Dance lessons are held on Sundays from 8 to 11pm – £3 per person.

For more information please call the Centre Manager on 01922 682156 or email [email protected]

Walsall Arboretum Parkrun

A free, weekly, timed 5km walk/jog/run takes place at Walsall Arboretum every Saturday from 9am.

Organised by volunteers, it is a friendly, welcoming event open to all ages and abilities whatever their pace. The group usually has a post-run drink and a chat at the café in the Arboretum Visitor Centre.

Although it is free to join, you must register before your first run (and bring a printed copy of the barcode you receive on registration). For more information please go to Walsall Parkrun’s website, Facebook page or email [email protected]

Walsall Walk On: local health walks

There are more than 20 volunteer-led walks per week across the Walsall borough. Each walk varies in length and terrain with distances from approximately one to six miles, and are free to join.

For more information please click here.

‘The Cork Club’: Brownhills Community Centre

‘The Cork Club’, a new play by Jennifer Smith will be performed at Brownhills Community Centre (Chester Rd North, Brownhills, Walsall, WS8 7JW) on Saturday 23 March. Doors open at 7pm for the 7:30pm performance.

The plot focuses on four school boys in the Summer of 1911, who form a secret friendship group – ‘The Cork Club’. When war breaks out in 1914, the friends are called up to serve the trenches, where their friendship is tested more than ever.

Tickets cost £11 for adults and £9 for under 16s. To book tickets please call the box office (between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday) on 01543 452 119 or order online here. For additional details on the play please click here.

Walsall parks spring clean

As part of the Great British Spring Clean a number of events have been planned to give you the opportunity to take part and help your local environment:

 Reedswood Park community litter pick The community litter pick at Reedswood Park (Bentley Lane, Birchills, Walsall, WS2 8SP) will be taking place on Saturday 23 March, from 10am to 12pm and then 1 to 3pm. Those taking part will be meeting at the Sons of Rest.

 Willenhall Memorial Park & Nature Reserve spring clean The event on Sunday 24 March, will first take place at Fibbersley Nature Reserve (Noose Ln, Willenhall WV13 3BJ) for a litter pick between 10am and 12pm – volunteers will meet at Noose Lane Car Park.

The day will then continue at Willenhall Memorial Park (Pinson Rd, Willenhall WV13 2PW), from 1pm to 3pm for a spring clean – everyone involved will be at the Pavilion.

Everyone is welcome to join these events – all ages. Please note: Under 18s should be accompanied by a parent / carer. Please wear sensible footwear and clothing. Equipment is provided. To ensure there is enough, please register your interest by calling 01922 653344 or email [email protected]

Merrions Wood spring clean

As part of the Great British Spring Clean, the friends group of Merrions Wood nature reserve will be holding a spring clean on Saturday 23 March, from 11am to 1pm. The group will meet at St Margaret’s Church (Chapel Lane, Walsall, B43 7BA) for 10:45am. Under 18’s must be accompanied by an adult.

For more information please email [email protected] or phone/text 0790 588 6957. For more information on the friends group, please click here.

Quiz night: The Salvation Army

The Willenhall branch of the Salvation Army will be holding a charity quiz night at their centre (Field Street, Willenhall, WV13 2NY) on Saturday 23 March, from 6 to 8pm.

Prices are £3 per adult, £2 for under 14s (junior quiz included) and under 7s free (activities included).

To book please contact Gemma on 07803 566260 or email [email protected]

Charity Zumbathon

Five Star Community Centre (75 Willenhall Rd, Darlaston, WS10 8JG) will be holding a Zumbathon Fundraiser on Sunday 24 March, between 2 and 4pm, to raise money for Birmingham Children’s Hospital, specifically ward 10. In addition there will also be stalls and a raffle with great prizes.

The bar will be open for refreshments.Admission is £5 for adults and £3.50 for children. For more information about the event, please click here.

Spring Fair: Pelsall Methodist Church

Pelsall Methodist Church (Chapel St, Pelsall, WS3 4LN) will being holding a spring fair on Saturday 30 March, between 11am and 2pm.

The event will include stalls, refreshments and a raffle. Admission is free. All proceeds will go to Walsall North Foodbank. For more information please call 01922 445802 or email [email protected]

Walsall Leather Museum: Medieval myths and Walsall’s wands

On Wednesday 3 April, Walsall Leather Museum (Littleton St West, WS2 8EW) will be offering a rare opportunity to get a close up view of Bayard’s Colts. These artefacts are 17 clubs now held at the museum, which have intrigued people for centuries.

The event, taking place between 7:30pm and 9pm, will include a talk about the history of the objects by guest speaker, Dr Marianne Ailes (University of Bristol), a storyteller reciting the medieval legend of Bayard, plus light refreshments.

Admission is free. To help catering please book a place by emailing [email protected]

Pelsall vintage fair

A Vintage fair (hosted by Vintage Duo’s Vintage Fairs) will be held at Pelsall Community Centre (Station Rd, Pelsall, Walsall, WS3 4BQ) on Sunday 7 April, between 11am and 3pm. Entry is £1 per adults.

The day will include more than 25 stalls selling a variety of vintage, retro and handmade items, plus a tea room and live entertainment. You will have the chance to win a £10 voucher to be spent at the fair if you come dressed in vintage attire.

For more information please email [email protected] or click here.

Mahaan Nagai Kirtan 2019

As part of the 320th Anniversary of Khalsa Panth and Vaisakhi, a number of Walsall’s Sikh Gurdwaras will be holding Mahan Nagar Kirtan 2019 on Sunday 14 April (on Vaisakhi Day itself). Nishan Sahib De Seva will take place on Saturday 13 April from 12pm onwards.

The event will start at Guru Nanak Sikh Temple (127 St, Caldmore, WS1 4DB) from 10:30am. It will then pass through Nanaksar Gurdwara (Wellington St, Pleck, WS2 9QR) and Darbar Sri Guru Granth Sahib (Rollingmill St, Pleck, WS2 9EQ), before returning to Guru Nanak Sikh Temple at 2pm.

For more information please call 01922 622199 or click here.

Country and western night

The Rotary Club of Darlaston will be holding a country and western night at Darlaston Town Hall (Victoria Rd, Darlaston, WS10 8AA) on Saturday 13 April, from 7pm. The evening will include the music of John Wildwood and Friends. A bar and food will be also available throughout the event.

Tickets cost £5 each (available from Town Hall or any Darlaston Rotarian). All proceeds for Rotary in Darlaston Good Causes. For more information please email [email protected]

Willenhall Memorial Park’s Easter Eggstravaganza

To celebrate Easter an Easter egg hunt will be held at Willenhall Memorial Park (Pinson Rd, Willenhall, WV13 2PW) on Sunday 21 April, between 10:30am and 1:30pm, admission is free.

The event, starting at the pavilion, will kick off a series of other activities during Easter Sunday including live music at the bandstand, a tea party in the sunken garden, a craft club in the pavilion, fishing club taster session and taster sessions from the park’s bike project.

Alphonso’s traditional ice cream van, will also donate an ice cream to the 50 lucky gold star Easter egg hunt winners.

Pre-registration is required – to register please click here.

Aldridge Spring Market

The Aldridge Spring Market will return on Saturday 27 April, between 10am and 4pm at Aldridge Shopping Centre (Anchor Parade, WS9 8QR).

The day will include an Easter Egg Hunt, craft and homemade gifts, food and drink stalls and a fun fayre. Stalls are available to be booked.

To book a stall or for more information please email [email protected] For additional details please click here.

Gosocte Greenacres Plant Sale

Goscote Greenacres Community Garden (Goscote Lane, Blakenall, Walsall, WS3 1SJ) will be holding a plant sale on Saturday 11 May, from 1pm to 4pm.

On sale will be a range of bedding and vegetable plants, plus products from the farm shop. The event will also include free art activities for children, a community barbeque and pizza oven, plus the official opening of the willow sculptures.

For more information please email [email protected] or call 0777 858 2362. For additional details go to the Facebook page.

Walsall 5k 2019: Race for Life

As part of Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life, a 5k race will be held at Walsall Arboretum (Broadway North, Walsall, WS1 2QB) on Sunday 12 May, starting at 11am.

The 5k course runs along the paths of the Arboretum before passing the play area and back to the finish line. The track is mainly flat on tarmac paths, but areas towards the end are on grass. The course is suitable for wheelchair users (with assistance on grassed areas – wheelchair users can take a shortcut at grassy areas, which eliminates 1km).

Parking is available within the Arboretum – please use the main entrance off Broadway North. There will be a drop off point within the car parking area. The event will include a spectator cheering point, face painting and other activates within the event area.

Entry is £14.99 for adults, £10 for children and free for under 6s. To book your place, please click here. For details on the event, please click here.

Staff Discounts

Race for Life discounts for council staff

A 30% discount offer on any Race for Life event is available for council staff and friends/family.

Race for Life is a series of fundraising events, organised by Cancer Research UK. They involve running, jogging or walking a 5k, 10k or 'Pretty Muddy' course and raise sponsorship doing it. These events are open to people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds take part in the Race for Life.

The nearest event is at Walsall Arboretum on Sunday 12 May (see article above)

The code for staff to receive the discount is: WALRFL19 For more information please contact Kirsten Shore, Cancer Research Area Events Manager of the Midlands at [email protected] or 07919 526739.

Discounted Theatre Tickets

Madagascar: 7 May 2019 Stalls at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre - £29.50 each

Rock of Ages: 30 May 2019 Stalls at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre - £38.00 each

Rumours of Fleetwood Mac: Thursday 23 May 2019 Rows E & F at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre - £32.00 each

Menopause: 4 June 2019 Stalls Wolverhampton Grand Theatre – £31.00 each

The Bodyguard: 3 July 2019 Centre Stalls at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre – Rows J & K at– £47.50 each

Rocky Horror Show: 17 October 2019 Front Centre Stalls at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre – £34.50 each

Panto – Dick Whittington: 10 December 2019 Centre Stalls at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre - Rows A to D – £25.50, Rows E to P - £23, Rows Q - £19.50 (Saving of £8 a ticket and no booking fees on normal ticket prices for this night)

The King and I: 2 January 2020 Centre Dress Circle at Birmingham Alexandra Theatre - £44 each

For further details or to reserve tickets, please email [email protected] or [email protected]

Staff News

Welcome to Walsall

Resources and Transformation Assistant Director Transformation and Digital Penny Mell

Penny Mell has been appointed as Resources and Transformation’s new Assistant Director for Transformation and Digital. Penny joined Walsall Council on 4 March from her previous position as Head of Business Improvement, Dorset Councils Partnership.

In her previous roles, Penny has been responsible for both operational delivery in areas such as IT and Customer Services as well as the design and delivery of multiple transformation programmes covering areas such as organisational redesign, enabling technology, workforce development and customer access and digitalisation.

From Penny: “I am thrilled to have joined Walsall Council at such an exciting time. I am passionate about public service and about transforming the way we think and work. I am very much looking forward to meeting you and having the opportunity to work with you as we deliver the Walsall Proud Programme.”

Children’s Services Assistant Director Access and Achievement Sharon Kelly

Sharon Kelly joined Children’s Services on 1 March as the new Assistant Director for Access and Achievement. Sharon joins Walsall Council from her previous position as Director of Education Services at Entrust Education Services.

Sharon has 25 years of experience in the field of education, having started out as a newly qualified teacher in 1994 with a desire to make a difference to the lives of children. Sharon became a Headteacher just 14 years later.

From Sharon: “I have really enjoyed my six years with Entrust and am now looking forward to the challenges and opportunities of working for Walsall Council. I know that colleagues, whether based in the Civic Centre, EDC, or at our schools, are strongly committed to ensuring that children at our schools are learning well. Having been a teaching head, I have a real insight into the impact of management decisions on practitioners and will seek to put that experience into good use here in Walsall.”

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Featuring staff news items

Got a story you’d like to have featured? Please contact the Communications team with your news and stories at [email protected]