Tell us what you think and help shape Sandwell

Take part in consultations, surveys and conversations that interest you, and find out more about decisions we’ve made



Have your say

Open opportunities to get involved

Tenant Engagement Strategy for Council Tenants

Sandwell Council (SMBC) is committed to putting tenants at the heart of our housing services. Our Tenant Engagement Strategy sets out how we will listen to, involve, and work alongside tenants to shape the homes and communities where they live. Our key aims are to: Strengthen the tenant voice in decisions and service design Improve communication and transparency across housing services Make it easy and accessible for everyone to get involved Promote...

Closes 28 November 2025

Sandwell Budget Consultation 2025

We want to hear your views about the services that are most important to you, and where we should prioritise spending. Here is an explanation of the situation: The Council spends around £366m each year on day-to-day services, such as refuse collections, recycling, street cleansing, providing libraries and leisure centres and adult and children’s social care services. We must meet all our legal requirements but can make choices in how we deliver some of these...

Closes 28 November 2025
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Closed consultations and engagement

Issues we've asked you about previously

Health and Well-being Strategy Consultation

Sandwell Health and Wellbeing Board is a statutory body which brings together partners from across the Borough to lead the improvement of the health and well-being of our population, with a specific focus on tackling health inequalities. Members include representatives from the Council, the NHS, Police, Fire and Rescue, Healthwatch, SHAPE, and the voluntary sector. One way the Board leads improvement of the health and well-being of our residents is to produce a Health and...

Closed 21 November 2025

Physical Activity Framework Consultation

Sandwell Council is running a short survey to better understand how local residents exercise and help develop new policies. Tell us how you get active and how we can help you do more!

Closed 31 October 2025

Housing Needs Assessment 2025

This consultation looks at our refreshed Housing Needs Assessment. The purpose of the Housing Needs Assessment is to outline the current and future housing need in the borough. The consultation asks for your views on our Housing Needs Assessment, whether it reflects the housing situation in your community, and how you think it should be used in the future.

Closed 31 October 2025
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Your impact

Outcomes of issues we have asked you about previously. See all outcomes

We asked

We asked residents, tenants, employees, and councillors for their views on the draft Housing Needs Assessment (HNA). The Assessment looks at the housing needs of people living in Sandwell and will help guide future housing planning and decisions.

Feedback was gathered through:

  • An online consultation from 5 August to 31 October 2025, which included questions on whether the Assessment reflects local housing needs, its clarity, and any missing information.
  • A policy engagement session on 12 September 2025, where residents could review the draft in paper form and provide feedback online or via post.
  • Resident engagement groups, including the Tenant and Leaseholder Scrutiny Group, which reviewed draft versions and suggested improvements.
  • Collaboration across housing teams, community partners, and specialist services to ensure all perspectives were considered.

You said

Residents highlighted several areas for improvement:

Hidden needs: Groups such as sofa surfers, overcrowded households, and those over 22 not on the housing register were underrepresented.

Readability: Some sections were complex and could be easier to understand.

Local data: Experiences in large apartment blocks, including subletting and tenant turnover, were not fully reflected.

Use of the Assessment: It should guide housing allocation, mutual exchanges, and support for those needing to upsize or downsize, prioritising households in greatest need.

Accessibility: The Assessment should be available in multiple languages and accessible formats.

Ongoing engagement: Regular updates are needed to keep the Assessment accurate.

We did

In response, we have:

  • Reviewed data sources to better capture hidden homelessness and overcrowding.
  • Simplified language, added summaries, and included visual aids for clarity.
  • Planned further analysis of tenancy patterns in multi-unit buildings.
  • Committed to using the Assessment to guide housing allocation and support residents’ housing needs.
  • Will provide translations and accessible versions where needed.
  • Will hold annual reviews and engagement sessions to keep the Assessment up-to-date.

Amendments have been made where necessary. The final Housing Needs Assessment will guide housing planning and decisions across Sandwell. In addition, a consultation report has been produced.

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