The Smethwick Partnership Board met to discuss the Towns Fund Programme, the Plan for Neighbourhoods Programme, and the grant application process for the latter. The board reviewed progress on the Towns Fund Programme projects, and agreed to provide feedback on updated content for the Plan for Neighbourhoods Regeneration Plan. The board also approved the application thresholds and processes for the Plan for Neighbourhoods grants, and delegated authority to the Smethwick Subgroup to review and approve certain applications.

Plan for Neighbourhoods Grant Applications

The board approved the application thresholds and processes for the Plan for Neighbourhoods grants. The Smethwick Partnership Board Subgroup was delegated authority to review and approve applications up to £99,999.

The approved application thresholds are:

• £0 - £25,000: The Smethwick Subgroup will review and approve applications following a small grants application process.
• £25,001 - £99,999: The Smethwick Subgroup will review and approve applications following a full grant application process.
• £100,000 and above: The Smethwick Partnership Board will review and approve applications following a more detailed full business case process.

The board also agreed to utilise all of the £592,000 for 2026/27 for projects up to £25,000 only, and to ringfence £200,000 for small grants each financial year, to be reviewed annually.

Plan for Neighbourhoods Regeneration Plan Content

The board reviewed updated content for the Introduction/Local Context and Spatial Targeting, and new content for Match Funding and Alignment with other programmes, for the Plan for Neighbourhoods Regeneration Plan.

At the meeting of 19 August 2025, concerns were raised that the document was too lengthy and read like a typical council report, lacking impact and needing to be more concise. It was suggested that the focus should be on Smethwick specifically, rather than the wider Black Country and Sandwell, and that while the draft was well written, it did not require a policy-heavy approach. There were also calls for a clearer, more focused plan.

The board was advised that the Regeneration Plan submitted to Government must be comprehensive, as Government officials will not have the same local knowledge of Smethwick as communities. To make the Regeneration Plan accessible to local communities, two versions will be published: a detailed version submitted to Government, and a shorter summary version designed for easier community engagement.

The board was asked to provide details of other known investment and programmes for inclusion in the Alignment with other investment and programmes section.

The board did not approve the Foreword and Local Context or the Spatial Targeting, and requested that comments be fed back to the editor.

Towns Fund Programme Reporting

The board received an update on Towns Fund Programme activities between 1 April and 30 June 2025.

Rina Rahim, Towns Fund Programme Manager, reported that the cumulative forecast up to 31 March 2026 was £6,849,191.81, with a forecast for 2025/26 as per claim returns (q1) of £6,828,178.77, representing 0% slippage.

The report provided an update on the following projects:

• Ron Davis Centre Expansion: This project is complete and is reporting on outputs only.
• Midland Met Learning Campus: Construction is progressing well and on schedule to complete November 2025.
• Rolfe Street Canalside Regeneration: An additional structural survey has been completed to understand the investment required to retain a fourth block, as requested by Historic England. A planning application is expected to be submitted in September/October 2025.
• Grove Lane Regeneration: Negotiations with the landowner are ongoing. The Compulsory Purchase Order¹ (CPO) has been made and served to landowners and interested parties on 21 August 2025.
• Smethwick Connected: Works started on site in May 2025 and aims to complete October 2025.

Plan for Neighbourhoods Engagement Update

The board received an update on engagement activities that concluded on 22 August 2025.

The online survey launched on 2 July and closed on 22 August, seeking feedback from those who live, work, study or visit Smethwick. A total of 1,641 surveys were completed, 1,324 of which came from Smethwick postcodes.

A programme of eight community workshops took place between Monday 28 July and Friday 22 August, inviting community members, leaders and business representatives to discuss local issues and challenges.

The survey responses and workshop discussions will be analysed in detail to identify priority themes, recurring issues, areas for improvement and potential project ideas across the town. The next phase of work will focus on data analysis, community feedback, programme development and ongoing engagement.