At a recent meeting of Dudley’s Communities and Growth Scrutiny Committee, former mayor and long-serving councillor Ian Kettle delivered a scathing critique of the local authority’s approach to Stourbridge town centre regeneration. Representing the Pedmore and Stourbridge East ward, Cllr Kettle lamented the complete absence of meaningful investment in the area over the past 35 years.
“In my time as a councillor, I can’t recall any significant authority-led investment in Stourbridge,” he stated bluntly. “All the council seems to do is clean the streets, pick up litter, and move on the beggars. The people of Stourbridge feel abandoned – deserted – and perceive that the council expects the town’s eventual dereliction.”
The harsh comments came during a debate over a new hyper-local policy aimed at town centre regeneration. Cllr Kettle also criticized the West Midlands Combined Authority for its focus on boosting city centres while towns like Stourbridge are left behind. “If we don’t address this growing sense of neglect, who knows what the future holds for Stourbridge?” he warned.
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In response, Dudley council’s director of economy and infrastructure, Anne Boyd, outlined plans to increase the council’s presence in town centres by basing officers locally and enhancing collaboration with ward councillors. She emphasized a renewed commitment to targeted engagement and support.
Dudley’s cabinet member for economy and infrastructure, Cllr Simon Phipps, echoed this sentiment, highlighting the need for a place-based strategy that balances investment across the borough. He acknowledged previous focus on large infrastructure projects in Dudley and Brierley Hill, but stressed the importance of achieving a fair and equitable distribution of resources for all towns, including Stourbridge.
This exchange underscores growing concerns about regional inequality and the urgent need for revitalized investment in neglected town centres across the West Midlands.