This means partnership working with a wide variety of stakeholders, landowners, funding agencies and government agencies to bring forward sustainable and inclusive growth.

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The service oversees a £1 billion regeneration programme across the borough, requiring bid development and submission, project and programme management and partnership working.

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Culture, Leisure and Bereavement Services

 

The service operates:

 

• Leisure facilities for all, including the young, mature and those with additional needs, supporting improved health and wellbeing of residents

• Three town halls at Stourbridge, Dudley and Halesowen. The service arranges and supports professional and amateur shows while ensuring venues are available for community use.

• Two crematoria, Gornal and Stourbridge, and is responsible for cemetery sites.

• The borough’s museums and sites of historical importance, which includes showcasing the borough's renowned glass, archaeology, fine art collections sporting memorabilia and the Black Country Geopark Headquarters.

• Himley Hall which hosts a range of hospitality events and has a welcoming on-site café.

• Red House Glass Cone which includes a range of craft units, a shop, glassblowing area and an on-site café for visitors to enjoy.

• Dudley Museum which showcases the borough's rich geological, social and sporting history.

 

Managing tourism is a key area of the service.

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The service also has responsibility for overseeing Dudley Market.

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Planning

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This service includes the statutory local plan function which guides development and investment in the borough.

 

The service includes:

 

• Development management, which determines planning permissions to customers, enforces the regulations to ensure appropriate development and provides advice on planning and contaminated land.

• Planning policy, which produces the Local Plan for Dudley Borough. Administers Section 106 legal agreements and Community Infrastructure Levy. It also produces briefs for potential development sites and monitoring statements in relation to the council’s planning objectives.

• Building control, which regulates building work within the borough, provides general building advice, processes competent persons applications, enforces against non-compliant building work.

 

Corporate Landlord Services

 

This service creates a ‘one team’ approach to corporate landlord services. The service is responsible for all general fund land and property assets.

 

Services include:

 

• Estate management, providing strategic property advice and delivery, commercial and community landlord and tenant work, acquisitions and disposals.

• Facilities management, including premises compliance, premises CHURN, building fabric, mechanical and electrical repairs and maintenance services.

• Construction work, including new commissions, building design, build and project management including delivery of schools' capital programme.

 

Regeneration Projects and Placemaking

 

This service includes urban design, landscape, historic environment and regeneration.

 

The service:

 

• Provides advice on planning applications, planning policy and regeneration strategies.

• Secures external funding and leads on cross council work on area-based investment programmes.

• Works with West Midlands Combined Authority, Travel for West Midlands and other funders.

• Provides programme and project management of investment programmes including management of boards.

• Delivers capital improvements.

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​Economic Growth and Skills

 

This service helps businesses and people develop their skills and employment opportunities.

 

The service:

 

• Provides economic development, including dedicated business support to existing and new start-up businesses, in Dudley borough.

• Leads on inward investment, supporting the revitalisation of the borough’s centres.

• Leads on visitor economy and cultural strategy.

• Provides the Adult Community Learning (ACL) Service, Ofsted rated ‘good’. ACL services include improving the skills levels of adults aged 19 plus in Dudley borough, focusing on entry level qualifications in English, math's, digital technologies and ESOL. 

• Provides pre and in work support for residents. 

• Provides programme management, including managing external funding such as the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and Commonwealth Games Legacy Enhancement Fund.