Walsall College’s £11m business and sports centre, The Hub was officially opened by Stewart Towe CBE, Chairman of the Black Country Local Enterprise Partnership, on Tuesday 19th January, as local businesses and leaders gathered to see first-hand the range of facilities and services available at the venue to the business community.

Birmingham City Council has made good progress in its education improvement plan, according to a peer review. The Local Government Association’s review of the Birmingham Education and Schools Strategy and Improvement Plan will be presented to cabinet on Tuesday 26 January. The review found that ‘stronger professional leadership is making a significant impact and that there is confidence that ‘the basics are being put in place for a strong and effective city-wide system of school improvement’.

Unemployment in Wolverhampton stabilised in December after falling for the previous three months. Meanwhile, youth unemployment dropped for the fourth successive month. The Job Seekers Allowance claimant count remains at 5.7%. Youth unemployment latest figures show 1,250 claimants aged 18-24. This represents a decrease of 50 claimants from the previous month. The Youth unemployment rate is now 5.3%.

Birmingham City University Students Challenged to Find the Future Beneath Their Feet by Saint-Gobain PAM. The manhole cover and drain beneath your feet could receive a makeover as students from Birmingham City University aim to develop its design and/or function as part of a joint collaboration project with Saint-Gobain PAM UK.

An increasing number of pupils in Wolverhampton are reaching the expected levels in reading, writing and maths, according to latest figures. They show 80% of Year 6 pupils in the city reached level 4 or above in the three subjects in 2015, up from 79% the previous year. That puts performance by pupils in Wolverhampton joint second among West Midlands councils and on a par with the national average.