A homeless man perches against the corner of a wall, watching the steady stream of shoppers walk past the high street. It's a hive of activity this afternoon, with customers milling about the market stalls and shops that flank the road. A lone policeman, dressed in uniform, walks beneath the market canopies, attracting insults from a group of men stood outside a shop. The officer pauses several metres away and begins to observe them. Nearby, shoppers bask in the sunshine, enjoying cigarettes and conversations with one another on steel benches. We're in Sandwell , specifically in West Bromwich town centre, in a borough ranked the eighth most deprived area in
England according to the Government's English Indices of Deprivation. READ MORE: Meet the residents living in the 'happiest town' who smile more than Jude Bellingham Get
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WhatsApp , click the link to join Here, residents say they are struggling to pay the bills and some are having to use foodbanks. The cost-of-living crisis and inflation hasn't helped things. Amid rising bills, the local authority in Sandwell says it's needed to increase council tax by 4.99% in April, a move which many councils across the country have also done. For most residents in this Black Country borough, it will mean they'll have to pay an extra £55 to £65 per year. West Bromwich's High Street Cllr Bob Piper, deputy leader of Sandwell Council, said we're in "very difficult days for local government across the country" - as councils aim to balance their books. But he said "sensible and timely decision making" means Sandwell Council won't be having to consider the "dreaded Section 114 notice" - which is bankruptcy - unlike other councils local authorities in England, like in neighbouring Birmingham. In Sandwell, the tax increase is broken down as an initial 2.99% rise, plus an extra 2% for adult social care - so services for older, disabled and vulnerable residents can continue Around 60% of Sandwell Council's budget is spent on these "vital" services for adult social care and vulnerable children, Cllr Piper added. But shoppers and residents who spoke with BlackCountryLive voiced concern over the cost of council tax - and the new increase which came into affect on Monday, March 1. Two people who spoke to us admitted they didn't even pay council tax. Others felt it was too high - among them was Joanne Brookes, 61, from Tipton. She said: "I think they should lower it to help people. People haven't got the money to do anything." West Bromwich's High Street Marie Millward, 50, from West Bromwich, said: "It is definitely too high. My council tax has doubled, my rent has gone up again. I'm struggling to pay my bills. I work as a manager but I have to go to a food bank." A man who gave his name as Mr M Singh, 70, from Tividale, said: "It is too high, they should do something." Mr Singh, a
Labour party member, added: "The Conservatives are rich people, they don't support poor people." A man, who wished to remain anonymous, said: "It is a poor town, council tax should be lower." Asked if he believes residents get value for money, he said: "Definitely not, the council has been in special measures. We've had rubbish not collected before." Steven Fellows A 77-year-old man, from West Bromwich, said: "The rate of the tax rise is the same in a lot of parts of the country, 4.99%. Compared to the south east of England, it's very deprived here. You have only got to look around, a lot of people are on income support." He added: "If you cut council tax, you have to start looking at reducing services. Then the argument becomes what services do you reduce?" A woman, who wished not to be named, said she moved to England from abroad 14 years ago. She said had never claimed benefits before, up until six months ago, and said it had been a "difficult" process. Meanwhile Steven Fellows, 63, from Oldbury, voiced concern about "fortnightly bin collections" in local authority areas to save money. It's a move that's already been approved in Birmingham , while Sandwell Council leader Cllr Kerrie Carmichael said in December that the administration was “ruling nothing out” in terms of a similar proposal. "It will encourage fly-tipping, which is dreadful at the moment," said Mr Fellows. "We have got three big bins where I live in my flat. There seems to be a lot of rubbish in our bins from people elsewhere, whether they are coming up the drive and dumping it in there. I'm trying to find out who is doing it. One solution is to get a camera. I have seen people come up the drive who don't even live there." Speaking at a budget meeting in February, Cllr Piper said: "These are very difficult days for local government across the country. As many as 40 councils have issued warnings that they’re struggling to set a balanced budget by this time next year. "I’m pleased to be able to report that because of sensible and timely decision making, Sandwell are not in the position of those councils having to consider the dreaded Section 114 notice. "It’s worth noting that around 60% of our budget is spent on vital services for adult social care and vulnerable children. We’ve had to identify £12million in recurrent savings in this year but it’s a result of the sensible management of our finances and our preparedness to take difficult decisions when necessary that our financial position is much, much better than those authorities up and down the country warning of financial armageddon. "This is a budget that protects our most vulnerable people. It’s a budget that will invest to deliver our ambitions for Sandwell’s future and it’s a budget that will protect our core services."