Walsall Council leader ‘horrified’ as once-public Civic Centre stripped bare

The new leader of Walsall Council has described the Civic Centre’s former One Stop Shop as ‘vandalised’ after finding the area completely gutted.

The area which used to be front-of-house for residents needing access to council services has been completely stripped out since its closure during the pandemic.

The furniture, air conditioning, flooring and ceiling tiles have all been removed and electrical wires hang throughout.

During its campaign ahead of the elections last month, Reform UK vowed to reopen the Civic Centre to the public again.

Councillor Elaine Williams, the authority’s new Reform UK leader, said opening the Civic Centre would have only required a ‘lick of paint’ and to relocate staff from elsewhere in the building if it hadn’t been stripped bare.

But she was ‘horrified’ following the elections when she discovered it had been completely gutted.

Councillor Williams said: “It looks like downstairs has been vandalised, and it’s absolutely shocking. This building belongs to the residents of Walsall, nobody was consulted on this.

“We believed that it was still in a similar state as it was when it shut. But to see it as a shell with electrical wires hanging down. I’m horrified.”

Since closing the Civic Centre, Walsall Council has opened 29 Connected centres across the borough where residents can access council services in person.

Despite this, calls to reopen the Civic Centre to the public have not gone away.

In September 2025, former Blakenall councillor, Pete Smith, called for the council to reopen the One Stop Shop or ‘flog it’ and use the funds for reinvestment elsewhere.

At a full council meeting on Monday, June 22, deputy leader of Walsall Community Independents, Councillor Khizar Hussain, will ask Reform leaders what their plans are for reopening the site.

Walsall Council has declined to comment as the matter is due to be discussed next week.