The Darlaston Plan Board is responsible for leading and overseeing how the £20 million investment is used to deliver the priorities of local people.

The Board already brings together representatives from the community, including those who live in the area, young people, local businesses, those that work in the town, the voluntary sector, faith groups and public bodies — ensuring that decisions are transparent, inclusive, and accountable.

The make up of the board is important and prescribed to prevent any one group or area dominating the decisions. A board set up without a balance might result in the plan not being accepted and the money not being made available.

Government guidance for the Pride in Place programme  states that Neighbourhood Boards should be community-led and that at least 51% of members should live or work within the neighbourhood. The final board membership is confirmed by the local authority, working with the Chair and the local MP.

63% of the main Board is made up of those who live and/or work in the area.

(see our FAQs for more information)

Join us and make a difference!

The Board has Advisory Groups including ones for residents, for youth, for business, for voluntary groups and for faith groups.

There are some vacancies remaining on these which will also have a direct influence on the Board’s decisions and will monitor the plan’s actions being carried out.

Please contact us directly if you live within the plan boundary and you’d like to volunteer to be a part of an Advisory Group.

Our purpose is simple: to make sure that every project and every pound helps Darlaston flourish — now and for future generations.

 

Darlaston Plan for Neighbourhoods Board Voting Members
Name	Area	Interest or resident in Darlaston	Advisory Group Leads	Organisation	Position
Manjit Jhooty	Independent Chair	Resident – Works in Darlaston		JHL Pharmacies	CEO
Dr. Anand Rischie	Health	Resident – Works in Darlaston	Finance Group	Walsall Together Partnership	Medical Director
Roland Roberts	Business	Resident – Works in Darlaston	Communications & Engagement Advisory Group Business Enterprise & Innovation Group	Cardinal Partnership	Managing Director
Ammr Yaqub	Local Business and Resident	Resident – Lives and Works in Darlaston	Business & Enterprise Advisory Group Finance Group	Old Bank Business	CEO
Kevin Davis	Social enterprise and Youth / Education	Interest	Business & Enterprise Advisory Group	The Vine Trust Group	Chief Executive
Raqia Akhtar	Voluntary Group	Resident – Works in Darlaston		Darlaston Youth Centre
Hannah Cole	Education	Resident – Works in Darlaston		Grace Academy Darlaston	Assistant Principal
Connie Jennings	Housing	Resident – Works in Darlaston	Community & Resident Advisory Group	Walsall Housing Group	Director of Stronger Communities
Aradhana Mehmi	Resident	Resident – Lives in Darlaston	Community & Resident Advisory Group Youth Advisory Group
Joyce Gibson	Resident west	Resident – Lives in Darlaston	Community & Resident Advisory Group
Rev Gilbert David	Faith Representative	Resident – Works in Darlaston	Faith Advisory Group	All Saints Church Darlaston	Vicar
Wasim Ali	Deputy Police & Crime Commissioner	Interest- Statutory Requirement	Communications & Engagement Advisory Group	West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner	Deputy Police & Crime Commissioner
Pat McFadden	Sadia Ghani, Manager, Office of Rt Hon Pat McFadden MP	Interest- Statutory Requirement		Government	Member of Parliament
Gareth Mason	Police	Interest		West Midlands Police	Walsall Police Superintendent
Cllr Matt Ward	Leader of the Labour Group (Darlaston South)	Interest Statutory Requirement – Represents resident		Walsall Council	Councillor
Cllr Andrew	Deputy Leader of Walsall Council – Conservatives (Pheasey Park Farm)	Interest		Walsall Council	Councillor
Cllr Aftab Nawaz	Leader of the Independent Group (St. Matthews)	Interest		Walsall Council	Councillor
Adrian Walker	Local Business and Resident – South	Resident – Lives in Darlaston
Rani Mahey	Resident – South	Resident – Lives in Darlaston	Voluntary Advisory Group
	Resident Percentage	63%
	Resident Non Statutory Percentage	75%
Alternatives
Peter Poolton	Police – Stand in for Gareth Mason	Interest		West Midlands Police	Walsall Police Inspector

 

 

 

 

 

 

Purpose and Statutory Basis

The Darlaston Board was established under the UK Government’s Plan for Neighbourhoods prospectus (Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities, 2025) as part of a national initiative empowering communities to shape investment and improvement in their local areas.

Each designated neighbourhood is required to form a Neighbourhood Board, made up primarily of local residents and community representatives, to:

• Develop and agree a 10-year vision for the neighbourhood.

• Prepare and maintain a rolling 4-year Delivery Plan setting out priorities for investment and action.

• Monitor progress and report publicly on achievements, outcomes, and spending.

• Ensure co-design, participation, and transparency in all decision-making.

The Darlaston Board operates in partnership with Walsall Council, which acts as the accountable body for government funding and ensures compliance with public finance regulations.

All decisions are made in accordance with the principles and guidance of:

• The Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023 (Sections 231–239)

• The Plan for Neighbourhoods Prospectus and List of Powers (DLUHC, 2024)

• The Seven Principles of Public Life (Nolan Principles)

• The Public Procurement Policies in the priocurement Act 2023

Together, these frameworks ensure that every decision is lawful, ethical, inclusive, and driven by community benefit.

Board Composition and Remit