Top level community leaders will be coming together for a live ‘Question Time’ style debate with the public on issues affecting Dudley borough – streamed live on social media.

People will be able to put questions to a panel at the live forum, made up of senior figures from Dudley Council, West Midlands Police, Dudley College and Dudley Clinical Commissioning Group.

The hour-long session is part of plans to develop the council’s community forums to include more representatives from the community and partners.

The live broadcast takes place on February 6th and people will be able to submit questions via the council’s Facebook page, which will then be put to the panel. Their answers will be broadcast live on social media and also on Black Country Radio from 6pm. Councillor Qadar Zada, leader of the council, said:

"This is the start of making community forums about the community and not just about the council and forms a part of our drive to be more visible and accessible to the community. We work closely with a range of partners for solutions to community challenges and with this approach we can understand collectively the issues facing local residents and address them.

"We want to make sure that we are all accountable to the public and give them an opportunity to find out what is happening in the borough and get involved.

"I hope people will take the time to discuss some of their ideas, as well as their concerns with some key community leaders and see how we can all work together to make this borough a great place to call home.”

Dudley Council has won awards for its open and transparent online community forums. Last year it developed them further by broadcasting them via Facebook Live. Thousands of people have interacted with them to quiz senior figures on a range of local issues.