© Guest Post – By Tom Blewitt

The appointment of Councillor Steve Melia as Mayor of Sandwell has ignited widespread public outrage, following his 2022 conviction for assaulting a blogger outside the council chambers in Oldbury.

In December 2021, during a protest outside Sandwell Council House, Melia punched and knocked a phone out of the hands of Julian Saunders, a local blogger, who was filming councillors arriving for a meeting. The incident left Saunders with a dull ache and a broken phone screen.

Melia pleaded guilty to assault by beating at Dudley Magistrates’ Court in February 2022. He received a 12-month conditional discharge and was ordered to pay £200 in compensation and £130 in legal costs.

Despite the conviction, Melia was re-elected in May 2022 to represent the Great Barr with Yew Tree ward, narrowly defeating his Conservative opponent by 166 votes.

The council’s ethics and standards committee later found that Melia had brought the council into disrepute and showed a lack of remorse for his actions. He was recommended to resign from all committee positions and undergo further training.

However, his recent appointment as Mayor has been met with fierce criticism from residents:

Resident Ronnie Long expressed his dismay, saying, “Typical Labour Council, led by Sandwell Mafia Boss Kerrie Carmichael, these people are as bent as they come. When are the idiots around Sandwell going to stop voting this scum in?”

Elaine Rzepkowski added, “Typical Labour—all corrupt right across the UK, and Sandwell is one of the worst councils going.”

Jess Johnson commented, “What a way to say to people that being arrested will get you what you want in life!”

Dale Jackson noted, “If a normal council employee did this, they would lose their job.”

Andy Williams stated, “Power, corruption, and lies—disgusting if you ask me.”

The controversy surrounding Melia’s appointment underscores ongoing concerns about governance and accountability within Sandwell Council.