Today's most viewed
| ROUND-UP |  | | | COMPETITION | | | | MOVIE REVIEW | | | | LETTERS | |
|
|
|
‘No promises’ for sport clubs
Campaigners at a meeting into the proposed closure of Cradley leisure centre were told groups using the site might not be found "like for like" provision at other centres if it is axed.
Scores of protestors were at Cradley High on Monday (March 13) to hear Ray Watson, assistant director for children's services, tell them the council wants to sell the site for housing because £2m is needed to bring the building up to scratch for it to become a stand-alone leisure centre.
At the moment the centre is connected to Cradley High School which is set to close later this year.
Mr Watson said the centre would become just a shell as all its utilities come via the school, which is set to be demolished.
Duncan Lowndes, assistant director of culture and community services, told the meeting he couldn't promise to find sports groups "like for like provision" if the centre did go.
He also said there was no money to bring the site up to scratch adding: "I don't have any spare revenue resource to put into this building.
"It's not part of our budget proposals."
Cradley councillor Tim Crumpton said the centre could be run as a trust by volunteers to save cash and put forward four proposals to save it including one that it become part of Halesowen College.
Cllr Crumpton said: "The council should properly consult with local people and look at all viable alternatives before looking at closure."
Hilary Bills, Belle Vale Labour candidate, told the meeting: "People in Cradley call themselves the lost city.
"They say what have we got around here?
"What can our young people do?"
Cradley MP Lynda Waltho said she wanted to see "facilities that we can be proud of and that can be an example to the rest of the borough" and urged councillor Liz Walker, cabinet member for children's services, with whom the final decision on the site's future rests, to hold another consultation meeting.
Cllr Walker agreed to hold another meeting and for the results of the consultation to be put before Halesowen Area Committee in July before she makes her decision.
Cllr Gaye Partridge said: "It's important this council demonstrate to the people of Cradley that it can be trusted.
"It's long overdue - this needs to be the start of the consultation - it's important for the people of Cradley."
l What do you think of proposals to sell the site for housing? Log onto www.halesowennews.co.uk - click on this story and post a comment.
4:38pm Tuesday 18th March 2008
Print 
Email this 
CommentPosted by: M Sidaway, Cradley on 5:23pm Tue 18 Mar 08
So they sell the site for housing, families move in, where do the kids of said families go to school exactly? The whole thing has been a disgrace from start to finish!
So they sell the site for housing, families move in, where do the kids of said families go to school exactly? The whole thing has been a disgrace from start to finish!
Posted by: Daisy Chayne, Cradley on 6:36pm Tue 18 Mar 08
Is this due any chance by Dudley Council's recent massive overspend? Everytime money is needed Cradley is targeted. First our only local secondary school, now our leisure centre. If we allow Dudley Council to sell our land off for housing we can never get it back. Our three Councillors are the only ones speaking any sense in the whole of this saga along with our MP Lynda Waltho. Come on Dudley council give us a break - we are sick and tired of it. We pay the same rates as anyone else in the borough. Target somewhere else for a change.
Is this due any chance by Dudley Council's recent massive overspend? Everytime money is needed Cradley is targeted. First our only local secondary school, now our leisure centre. If we allow Dudley Council to sell our land off for housing we can never get it back. Our three Councillors are the only ones speaking any sense in the whole of this saga along with our MP Lynda Waltho. Come on Dudley council give us a break - we are sick and tired of it. We pay the same rates as anyone else in the borough. Target somewhere else for a change.
Posted by: changesnightspot, dudley on 10:48am Wed 19 Mar 08
its just dudley council all over. Not just cradley it is borough wide.
1 North priory was supposed to regenerated because the houses were inadequate - rubbish. B-Hill leisure centre went as well as other cuts i.e school transport, social care and many more cuts. People dont let this council get away with it, fight for what we as the voters deserve.
its just dudley council all over. Not just cradley it is borough wide.
1 North priory was supposed to regenerated because the houses were inadequate - rubbish. B-Hill leisure centre went as well as other cuts i.e school transport, social care and many more cuts. People dont let this council get away with it, fight for what we as the voters deserve.
Posted by: Heath, cradley on 2:41pm Fri 21 Mar 08
Here we go again. After a 5% increase in my council tax, I am having to attend a meeting to try and save one of our last public facilities.
I moved house about 18 months ago within Cradley where I have lived all of my 32 years of life. I am afraid that with all of the house building that is already going on in the area, I am going to arrive at a point, when I have children, I will be forced to move away.
We have already lost our secondary school which, in my oppinion , must have been badly managed and without decent teachers. After all a school is what you put into it, not the building.
Now we are looking at losing our leisure centre. Building more houses with no facilities is asking for trouble. Do you want an army of bored children hanging around your front garden with nothing to do? I don't.
I think that the site should be used as a facility for our community, it's what we pay for. The uses for the site are endless.
Dont forget, people of Cradley, the desision will directly affect the value of your properties.
When councillors talk about the 2 million pounds to bring the leisure centre up to scratch, think about the money they are saving by not having to finance a school!
The question is. Do you care about where you live? I know I do.
Lets have some support at the next meeting, its our only chance.
Here we go again. After a 5% increase in my council tax, I am having to attend a meeting to try and save one of our last public facilities.
I moved house about 18 months ago within Cradley where I have lived all of my 32 years of life. I am afraid that with all of the house building that is already going on in the area, I am going to arrive at a point, when I have children, I will be forced to move away.
We have already lost our secondary school which, in my oppinion , must have been badly managed and without decent teachers. After all a school is what you put into it, not the building.
Now we are looking at losing our leisure centre. Building more houses with no facilities is asking for trouble. Do you want an army of bored children hanging around your front garden with nothing to do? I don't.
I think that the site should be used as a facility for our community, it's what we pay for. The uses for the site are endless.
Dont forget, people of Cradley, the desision will directly affect the value of your properties.
When councillors talk about the 2 million pounds to bring the leisure centre up to scratch, think about the money they are saving by not having to finance a school!
The question is. Do you care about where you live? I know I do.
Lets have some support at the next meeting, its our only chance.
What are these links for?
If you liked this article and would like to share it with others on the web who might be searching for good content we've made it easy for you to do it.
At the bottom of all articles, you'll see links to six sites. These sites - commonly called 'social bookmark' or 'social news' sites - have large communities of web users who share and rate interesting, useful and fun things on the web.
Clicking the links will automatically add the address of the story you are reading to one of these sites, letting you share it with others. Each site will ask you to register to share stories. Registration is free and once a member, you can store, recommend and search for stories that interest you.
More on Digg
More on del.icio.us
More on Furl
More on reddit
More on NowPublic/
More on Yahoo!
