2:55pm Thursday 19th June 2008
By Helen Attwood
Campaigners fighting to save Cradley High's leisure centre have reacted with fury after education chief Liz Walker revealed she has decided to close it before she was due to officially make up her mind.
Cllr Walker, Dudley Council's cabinet member for children's services, was set to make her final decision on the leisure centre's fate in July after the proposed sell-off had gone before Halesowen Area Committee.
But at a meeting last week, which was supposed to be part of a public consultation, protestors listened in disgust as she revealed she had already decided to axe it and sell off the Homer Hill site.
Cllr Walker told the shocked audience: "I have to recommend the site is disposed of - that's what I have to do."
She delivered another blow to protestors saying the meeting was not a public consultation as implied on the council website. She said the consultation had already been carried out as part of proposals to close the school.
Cllr Walker said the purpose of the meeting was "for you to understand it was part of the school and would close on August 31."
Councillor Richard Body, who has backed the campaign to save the centre was furious.
He said: "They have completely backtracked - it's a complete farce - I can't believe it. The whole thing has been a complete waste of time - the area committee has been ignored as have local people. This will absolutely devastate the area."
Lynda Waltho MP told the meeting she wanted the council to consider keeping the leisure centre as a stand alone facility run by the community.
She said: "We have the community will here to make it work. We are asking you to invest in the community."
John Round, secretary of Two Gates FC, which uses the centre said he felt local people had been ignored.
Val Bloomer, of the Friends of Homer Hill Park said: "They just want the money - they don't care about the community. How Liz Walker can say she has made her mind up when she's supposed to be waiting for the area committee meeting and the result from that? It's an absolute farce."
Cllr Walker said she had to recommend the site be sold but would not technically make her decision by signing the official decision sheet until after the Halesowen Area Committee meeting on July 2.
We want to hear your views. What effect do you think the closure will have on the area? Post your comments.
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