A plea has gone out to Dudley Council to use a parcel of land at the rear of Cradley library for a car park instead of selling it off to raise funds.

Proposals to sell the land which fronts onto Maple Tree Lane to a housing developer went up for discussion at Halesowen Area Committee on last night (Thursday).

Councillor Tim Crumpton said the patch, which measures 24 metres by ten and a half metres, should be used as a desperately needed car park for the library which is on busy Colley Lane.

But the council has said it does not have enough money to provide a car park because it needs the cash for its £2.6m library modernisation programme.

Councillor Tim Crumpton pointed out the council had already said it was not willing to sell the Cradley High School site because it was the wrong economic climate.

Cllr Crumpton said: "This is not the time for the council to be putting parcels of land up for sale.

"We have no disabled parking facilities for the library.

"We should refuse a request to dispose of this land."

Councillor Ken Turner said the land was used by some people to access the library.

A report to councillors noted the land could be sold to make way for a two-storey house with a garage.

Councillors approved a proposal by councillor David Vickers that the item should come back up at its next meeting with more information.

Five libraries have been closed under the modernisation scheme including Amblecote and Wall Heath. Cash is being spent on remodelling Wordsley Green LIbrary and expanding Kingswinford library.