Museum hours facing cuts

Opening hours at museums in part of the Black Country will be cut as part of a cost-saving programme.

A review of historic buildings such as Wednesbury Museum and Art Gallery and West Bromwich's Oak House is being carried out.

New recommendations will be put to Sandwell Council in February. A plan presented to the council's cabinet says that changes are necessary to reflect the cash available to provide services. This is despite plans to invest heavily in improvements to the buildings themselves.

It is not yet clear what the impact will be on jobs.

The report will also prioritise events by looking at those with the most number of visitors.

Any proposed changes will be brought in during the financial year 2011/12.

A number of areas of the youth, culture and leisure department are currently under the microscope after it was revealed Sandwell Council needs to make £75 million of savings over the next four years.

Libraries could be closed and staff made redundant in a bid to save almost £1m, with job losses, closures and reduced opening hours all options on the table.

Despite this the authority said it is continuing to invest in leisure and culture facilities using grants from outside bodies.

Projects include a new £13m pool in West Bromwich.

The historic Oak House in Oak Road, West Bromwich is also undergoing a £2 million revamp which will see the refurbishment of the16th century building and the restoration of its derelict barns and a new education centre