'Time to come clean': Councillor demands details of collapsed sale of former Dudley leisure centre site
A councillor has called for the full publication of a report on the aborted sale of the former Dudley leisure centre.
Councillor Shaun Keasey has written to Dudley Council's chief executive Balvinder Heran demanding the full publication of a 'secret' report into the failed sale and redevelopment of the former leisure centre site in Wellington Road.
The council pulled out of a £1.65 million deal to sell the site in April last year, saying the prospective buyer, Stourbridge businessman Amarjit Dhanda, had failed to produce the required documents in time. But Mr Dhanda dismissed the claim as false, and auditors from Grant Thornton were called in to investigate.
In February this year, the council announced the site had been sold for £1.7 million to Halesowen-based Revelan.
Councillor Keasey said he and others had made repeated requests for the Grant Thornton report to be published, including requests through the Freedom of Information Act. But these efforts have been continually rebuffed, with the authority citing confidential commercially sensitive information.
Councillor Keasey said the council's chief executive had recently admitted to a scrutiny committee that the authority needed to be 'more transparent', and promised more accountability and openness.
"Let's see actions rather than words," he said.
"Due to the council’s refusal to release the failed Wellington Road development report, I am highly suspicious there may be documented wrongdoing within it. Residents deserve to know.”
Councillor Keasey said publishing the report would be the quickest way to rebuild trust in the council.
He said a Reform-led council would 'open the books' so residents could see exactly what had been going on.
"Transparency isn’t optional, it’s a duty to residents," he said.
Deputy leader of Dudley Council, Councillor Paul Bradley, said the authority was still awaiting a final report from Grant Thornton, and would share more information when it became available.
“We are dedicated to achieving the best outcomes for the Wellington Road site and our work is ongoing for its sale and repurposing," he said.
"The council is committed to openness and transparency. This commitment is balanced within the scope of considerations such as commercial sensitivity which applies at this present time while we await the final report.
"We hope to be able to share more details when we receive the finalised report, within the limitations of any commercial sensitivity imposed upon us."
