Sale of Walsall Leather Museum to be brought before council bosses again tonight

The demonstration took place before a scrutiny committee meeting where members quizzed leaders about their controversial decision.

On September 24, cabinet members approved plans to sell the Littleton Street West building to the college to move its SEND offering from the Hawbush campus to the main town centre campus.

Cabinet members also approved plans to buy a new building in the new town centre building for a ‘new and improved’ museum offer.

Councillor Klara Margetts, speaking on behalf of the five labour councillors who called the decision in to be scrutinised, said: “Many people are concerned about the loss of the museum’s historical and cultural significance if it is moved from its current location.

“ When the proposal was moved from the budget, it was promised that the decision about the museum would be taken in collaboration with local people, who in their majority are against the proposal.

“The current cabinet decision to push on with this plan seems to go against the majority of the residents.

“It also doesn’t give them any hope that the administration has a real plan for a unique museum that captures working class culture through craft practices which is particularly important when you consider the severe lack of working class representation in the arts, and the elitism that runs through the museum sector.

“What is the plan? We have no timeline, no financial breakdown, no public risk assessment, no meaningful consultation record.

“What about staff retention, collection, storage, purchase or rental of new premises, relocation, refurbishment, none of this is accounted for in any public budget.”

Also speaking was leather fashion designer Lauren Broxton, who has led the campaign to save the museum over the last 12 months.

Lauren, from Walsall, said: “In 2021, Walsall council published their town investment plan, setting the stage for the current programme of a £1.5billion investment and regeneration plan.

“The opening line read ‘Walsall, the historic home of leather and locks.’ It also states this, ‘we continue to be the leather capital of Britain. Our prolific leather industry as a saddlers town is ingrained in our culture’.

“A point we agree on, but a point it’s only taken three years to forget.

“On the very investment plan, the council highlights Walsall’s cultural identity as a leather working town, the leather capital of Britain in fact, why is this matter being handled so poorly?

“Today my focus shifts to what we believe is the gross mishandling of one of our most definitive assets. I repeat, we do not feel that due process has been done.”

Professor Carl Chinn, a historian, said: “Unfortunately, Walsall has gained an unfavourable reputation for closing its museums, Walsall Museum, Birchills Canal Museum, Jerome K. Jerome Museum and Willenhall Town Museum, and the fear is that once the Leather Museum is relocated away from its historic site that it, too, will face closure.

“If that were to happen, then what would be left to bring to the fore a pride in the past of Walsall, in particular of its working class and manufacturing?”

Plans to move the museum to a mystery town centre location were originally brought to the table in October 2024, ahead of the 2025/26 budget in a bid to save £190,000, but after fierce objection it was removed.

At last night’s meeting, Councillor Mike Bird said the new move is totally separate from the budget and doesn’t ‘form part of any budget savings’.

But at the same meeting, Councillor Bird defended the decision by stating that the museum where it is now is too expensive to run.

He said: “For the last three years, the average attendant at the leather museum in its current position, cost this council £17.53 for everybody who came through the front door.

“My job is to look after the budget of this council and to give value for money and to preserve whatever we can.

“If anybody has got a child with special education needs who thinks it is this council’s priority to preserve an average of about 1000 people coming into the leather museum, and not to provide the facility for those people with SEN, well, I’m sorry that’s not my priority.

“My priority is and always will be to provide residents of this borough with value for money and wherever possible, provide better facilities for adult social care, children’s services and special educational needs.”

Leaders confirmed that no alternative sites had been looked at to move the SEND offering to, and they said that the building as it stands is not suitable for the college’s proposed use.

Deputy leader Councillor Adrian Andrew confirmed that tax payers money had already been set aside from the government’s Community Regeneration Partnership to refurbish the leather museum building for the college.

While the costs of renovating the existing building, storing of the artefacts, the purchasing of the new building and the move itself remain unknown, leaders provided very little reasons as to why the people of Walsall should support their decision.

Scrutiny members voted in favour to back the call in notice, which brings the decision back before cabinet members for reconsideration.

The cabinet meeting is scheduled to take place at 6pm Wednesday October 15.