Campaign success: Woodsetton memorial move gets go-ahead

Residents and councillors have been working to get the cenotaph outside Mount Tabor Church, in Sedgley Road West, Woodsetton, moved.

They hoped the monument would be installed at its new home, a larger patch of land further up the road, in time for Remembrance Day.

But last week, a councillor involved in the campaign said he was concerned it was taking longer than expected for Dudley Council to complete paperwork to adopt the memorial.

However, Councillor Keiran Casey said this had now been finalised and contractors given the go ahead to start the work.

The work has been programmed by the council and is set to begin on Monday September 7 - meaning the cenotaph should be in place for Remembrance Day services later this year.

Councillor Casey said the council had to adopt the memorial so it could be properly cleaned and repaired.

"Dudley Council has managed to get the paperwork done and contractors can now start the work," he said.

"It should be started next Monday which is absolutely fantastic news.

"We were hoping the work would begin in September and it is now on course for that."

Around £35,000 has been raised to cover the costs of the project.

Residents called for the memorial to be moved as the church is no longer used and the monument located too close to the road for services to be held there.

Because it is so near to the pavement and road, rubbish has also been thrown over the railings and built up at the base of the memorial.

More than 150 people turned out to a recent event to learn more about the relocation plans.

Children from nearby High Arcal School, in Sedgley, have also take part in a project about the memorial.

There are 30 names on the memorial, which was built by public subscription and honours local men who fought in World War One.

The names include six men from Woodsetton, three from Parkes Hall and 21 from Swan Village.