Eleventh hour call to save baths

Works to drain the pool and remove equipment from Coseley baths will start the day after the building closes, it has been revealed.The baths in Pear Tree Lane will slam its doors to the public on August 31.

Decommissioning works will run from September 1 to 11, when the building will be handed over to Dudley Council's corporate property department.

Electricity and water will then be cut off ahead of demolition, with leisure chief Councillor David Stanley keen for bulldozers to reduce the building to rubble as soon as possible after closure. Council spokeswoman Clare Marshall revealed the timetable today.

Save Coseley Baths campaign spokesman Brian Guest said he was "extremely disappointed". "We still feel that these baths should stay open and we appeal to the council, even at this 11th hour, to change their mind and actually listen to the people they are supposed to represent," he said.

"We are extremely disappointed with that statement."

It emerged this week taxpayers may have to foot the six-figure bill for the demolition. Dudley Council is yet to secure funding to knock down Coseley baths and has admitted it may have to dip into the public purse. Other options include using cash from any deal to sell the land or Government money.

A poll carried out by Save Coseley Baths campaigners in three neighbouring wards found just one of almost 1,000 people surveyed will vote for their councillors again at the next election.

Of 919 people questioned in Upper Gornal, Lower Gornal and Sedgley across the three wards, a lone voice spoke out in support of their elected representatives.

Campaign leaders are calling for heads to roll in light of the poll.

Council leader Councillor Anne Millward, predecessor Councillor David Caunt and leisure chief Councillor David Stanley are among the members under fire.

Coseley baths will close on August 31. Dudley Council says it needs £1 million of urgent repairs to make the roof safe as well as a further £1 million spent to bring the building up to scratch. Meanwhile, fears of a "riot" at Coseley's doomed swimming baths failed to materialise yesterday when no-one turned up at the advertised time.

A group was set up on social networking site Facebook asking people to "descend" on the baths in Peartree Lane at noon yesterday with members threatening to "overpower" lifeguards and fill the pool with bubble bath.

A uniformed police officer and police community support officer were yesterday patrolling the pool and Dudley Council's deputy leader, councillor Les Jones, even took the precaution of attending himself in case trouble broke out.

But the swimming session passed peacefully and the pool closed as normal at around 12.30pm.