Tax rise 'could have saved baths'
A two per cent tax rise could have saved Coseley baths – but it would have been unreasonable to ask residents in Dudley to foot the bill, a leading councillor has said.
Councillor Tim Wright, chairman of the development control committee and ward member for Gornal, said the £2 million needed for repairs could have been generated by increasing rates.
However he said the council "had to look at what is affordable for the borough as a whole".
"Two million pounds is two per cent on council tax," he said.
"I learnt to swim at Coseley, I am sad to see the pool go – but at the end of the day we have to look at what is affordable for the borough as a whole. We have to ask if it would be fair to ask residents all over the borough to pay more tax to save Coseley baths."
Campaigners fighting to save the pool in Pear Tree Lane say ratepayers in Coseley are being short-changed by the council, with plans in place to move the borough archives out of the area to the Black Country Living Museum as well as close the baths.
Residents have even threatened a council tax boycott, with any action set to be discussed at a public meeting at the baths tonight at 7pm.
Campaigners will brief the meeting about the possibility of taking Dudley Council to court. They are taking legal advice about pursuing an injunction preventing demolition.
The Save Coseley Baths group hopes that a judge would grant the building a stay of execution, scuppering leisure chief Councillor David Stanley's plans to knock it down as soon as possible after it shuts on August 31.
Spokesman Brian Guest said: "I understand we have the right to ask for an injunction order to stop the demolition of Coseley baths, if we have sufficient grounds which we believe we have.
"We are taking legal advice on that, and if the advice is correct, that is the route we will go down."
