Baths rubble protest to council by families

They watched as their beloved baths were torn down – and the residents of Coseley have locked horns once again with the people they hold responsible for their demise.

Armed with bags of rubble taken from the former leisure centre, campaigners who had fought in vain to save the building from the bulldozer flocked to confront members of the first North Dudley area committee since it was demolished.

Last night's meeting descended at times into a slanging match between the panel and members of the public.

When councillors called for petitions to be submitted, a group of residents approached the authority's leader, Councillor Anne Millward, and placed a bag of rubble on her table.

Among the campaigners was five-year-old Ethan Hollington, who was left "distraught" at the closure.

Ethan's mother Sarah Hollington, handing over the rubble, said: "This is what Coseley has been reduced to."

But when the group tried to hand over an ironic "congratulations" card to Councillor Tim Wright, he refused to accept it, telling them: "It is not a petition."

Democratic services officer Joe Jablonski had earlier banned the Express & Star from taking photographs at the meeting at Lower Gornal Youth Centre.

Cabinet member for environment and leisure, Councillor David Stanley, was asked why the baths, in Pear Tree Lane, had not been mothballed until the council had enough money to replace its suspect roof.

Councillor Stanley said bosses had sought interest from backers who would have secured the future of the baths, but nobody was forthcoming."It would have cost an awful lot of money to pay for security there if we had left it standing," he added.

Coseley ward's Councillor Sue Ridney said: "We are being told we need to make our lives healthier, to get rid of our excess weight, but in the north of the borough we don't have the facilities.

"It has been a long bereavement period for the people of Coseley and I am sorry they have had their hearts broken."