Cannock council leader welcomes offers of help to save theatre and museum as petition hits 20,000 mark

The council is facing a £1.3 million gap in its budget for the next financial year and unveiled proposals to close the attractions as part of a major efficiency drive.

However the plans were criticised by residents and community groups and an online petition to save them has now surpassed 20,000 signatures.

A month-long public consultation has resulted in campaigners offering to find ways to keep the sites open.  

More than 2,100 people responded to the consultation.

Council leader Tony Johnson said: “We encouraged people to share their views and said we would listen to any suggestions and ideas that would allow us to preserve our museum and theatre offer. 

"It is from that feedback that we have had people and groups come forward with initiatives and we are hopeful they will provide us with a sound business case for how both services to the public can continue.

”Funding that the district council receives from the government to deliver services has fallen by millions of pounds in real terms over the last decade. 

"The leisure and cultural functions that IHL run on the authority’s behalf are ‘non-statutory’ - meaning the council does not have to provide them unlike many other services - but account for around 15 percent of the local authority’s net budget.

“I have promised to do all I can to save the theatre and museum and that is why I am pleased we are working with interested parties and being able to support them with specialist consultancy, as well as looking at using government funds that can be used for the Prince of Wales building.

 “This is a very difficult decision. In every discussion with colleagues, residents and organisations, I have had to stress that the council is facing an extremely challenging financial situation - and that we must have a balanced budget for the future which protects the vital front-line services we provide to our communities,” Councillor Johnson added.

The council said talks were underway with groups interested in running them and that these groups were expected to put forward a business plan to run both venues - with the council offering to fund expert advice to support such proposals. 

It added that government funding would be used to cover any necessary upgrades to the Prince of Wales building in Church Street if a viable business case for it to continue operating is found.

The theatre is due to close temporarily after Easter as part of a town centre regeneration project.

 A survey highlighted that £2.2m would need to be spent on revamping the premises over a 10-year period.

Levelling Up funding (LUF) received from government as part of the regeneration work cannot be used to finance the day-to-day running costs of the theatre or the museum in Valley Road, Hednesford.

A council report on the future of the sites will be discussed at a meeting of the full council next month.