Black Country councillor wants help with restoring a community hub he says has gone into disrepair

Darlaston South Councillor Paul Bott has called on Walsall Council to update the Moorcroft Environment Centre in Moxley and the surrounding area after three years of closure due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The centre was part of a project to set up an environmental education and resource centre at the Moorcroft Nature Reserve, with the community able to go into the woodlands and study nature and Councillor Bott said the building was donated to the community for community events as part of a Section 106 agreement when the housing estate was built.

Section 106 agreements are drafted when it is considered that a development will have significant impacts on the local area that cannot be moderated by means of conditions attached to a planning decision and includes public open spaces under areas it covers.

Councillor Bott has claimed that Walsall Council have neglected the building and called on it to work to bring it back up to scratch.

He said: "Right when Covid hit, everything went into lockdown and, since then, Walsall Council have neglected this building over the last three years.

"It's totally unfair that the residents have to live by this building and the community are now deployed of a community centre, as well as young children being deprived of an area where they can go into woodland and study nature.

"Myself and Councillor Matt Ward are trying to resurrect the Friends of Moorcroft Lodge group and are calling on Walsall Council to work on the building to meet health and safety standards and get the perimeter of the building back up to a presentable standard."

Councillor Bott said that while he had been told that the inside of the building was in good condition, it was the grounds and footpaths that had been left to go into disrepair, while the exterior of the building needed work.

He said he had spoken to Walsall Council regarding working on the centre in the past and said he had been rebuffed every time.

He said: "They will say that they haven't got the manpower or the money to do it and they will only do work on essential services, although we don't think it will cost that much.

"However, it doesn't take a brain surgeon to see that this building can be brought back into some use and make it presentable for the community, rather than what they're walking past each day.

"It's an asset that was given to the community, not Walsall Council, and we need the keys back to be able to build it up for the community to use."

Walsall's communities cabinet member Councillor Garry Perry said: “The centre has not been used for several years. We have completed recent extensive checks on site and it has been deep cleaned in order to be brought back into use. We have spoken to Councillor Bott and have agreed to provide keys for him to use the facility for meetings as soon as a booking form is signed.”