'One of the maddest things I've heard!': Proposals for town council in Cradley slammed

The proposal was on the agenda at a meeting of Conservative-run Dudley Council’s cabinet on February 12 but it came under fire from Labour’s Councillor Keiran Casey.

Councillor Casey blasted the plan from the cash-strapped authority to shell out £75,000 on a feasibility study about setting up a mini-council in Cradley.

He said: “It is really odd to me why this would be at cabinet – it’s completely mad.

“The idea that the council, at a time when we have just heard, in terms of savings, looking at cuts to youth services, higher charges for green waste, roads resurfacing reductions, that we are potentially looking to set aside £75,000 to look at setting up a council within a council, is genuinely one of the maddest things I’ve heard at this council – and I have heard quite a few mad things during my time as a councillor.

“The hard working people across this borough will rightly refuse this because it is completely crazy.”

A town council in Cradley would be funded by an extra charge on council tax called a precept, another aspect of the idea which irritated Councillor Casey.

He added: “If this is taken forward residents will rightly be able to say the council has completely lost the plot.

“We are saying we are going to set up a council to deliver services that this council should already be delivering and we will charge them twice for the privilege.”

Liberal Democrat Councillor Ryan Priest, who represents the Cradley ward, is a fan of town councils.

He said: “It is a model of government that works really well elsewhere.

“I accept it’s an odd time for this to be on the agenda, ultimately it is up to the people to decide, do they want a higher quality of service and, if they do, are they willing to pay for it?”

Dudley Council’s leader, Councillor Patrick Harley, said: “It is a feasibility study, it may happen, it may not.

“I have an open mind to this and remain to be convinced on the merits or not.”