Museum stays after council approval. Relocation plan scrapped following community pushback and political sparring.
The museum relocation plan is now gone, having been removed from the council budget. The council cabinet initially approved this removal on February 12, with final approval occurring on February 26.
Moving the museum would have saved money, specifically £190,000 in 2025/26. However, many people strongly opposed this plan, including residents and industry leaders who protested.
Valerie Vaz, the MP for Walsall and Bloxwich, attended the protest on February 8. Councillor Garry Perry mocked her presence, joking that she was lost in Walsall.
Perry criticized Vaz’s commitment, suggesting she rarely visits Walsall and avoids council meetings. He also claimed she doesn’t help with litter issues.
Perry defended the decision to keep the museum open, acknowledging that closing it was also an option. He also stated that previous leaders had considered similar cuts and wants to cooperate with the public now.
Vaz celebrated the museum staying and thanked everyone who helped. She called the relocation plan an act of vandalism and criticized Perry’s personal attacks, believing that he lost the debate.