The petition of residents of the United Kingdom,
Declares that the Walsall Leather Museum, built in a nineteenth-century leather factory, is the heart of the town’s heritage and the pride of the community; notes that Walsall Council plans to relocate the museum and lease the site to Walsall College for a peppercorn rent; declares that this plan has been brought forward without consultation with local people; further declares that alternative sites, including within Walsall College’s estate, are more appropriate for SEND provision than the Museum site and so should be considered as alternatives in order to preserve the culture and heritage of the current Museum site; and further declares that these plans amount to removing a cherished community asset against the wishes of the community.
The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urge the Government to acknowledge the contentiousness of this proposed transaction, and to encourage Walsall Council and Walsall College to halt the plans to relocate Walsall Leather Museum, to look instead at alternative sites for Walsall College’s SEND provision, to hold a full public consultation on the proposal, to publish detailed information about the plans including alternative options considered, to ensure that the Museum remains open, and to make a commitment to transparency and accountability.
And the petitioners remain, etc.—[Presented by Valerie Vaz, Official Report, 18 December 2025; Vol. 777, c. 1174.]
[P003153]
Observations from the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (Baroness Twycross):
The Government recognise that Walsall Leather Museum is a culturally significant site, bringing pride to communities within Walsall and beyond.
I note Walsall council’s plans to relocate the museum and appreciate the petitioners’ concerns. Ultimately, this is a matter for the local authority to decide. However, I would encourage the council to reflect on the important role that museums and other valued cultural institutions play in communities and to continue to provide vital support. Arts, culture and heritage make our communities unique and vibrant, drive economic growth, and help improve wellbeing, and as such it is vital that they are protected.
The majority of funding provided by the Government through the local government finance settlement is un-ringfenced, in recognition of local authorities being best placed to make local decisions. The provisional 2026-27 LGFS will make available almost £78 billion in core spending power for local authorities in England, a 5.7% cash-terms increase compared to 2025-26. By the end of the multi-year spending review period, we will have provided a 15.1% cash-terms increase, worth over £11 billion, compared to 2025-26. For Walsall council, this means we are making available up to £487.2 million in 2028-29 in core spending power, an increase of up to 41% compared to 2024-25.
The Government are also supporting delivery of local priorities in Walsall through £20 million community regeneration partnership funding, announced in March 2025. The Walsall community regeneration partnership brought together Government Departments, Walsall council and local stakeholders to identify opportunities to turbocharge local growth by addressing local challenges and opportunities.
The Government understand that the council will be consulting on the plans and have committed to relocating the museum within the town centre. I would encourage the council to continue engaging with the local community to ensure that decisions made reflect the views of local people, and for a suitable new location for Walsall Leather Museum to be identified. Arts Council England has also engaged regularly with Walsall council regarding the future of the museum and is able to offer further advice on conducting options appraisals and maintaining accreditation status, if needed.