Leather Museum special meeting request rejected by Mayor

The Mayor of Walsall has rejected a call for a special meeting over the relocation of the Leather Museum.

The move comes after five Walsall councillors requested an extraordinary meeting to vote on whether decisions about the move should be delayed until after the local elections on May 7. 

In a joint statement, Councillors Sarah-Jane Cooper, Nick Gandham, Waheed Rasab, Bobby Bains and Suky Samra, said the decision ‘did not belong to a potentially departing administration’.

They said any actions should be deferred until a new council is elected. 

The Mayor, Councillor Louise Harrison, turned down the request stating it would be inappropriate for members to intervene with the decision. 

In September 2025, nine members of Walsall Council’s cabinet approved a plan to close Walsall Leather Museum at its current location at Littleton Street West, and lease the building to Walsall College for its SEN provision.

The council recently purchased a property at 1-3 The Bridge in the town centre at a cost of £725,000 to be used as a museum and for the authority’s children’s services.

The Littleton Street West building finally closed its doors to the public on April 11.

As previously reported, Advance UK, Greens, Lib Dems, Reform UK and Walsall Community Independents have all said they oppose the relocation plans. 

Some groups have even promised to override the cabinet decision should they gain control of the authority after next week’s local elections. 

Labour said it ‘recognised the importance’ of the building to Walsall’s identity and the Conservatives, who currently run the council, said the move will be completed ‘as soon as practicable’.

Councillor Louise Harrison has been approached for statement. 

A spokesperson for Walsall Council said: “The council will continue to act in accordance with its constitution and decision‑making arrangements.”