Valerie Vaz

Valerie Vaz

Labour — Walsall and Bloxwich

Speaking in the House of Commons on 12 November 2025

Debate

Public Bodies: Governance and Accountability

Contribution

The hon. Gentleman pre-empts something I will come to at the end, as one of my asks is to do just that. Visits to the museum are on an upward curve, with 14,000 over the past year. Now, the collection will be closed and put in storage until a new position is found, and nobody knows where. I am afraid that I have to use this phrase: it is the inclusion or collusion of Walsall college, an unaccountable body, that has resulted in the council deciding to close the museum, which will mean spending more money to refurbish it as a different entity and not as a purpose-built museum. This goes to the very heart of our community. I do not know whether you know, Sir John, but the leather industry and saddlers are the image of Walsall. I ask the Minister whether the Arts Council granting accredited museum status to the Walsall Leather Museum is not worth anything. If it is working as an arm’s length body, it should be accountable, and so should Walsall college.

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