Liberal Democrat Councillor for Willenhall North Ian Shires has asked senior officers at Walsall Council to ensure that he is kept updated on the progress of placing the young people displaced by the Black Country University Technical College’s (UTC) pending closure in August.

News of the Board of Trustees decision broke on Monday. “The position of these young people must be of the utmost importance” said Ian. “I have to say that I am extremely angry at what in my view amounts to a betrayal of the trust parents and young people had put in this venture which was designed to address the problem of a skills gap across Walsall and the Black Country in manufacturing and engineering businesses.”

As well as ensuring that the education prospects of the young people involved are not affected it is important that this hole in the plans to address the skills gap is addressed as soon as possible.

The future of the site is also important. It has many attractive features and must continue as an educational establishment and the home of the Sneyd Community Association who have been no strangers to uncertainty in the sites chequered history.

It began life as Sneyd Community Comprehensive School when it was built back in 1980 to serve the north Willenhall area. It closed due to falling numbers in August 2011 and reopened as the Black County UTC in the September of that year. Now once again a cloud of uncertainty hangs over it.