A ONLINE petition has been launched as part of the fight to try to save Stourbridge College from closure.

Councillor Chris Barnett, a councillor on Dudley Council for Quarry Bank and Dudley Wood, has launched a petition on www.change.org to try to convince bosses at Birmingham Metropolitan College, which owns Stourbridge College to rethink their plan to close the Hagley Road facility.

So far 145 people have signed the petition which calls on BMet to launch a full consultation with staff, students and the community about the future of the college.

Cllr Barnett (Labour) said: “It’s an important facility locally. If it closes down not just young people but anyone that uses it for further education is limited to Halesowen or Dudley. That’s not right.

“It’s an asset the local community needs. I want to do everything I can to try and make sure we keep a college that’s available to all in Stourbridge.”

He said the petition was a way of reaching out to BMet about the plan, which has been met with dismay by people across the town.

Bosses at the college say closing the long-running Hagley Road campus is in the “best interests” of learners and chiefs at Halesowen and Dudley Colleges have pledged to offer places for every Stourbridge College student affected by the plan.

A Save Stourbridge College meeting will be held at Stourbridge Town Hall tomorrow (Wednesday May 22) at 7pm.