DUDLEY Council's leader has stressed he wants to "get everyone in our community involved" in the debate around whether the authority should accept a £325,000 out of court offer made by Dudley Muslim Association for land earmarked for a new mosque.

The offer for the site off Hall Street in Dudley is to be discussed by the council's Labour-controlled cabinet tomorrow (Thursday June 25) at The Council House from 6pm.

Council bosses say no decision will be taken at this stage and there will be no public question time - but the debate will be streamed live on Dudley Council’s YouTube channel.

Councillor Pete Lowe, leader of the council, said: "We now have a situation where a sum of money has been offered and we are duty bound to consider this as a cabinet.

"We are determined that we get everyone in our community involved.

"Although no formal decision will be taken at the meeting, it is important that people have the opportunity to see discussions on subjects like the Hall Street offer in public, wherever possible.

“People will be able to see and hear any discussions from the comfort of their own home.”

The council won the right to buy back the land from the DMA in 2014 after planning permission expired but the Association appealed the decision through the High Court.

A further Court of Appeal hearing is expected in October 2015 if a settlement has not been reached before then.

If the council accepts the offer - it would end the costly ongoing legal battle; the DMA would own the site, which already has planning permission for a new mosque, community and sports centre, and council chiefs say the authority will have met its legal obligations to get the best price for the land.

At Thursday’s meeting - cabinet members will be recommended to refer the matter to the council's overview and scrutiny management board for further discussion before a decision is taken.

Cllr Lowe said the cabinet voting system, which permits only members of the ruling group to vote, was not the local Labour party's "idea of democracy, but one we have inherited".

He said the scrutiny committee comprises Labour, Conservative and UKIP councillors and witnesses can be called - and he added: "They can take as long as they like, call as many witnesses as they wish and hold the meeting where a large number of the public can be present.

"We will then bring the matter back to a future cabinet meeting to consider what happens next.”

Judy Foster, deputy council leader, added: “This is a hugely important issue for us, we believe the process we are to go through will mean the people of Dudley can have the greatest input, their voice will be the one we take notice of and not the gangs of outsiders that we have had to put up with in these past years.”

Dudley Muslim Association wants to build a new, state-of-the-art place of worship on the gateway Hall Street site to replace the existing Dudley Central Mosque in Castle Street which members say is no longer fit for purpose.

But DMA spokesman Amjid Raza has stressed the development would be largely be given over to community and sports facilities - with only 30 per cent of the building earmarked for worship.