RESIDENTS are being invited to help develop and shape the borough’s archives service that will be provided from a new state-of-the-art £6million building in Dudley.

As part of the archive services redevelopment Dudley Council will be consulting with people over the next three months, collecting views on what they would like the service to offer to the community.

Councillor Adrian Turner, Dudley’s cabinet member for housing, libraries and adult learning, said views collected will be used to shape, improve and further develop the service which is set to move from its current Coseley base to a site next to Dudley’s Black Country Living Museum.

Cllr Turner said: “I urge as many people as possible to get involved in the archives consultation.

“The council needs local people’s views and opinions as to the kinds of services that it should be providing from the new archives building.

“Residents’ opinions are vital as we are keen to involve local people in all of the new archives initiatives and local history programmes.”

The archives and local history service, which has outgrown its present base, comprises records dating from the 12th century - including official legal and family documents, photographs, newspapers, maps, films and audio all of which build an irreplaceable history of the borough.

Plans have been submitted to relocate the service to a state-of-the-art building to be built on Tipton Road as part of the Castle Hill redevelopment in Dudley.

A decision is expected from planners in the autumn and, if approved, construction will begin next year.

A questionnaire asking for residents’ views on the future of the service is available online at dudley.gov.uk, or in borough libraries, leisure centres, the existing archives service in Coseley, Dudley Council Plus and the Black Country Living Museum. They can also be requested by calling 01384 817848.