ONE of the few black councillors for Reading said the diaspora community ‘deserved better’ after campaigners presented a petition with more than 4,000 signatures in a bid to save the former Central Club building.

Councillor Sophia James, Labour councillor for Katesgrove, slammed Aspire and their leader Keith Kerr at a full council meeting on Tuesday evening as tensions continued to rise over the future of the iconic black history mural.

Aspire - the legal entity of the Caribbean Action group - claimed a fully-funded bid of £10m was offered at a Policy meeting in July, but council leader Jo Lovelock insisted no money had been offered and the mural would be preserved as part of any successful bid.

Mr Kerr sparked a debate by gathering enough signatures to make his case heard at full council, but Cllr James berated him for spreading misinformation and suggesting Reading Borough Council did not care about the black community.

She said: Many inaccurate claims have been made about this council’s intentions for the site. While the building is up for sale the mural is absolutely not.

“I have organised black history events and stood directly in the line of fascist violence. Believe me when I say I understand the importance of campaigning to protect black people.

“When you shout down representatives in public meetings and cherry pick the parts of the bid that you want to make public to suit your own interests, you cause incalculable harm to race relations and the black community in Reading.

“Frankly, we deserve better and we do not need this.”

Central Club has been derelict since 2006.

Cllr Lovelock was restrained from disclosing any of the details of Aspire’s bid after it threatened to take legal action.

She said: “Do you not think that if £10m was offered to this council , cash-strapped it is, that we would not be holding our hands out to Aspire.”

The original bid, or any fresh bids submitted by Aspire, will be considered alongside commercial offers, but Mr Kerr said the black community should not have to ‘compete’.

He added: “This iconic piece of real estate and the building behind that real estate should be secured.

“It is in our bid document that we have raised £10m in the shape of a mortgage. I accept that the council is under severe financial pressure.

“Why does the council feel a commercial developer has the right to take away a spiritual home from the community on the basis that you should get value for money.”

The timetable for the bidding process is expected to be confirmed in the coming weeks following a recent survey on the mural.