A PETITION with 4,000 signatures will be presented at a full council meeting on Tuesday as the future of the former Central Club building continues to be called into question.

The land and iconic Black History Mural on Mill Lane has been put on the open market by Reading Borough Council in an effort to maximise the value.

A number of community groups, including Aspire - the legal entity established by the Caribbean Action Group - made bids for the site.

However, the council's Policy Committee rejected the bids on July 17 and said no cash value was offered by Aspire, despite claims that £10m was put forward by the community interest company (CIC).

Campaigners want a 'cast iron guarantee that the mural will be preserved, following a survey on the landmark which started on Monday (October 9).

Councillors will meet in the civic offices on October 17 after receiving the petition, which exceeded the 1,500 threshold required to trigger a debate by full council.

In a letter to the council, campaigners have said: "We the undersigned, petition RBC to think again and give proper consideration to the Aspire (Reading) CIC's compelling, compliant, fully funded £10m bid to acquire the spiritual home of the Black diaspora of Reading, the Central Club site and buildings.

"We feel the black community of Reading should not be scapegoated and made to suffer disproportionately for RBC's financial budgeting failure.

Reading Chronicle:

"We believe Aspire's bid provides strategic services to the diaspora that RBC are retreating from which makes Aspire a long term partner to the solution as their bid is 100 per cent consistent with RBC's strategic priorities.

"The Council has claimed that the mural is damaged and that they propose to commission an expert to clean and stabilise it. The council further stated that during such cleaning the mural could be damaged.

"The artist who painted the mural has visited the site recently and could not find any damage to the Mural.

"The community believe the council's decision to sell the site with the mural on the open market and claiming that the mural is damaged is a prelude to a commercial developer 'accidentally' damaging or destroying the mural to make it a more commercially attractive and viable site for development.

"The community is outraged by such a prospect and want a cast iron guarantee from the council that the mural will be preserved."

Keith Kerr, chairman of Aspire, says his group presented a self-funded bid to RBC at a time of dire need for private investment and does not believe their proposal was considered seriously.

However, council leader Jo Lovelock said all bids will be considered at a future Policy meeting along with the original third sector offers.

She also told the Chronicle that the mural would be preserved for future generations.

"While it may be convenient for some to suggest that the mural will disappear as part of this process, the council is quite clear that it expects any offers received in the next round to include proposals to secure the future of the mural," Cllr Lovelock explained.

"People need to know the council is on the side of all in the local community in wishing to retain this culturally important work of art.

"We love the distinctive mural and all it represents. We are clear that whatever happens to the building in the future, the mural itself will be preserved for future generations.

"The mural is showing signs of deterioration, but the council has started work to have it professionally cleaned and surveyed."