'Further £1m' needed for gallery

The Public was designed by architect Will Alsop

A further £1m could be spent on a £50m art gallery which opened two years late and nearly £12m over budget.

The money is needed to cover the extra costs of finishing The Public, in West Bromwich, and plans to convert its fourth floor into office space.

Sandwell Council's cabinet will discuss the issue at a meeting on Wednesday.

The controversial gallery, which went into administration in 2006, was effectively saved by a government grant of £1.6m and opened last month.

Running costs

Its managers have already attracted criticism for their decision to eventually charge a £6.95 entry fee.

The gallery is currently free to the public while the finishing touches are applied.

Plans to convert the fourth floor into offices are intended to help fund the running costs of the building, the BBC understands.

The gallery is seen as integral to the regeneration of West Bromwich and the rest of Sandwell by the local council.

It features interactive art installations in an eye-catching building designed by architect Will Alsop.