Robert Marshall-Andrews

|

Fears Grow for Future of Adult Education Centre

The Tory plans to move Rochester Library into the Adult Education Centre are causing staff and students a great deal of concern, in light of the undoubted negative impact this will have on teaching and learning.

Combining the two resources will lead to a one-third reduction in space for classes at the Adult Education Centre, and the more specialist subjects that require large amounts of space, such as art and design and photography, will be hardest hit.  Many fear that this will lead to the cancellation of classes, and could put the Centre itself at risk.

As usual, the Tories have ignored the views of staff and students, and have made their final decision before consultation began.

Cllr Teresa Murray, who represented the Labour group at Tuesday’s Learners’ Association meeting, said, “There is great concern amongst the students here that this has all happened too quickly and without being thought through.  Losing around a third of the teaching space will inevitably lead to the cancellation of classes.  It is the students who will suffer from this ill-conceived and disturbing scheme.”

Cllr Adam Price, Labour’s education spokesperson, said, “The Labour group is very concerned about this issue.  There has been no thought given to the effect on staff and students.  I have asked for an item to go to scrutiny to consider the impact on them, as it has obviously not been taken into account before.”

Cllr Godwin, Leader of the Labour group and spokesperson for Environment and Front Line Services, said, “It is a disgrace that the Tories have once more pressed ahead with one of their half-baked initiatives without consulting those who will be affected by it.  As usual, the Tories have made their decision before consulting the people who use the service.  It is an insult to now carry out a consultation exercise when they have already stated that the library will be moving in and opening in May this year.”
   
Bob Marshall-Andrews, MP for Medway, added, “In recent days I have received correspondence from a good number of constituents, who are students at Rochester Adult Education Centre, who all express their outrage on the lack of adequate consultation.  I call upon the Conservative controlled council to reconsider their short-sighted proposal to relocated Rochester Library into the already over crowded Adult Education Centre.  The very least the Tories should have done was to hold a full and extended consultation on the matter before making their decision, or were they worried about the content of the feedback of any such full consultation?”