Tears of a Clowne
Amongst all the hype about the decision by Bolsover Council to purchase Clowne College Campus here’s a few facts:
1. Morrison’s have not agreed to purchase Sherwood Lodge, nor have they applied for planning permission.
2. Clowne College was built with public money. Bolsover residents are now being asked to buy-back what they already own.
3. Bolsover Council is cutting its office use by 40% through new technology and won’t even need all the classroom space at Clowne let alone 12.5 acres of pitches, workshops, sports facilities, canteen and a nursery all of which it will liable for rates.
4. Clowne Campus was built to a high spec because we need to equip young people with the best skills for them to succeed. Instead of stripping its assets, Bolsover Council should be campaigning to prevent its closure. A supermarket in Bolsover may be convenient but it’s training not shopping that will get our economy out of recession.
5. Sherwood Lodge is not yet 20 years old, built by the same Labour Councillors who now complain that it is inefficient. But they haven’t told us the costs of the “extras” like providing the IT and telephony services along with reception areas and provision for public meetings in Clowne campus.
It has been suggested to me that having over-inflated their allowances Labour Councillors are adopting the same approach to their office requirements. However if they think that the recession has bottomed out, and now’s the time to speculate, then they must have more faith in the coalition than I do. Elsewhere other Councils don’t indulge in pipe-dreams but work with communities to create jobs by insulating cold Victorian homes, providing solar panels, paying a living wage, supporting local businesses, improving green spaces and keeping essential services, like public toilets, open. Bolsover should take note.
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