| SPOTLIGHT |
The leader of Gravesham Borough Council, Cllr John Burden, has written a letter to his counterpart at Kent County Council, expressing his concern at suggestions that it is to close an Adult Education Centre.
In the letter to Cllr Roger Gough, Cllr Burden described the reported plans as “poorly thought-through” and “irrational”, and criticised the “lack of consultation” with both Gravesham and local people.
It is understood The Victoria Centre, in Darnley Road, Gravesend, is being closed by Kent.
It follows earlier correspondence between Cllr Burden and Cllr Rory Love, Kent’s Cabinet Member for Education and Skills, in which Cllr Love appeared to confirm that a decision to close the centre had already been made, Gravesham revealed.
In his subsequent letter to Cllr Gough, Cllr Burden questioned the legality of the decision-making process and urged the county council to reconsider its decision.
He observed that Gravesham is the fifth most deprived local authority in Kent, with deprivation concentrated in neighbourhoods in the north of the borough.
Gravesham's Leader noted that one in five residents have no qualifications, with below average figures for those with skills and qualifications at Level 3 and only 26.7% had a Level 4 and above.
He said: “To close an Adult Education Centre in one of the most challenged parts of the county makes no sense, is a poorly thought-through and irrational approach, and will simply put insurmountable barriers in the paths of those within our community who would seek to better their prospects.”
Questioning the legality of the reported decision, Cllr Burden wrote: “I want to be clear that I… question the legal basis for this decision. The minutes for the meeting where this item was considered are yet to be published, so I am unable to understand the discussion leading to the decision and whether the requisite public notifications were made that such a decision would be considered in a private part of the meeting.
“I also question the practice of simply accepting the Department for Education’s opinion that the Equality Impact Assessment shows limited impacts, even when the Equality Impact Assessment appended to the report shows negative impacts on multiple groups.”
He continued: “I see no evidence of consultation in relation to this decision, which Cllr Love makes clear has already been made, so surely any forthcoming consultation would be a meaningless exercise, and therefore a clear breach of the regulations.”
Gravesham Borough Council said it has not yet received a response to the letter.
A Kent County Council spokesperson said: “We know how important it is to have locations for our services that work for our residents, including our Kent Adult Education offer.
“Recently the centre we use to deliver courses in Gravesend has been identified as in an increasing state of disrepair with unaffordable modernisation of assets costs. No final decision has been taken.
“We are keen to maintain a smaller, affordable fixed presence in the town for both teaching and exams.”
Lottie Winson
