Issue - items at meetings - Petitions

THE CONNAUGHT CENTRE

8.1           The Cabinet Member had before him the following petition presented at Council on 13 March 2008 by Councillor Older and signed by 551 people. 

“The Connaught Centre has been a centre of excellence in teaching for adults and as a vital community resource for the past 30 years.  City College Brighton and Hove’s plans for the future of the centre and adult education are unclear in their redevelopment proposals.

We the undersigned believe that the loss of the facility would be detrimental to both the community and learners in the west of the city and that City College will be failing in its remit to provide city wide learning by concentrating all of its facilities in the east and centre of Brighton and ignoring the needs of Hove.  We request a positive response on the future of the Connaught.”

8.2           The Cabinet Member replied that he would send a written reply to Councillor Older as set out below.

“The city council has worked closely with City College Brighton and Hove and the Learning and Skills Council to try to ensure as much capital funding as possible is directed towards Brighton & Hove to provide modern fit-for-purpose vocational further education.  At the moment this work has concentrated on the larger Pelham Street and proposed Community Stadium campuses.  We understand that City College does have plans for future provision of both a study skills centre aimed at 14-16 years old, to be provided in partnership with schools, and adult education to be provided in accessible locations in the west of the city.  However, the college is yet to make any formal proposals for this provision or to make any firm decisions on the future of the Connaught building. 

The Principle of City College informs us that he has met with staff and students on a number of occasions and guaranteed that Connaught will continue for at least two more years and certainly until replacement provision is in place. The College and the City Council are both members of the Brighton & Hove Learning Partnership. The Partnership has a sub group whose remit is Adult Learning. Any proposals for future provision of Adult Learning will be considered by this partnership group.

The city council would be concerned by any loss of provision and floor space in the west of the city.  The City Council will continue to work with the college to ensure that we safeguard provision and learner numbers as the later phases of the college’s capital strategy come forward.”