Fight to save Rye adult education centre gains momentum

Rye residents are angry that the much loved facility, which was donated to the town for community use, is being sold off for housing development by Hastings College.

Members of the public got the support they wanted from Rye Town Council when it met on Monday evening.

Councilors supported calls for a wider public debate on the issue as well as resolving to write to Rother Council's planning department to get more information and asking Hastings College to outline its expenditure on Lion Street over the past six financial years.

Kenneth Bird addressed the meeting on behalf of a new action group that has been formed with the aim of ensuring Lion Street is retained for community use.

He said more than 250 people had already signed up to the campaign.

"Our intention is to produce a Study paper to demonstrate there is a viable case for a sustainable future for the use of the building by the community," said Mr Bird.

Hastings College came under fire at the meeting with kenneth Bird commenting: "It has a bad record of stewardship of the FE Centre, both in terms of building maintenance and upkeep and its deliberate policy of discouraging community use by voluntary groups.

"Hastings College has not, so far, provided the information we have requested about current usage and running costs and has instructed its employees not to co-operate.

"It has shown itself inflexible and dismissive of local opinion.

"We now learn they have refused adult education bookings beyond December 2010."

Rye district and town councillor David Russell said: "We must demonstrate the use of that building and show how Hastings College have priced various groups out of using it.

"The principal of life long learning is an excellent one and it is absolutely appalling that support for that seems to be dwindling away.

"The College has not behaved in a satisfactory way."

Rye Partnership has also pledged to look at the issue. Chairman Keith Glazier said: "It will be on the board's agenda when the Partnership next meets."