MP challenges Minister over threatened college redevelopment
30th April 2009
Mike Penning MP called for meeting with Government Minister to discuss changes in West Herts College capital programme which threatens redevelopment of Dacorum campus.
Mike Penning challenged Further Education Minister Siôn Simon MP over the threatened redevelopment of the Dacorum campus of West Herts College yesterday.
As part of long-term plans to modernise its facilities, West Herts College is undertaking major redevelopment of its campuses in both Watford and Dacorum. The project was to have been completed in two phases, the first – development of a new campus at Hempstead Road, Watford which will replace the two existing sites in Watford. Work on this development is now well under way. The second phase was the rebuilding of the Dacorum Campus in Marlowes, Hemel Hempstead.
Now, the Learning and Skills Council, which has the job of implementing the Government’s decisions in Further Education, has decided that Phase 2 – the rebuilding of Dacorum Campus – is to be regarded as a new, separate project.
Concerned that the funding of this new project is at risk, Mike Penning called for the Further Education Minster to meet him, together with the college’s Principal, Elizabeth Rushton, to discuss the matter.
Speaking in the House, Mike said:
“The West Herts college is a fantastic facility that looks after students in Watford and Hemel Hempstead. The capital programme that has been going on for some time has finished in Watford, but now the LSC has said that the final part of the project—the part for Hemel Hempstead—is to be regarded as a new project. The LSC has moved the goalposts halfway through the capital project, so will the Minister meet me and the college’s principal, Elizabeth Rushton, to explain exactly how it was able to do that? Coming halfway through the programme, the change will have a devastating effect on the town centre redevelopment that the college is part of.”
Speaking afterwards, Mike added: “I am very concerned that Hemel has, yet again, been dealt a cruel blow by this Government. This is the second time the Government has made funding commitments to Further Education which it has then taken away in a matter of just two months.
“I really feel for those in charge of our schools and colleges who are faced with constantly moving goalposts – how can anyone be expected to plan and deliver services in that environment?
“The redevelopment of the Dacorum Campus is a vital part of the Waterhouse Square redevelopment of our town centre. Dacorum students deserve state-of-the-art facilities to prepare themselves for an increasingly competitive world.”
