AN open letter to Councillor Gordon Lindsay, Chair of Corporation Board and Ms Jenny Shackleton, Principal of Wirral Metropolitan College. Angela Eagle MP, please note.

From: Wallasey Further Education Action Group

- trying to save Withens Lane College, Wallasey, from closure.

THIS year marks the 100th anniversary of Further Education and Training in Wallasey. Last year, you decided to end the provision of local centralised further education available to 90,000 people in Wallasey.

We wish, through the Globe, to publicly ask why, despite having a budget of £14m of public money, and in face of all the opposition to closure, you are so determined to ignore the wishes of the Wallasey community by pressing ahead with the closure of Withens Lane in June 1997?

In 1995, you and the Corporation Board put forward an option for a new provision for Wallasey able to accommodate at least 800 full time students on a site covering 5000 square meters. In February 1996, you reduced this option to a site covering 2900 square meters capable of accommodating 350 full time students. Then, within four months, the Corporation Board voted against the provision of any new site for Wallasey and closure of Withens Lane. Why the U-turn?

Does the Board think it has treated the people of Wallasey fairly? Has Wallasey paid the price of your policies of building neighbouring colleges and, more importantly, the new Business and Management Centre (cost £5m) at Conway Park, Birkenhead?

It is eight months since you voted to close Withens Lane. When will you tell the people of Wallasey what future provisions there will be for day and night classes in Wallasey after June 1997 and where will they be located?

Is it true that the salary of the principal has been increased by 15 per cent on top of a salary of £73,000 a year? If this is true, how can the Board justify such an increase when many lone parents and students at Withens Lane are on benefit, or low incomes? The college system in Wirral also has an alleged budget crisis?

Finally, Wallasey Further Education Group will go ahead with celebrating the centenary and will be holding a public meeting at the Grosvenor Ballroom on April 4 at 7.30 pm. Are you and the Board willing to accept an invitation to attend and explain why you are closing Withens Lane? Also, what plans have you to mark the centenary besides closing the college ?

Meanwhile, we look forward to seeing a reply to this letter in the Wirral Globe.

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.