Tower to the People!!!!!

So.....how should we continue the campaign?

Much of the onus is now on Kings' School and the Council to consult with the public over the next six weeks or so and to put more detail into their proposals. Councillor Thornber has promised consultation with the user groups - so we should hear something soon. This should give us the opportunity to voice our opinion............

So in the meantime - what can we do to keep the momentum up...................

• We need to keep the story in the media - so please write to them to give your views. It is very simple to submit a letter to the Chronicle at http://www.hampshirechronicle.co.uk/news/letter/ - it would be great to get some in this weeks Chronicle (deadline Wednesday Noon).



• We also need to keep writing to local elected representatives - especially Ken Thornber (Leader of County Council) at ken.thornber@hants.gov.uk, George Beckett (Leader of City Council) at gbeckett@winchester.gov.uk. I would copy Phyrnette Dickens on any e-mails that you send phrynette.dickens@hants.gov.uk . You could give your views on the latest developments. Are you happy that the Tower has not been allowed to continue the bookings? It would only cost just over £20k to keep it going for another 3 months ..... thats around 20p for each resident in the Winchester district!



• The two leading candidates for the next MP of Winchester (Lib Dem Martin Tod and Conservative Steve Brine) both believe that the decision should be deferred. Continue to write to them to lobby support. martin@martintod.org.uk and http://www.stevebrine.com/record.jsp?type=requiredPage&ID=23&contact=contact. The Lib Dems are highly visible with their opposition. We would rather this did not go down party lines - so lets push Steve Brine in particular for more visible support



• Keep spreading the word on the petition.... up to 961 at the last count



• Realistically - we will not be able to investigate alternative funding before 13th September. I was thinking it maybe a good idea to present a plan for how we would go about securing alternative funding if we were given more time. Does anyone know people that have organised fund-raising that could point us in the right direction?

Finally- a Lib-Dem video of the protest at http://obbfcouncillor.blogspot.com/2007/07/save-tower-demo-now-on-videoand-stay-of.html.

Decision deferred until 13th September......

A great turn-out to support the deputation, over 30 people at short notice on a week day at 10am is pretty impressive. Many also attended the deputation - HCC had to move to a bigger room to accomodate us all! Thanks to all of you for your support.

Phrynette Dickens presented her objections - focusing on the absence of any public consultation and the fact that the HAT recommendations and the Arts Review Panel findings had been ignored. I presented my objections on a number of grounds - focusing on the lack of time to find alternative funding, the lack of a credible business case from Kings and the lack of due diligence in the process. I have posted a summary of the deputation at.....

Councillor Thornbers concluded by raising some concerns:

• We need to allay fears of staff by a broader consultation


• He accepted the point on the business case and wanted to seek assurances that community art activities will no be eroded under Kings'


• He was concerned that the view of HAT had not been taken into account


• He wanted more public visibility including meetings with user groups


• 
  
  He did not see due diligence as an issue – he saw the property as the asset rather than the intangible asset linked to the reputation of the Tower Arts

There was some encouraging signs at this point - until he wound up by saying that he would defer the decision until 13th September to address these issues. He did not see school holidays as a problem – as he worked through August!

Overall I am disappointed. I feel that we have brought some more time but nowhere near enough time to properly investigate alternate funding. I am pleased that Kings' have been requested to submit a business case for how they intend to meet there commitments and that HAT and the User Groups will be consulted with (albeit that a lot of the programmes have come to an end for the summer!!).

We have come a long way in the 5 weeks

Gotta go now - but will update later on the next steps

Protest at 9.15am on Wednesday 18th July at the County Council Offices

I have just been informed that on 18th July - Ken Thornber (Leader of the County Council) has a decision day that will consider the transfer of the Tower Arts Centre to Kings' School. Time is running out to save the Tower - so we really need to mobilise as a campaign team.

We need to organise as many protesters as possible to protest at the Hampshire County Council offices. We will meet at 9.15am - please bring placards, banners etc. We will try to organise for the press to be there - so we need as many protesters as possible. Please spread the word.................... If anyone wants any more details - please e-mail at alistairwmarsden@yahoo.co.uk

I also understand that there is an opportunity for the public to make a formal deputation. I will follow up on this tomorrow.

The majority of the public will not be aware of the decision because it missed the cut off for the Hampshire Chronicle. For those that are aware I would strongly encourage you to write to the media. I have done some digging around for some contacts

• To write a letter to the chronicle go to http://www.hampshirechronicle.co.uk/news/letter/


• To add a comment on the web-site go to http://www.hampshirechronicle.co.uk/display.var.1524029.0.tower_arts_centre_to_pass_to_school.php


• I have tried to get hold of BBC South Today without any luck - maybe you could try martin.webster@bbc.co.uk or call them on 02380 226201

Heavy Hearts and Angry Souls...but the battle is not over

It is with a heavy heart and an angry soul that I have to let you know that today Margaret Snaith the Conservative County Councillor has agreed to all the recommendations within the report and that the Tower Arts Centre will transfer to Kings' School. Lynda Bannister led a deputation that presented an excellent case for deferring the decision. A number of County and City Councillors also spoke out against the decision. The general feeling from all objectors was that the decision had already been made.

The heavy heart is because of the sense of loss - the Tower Art Centre is a fantastic asset for all of us in Hampshire. My heart reaches out to John Tellet, Anita, Adam, Jo and all the other staff who have worked hard to make the Tower Arts the inspirational place that it is. With the talents that these people have - I am sure they will have future success.

The Angry Soul is because of the way that the Conservative County Councillors have behaved. Up until four weeks ago - the public were not aware of what was happening. Since the leak, the County Council has tried to allay fears. Just three weeks ago Margaret Snaith said that these were "early days" in the decision. We got similar messages a couple of weeks ago from the Conservative County Council Leader Ken Thornber who said they were only at the "preliminary discussion" stage.

The report on which the decision has been based leaves many unanswered questions and in my view lacks the due diligence required to support such a key decision. It has been made without due consideration or sufficient consultation. On these grounds - I believe that the decision maybe negligent and I will be investigating whether there is sufficient grounds for pursuing this line.

In the three weeks since the petition started we have over 700 signatories - quite some achievement in such a short time. Please continue to spread the word and keep up the pressure. With this level of support - I feel confident that we can make a difference!

Finally, despite my reservations about their abitity to take this on - I genuinely hope that Kings' School make a decent fist of it. They have taken on an onerous responsibility and I hope they dedicate the appropriate level of skills and resources to ensure that this community asset is preserved

2 days to get those protests in..........

Petition is up to 565. This is a significant increase during the weekend ....

Some of you may have received a response from the County Councillors emphasing the Tower Arts was not closing and implying that the press are blowing it out of proportion. I guess you will all have to make up your minds on this - but some relevant facts:

1. The proposal is to transfer the management of the Arts Centre from the current Artistic Director to the Kings School management team under the Headmistress


2. The centre will move from the Recreation and Heritage Department of the County Council to the Children and Families Department. All the other Arts Centres in Hampshire are run within the Recreation and Heritage Department.


3. You can read the press reports on the Hampshire Chronicle web-site and make up your own mind whether the reporting is fair. I have summarised the story line below.

My view is that the reporting from the Chronicle has been very objective. The County Council were hoping to make the decision without any consultation with the public. They have now been caught off guard by the leak and they are now choosing clever words and they are making a side swipe at the Press to deflect the criticism they are receiving .

As Theodore Roosevelt said

"Suppose you see a bird walking around in a farm yard. This bird has no label that says 'duck'. But the bird certainly looks like a duck. Also, he goes to the pond and you notice that he swims like a duck. Then he opens his beak and quacks like a duck. Well, by this time you have probably reached the conclusion that the bird is a duck, whether he's wearing a label or not."

Story as presented in the Hampshire Chronicle

1. Leak on 7th June http://www.hampshirechronicle.co.uk/search/display.var.1454755.0.fears_at_arts_centre_future.php.


2. It ws then revealed that the Tower had been instructed to not take any more bookings on 13th June http://www.hampshirechronicle.co.uk/search/display.var.1469260.0.tower_friends_rally_over_closure_threat.php.


3. There have been follow up stories on 22nd June on http://www.hampshirechronicle.co.uk/search/display.var.1488768.0.campaigners_bid_to_save_arts_centre.php


4. Then on the 27th there was news of a separate proposal to close anumber of Art Centres http://www.hampshirechronicle.co.uk/search/display.var.1502206.0.clash_over_arts_centres_closure_plan.php


5. The demonstration at the Tower Arts was covered on http://www.hampshirechronicle.co.uk/search/display.var.1502421.0.stage_front_for_tower_protesters.php