"Enough short-termism", St Albans Liberal Democrats tell Herts County Council
November 3, 2011 5:45 PM
St Albans Liberal Democrats have today written to the County Council to protest at the short-term planning behind the proposals to sell off County Council-owned land at the Ariston Works site (also known as the Old Fire Station site).
The unprecedented letter, signed by both County and District Councillors representing St Albans, criticises the Conservative County Council's proposals for failing to take account of the impact on local groups currently based there, and goes on to accuse the County Council of chronic failure to prepare a coherent strategy for meeting school place demand in the District.
Allan Witherick, who represents St Albans North County Division which contains the Ariston Works site, said:
"My colleagues and I are united in opposing the sale, because we feel that the County Council has failed to demonstrate a long-term strategy for dealing with the long-term problem of school place demand in St Albans. We've had enough short-termism from the County Council - and this most recent proposal is all the worse for failing to make any provisions of the groups that currently use the site."
"Local views differ on whether this site is suitable for a school, but what is clear is that it's not suitable for sale right now - instead, it should be kept for the current groups to use until such time that the County Council can come up with the strategy we are asking for. We're absolutely united on this, at both District and County level."
Full text of the letter follows:
Dear Members of Cabinet,
RE: Proposed sale of the Ariston Works (Old Fire Station) site, Harpenden Rd, St Albans
Over the years, St Albans has suffered from the County Council's failure to take advantage of several opportunities to provide local residents with sufficient school places, most notably with the redevelopment of the former Oaklands College site on Hatfield Road or of the Eversheds site off London Road.
Now, after many years of indecision, we hear that the site we know locally as the "Ariston Works" (or the Old Fire Station site) on Harpenden Road in St Albans is being "dusted off" at the November Cabinet and is to be considered for sale.
As you can imagine, this has raised a whole range of concerns, which the County Council has never addressed.
The Liberal Democrats have consistently argued that the current users of the site, in particular The Pioneer and St Albans Judo Club, would need to be re-housed if the use of the land is changed in any way. These organisations provide vital facilities for young people, which simply don't exist elsewhere locally (or even regionally). We want your assurance that whatever decision is made, these organisations will be looked after.
Our other concern, however, is that this is one of the last large spaces uniquely situated to serve the needs of the city which the County Council owns in St Albans.
At a time when the economy is weak, and when the County Council has already identified a further need for extra classrooms - or even new schools - in St Albans, is this really the best time to sell?
Surely the County Council should be, at the very least, holding the site as a potential bargaining chip for a land swap in the future, instead of cashing it in now and watching inflation destroy the value of any money made from the sale?
Until the Cabinet and County Council can demonstrate a clear strategy as to both how and where the needs of the local community - in particular in relation to the protection of current occupiers and fulfilling schooling needs - will be met in St Albans, we call upon the cabinet not to move forward with the sale of this unique site.
Do not squander yet another - and possibly the last - opportunity.
Yours sincerely,
Cllr Allan Siao Ming Witherick (Lib Dem)
County Councillor, St Albans North
Cllr Melvyn Teare (Lib Dem)
District Cllr, Marshalswick South
Cllr Rod Perks (Lib Dem)
District Cllr, Marshalswick South
Cllr Robert Donald (Lib Dem)
Group Leader, St Albans District Council
Cllr Chris White (Lib Dem)
Group Leader, Herts County Council
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