False claims are being circulated online about the future of CALAT and the planned move from Croydon Clocktower to Strand House.
The facts are straightforward:
- CALAT is not being cut.
- Its funding is not being reduced.
- No CALAT jobs are at risk because of the move.
Classes and administrative functions are moving to an existing CALAT centre with more than enough space.
This is a logistical decision about using the Council’s buildings more sensibly. It is not a cut to adult learning.
Strand House in Thornton Heath is already an established CALAT centre and has significant available capacity. It makes no sense to leave that space underutilised whilst continuing to operate from another Council building.
Bringing the Clocktower provision into Strand House will reduce unnecessary duplication and make better use of the Council’s estate, whilst maintaining the funding, jobs and courses residents rely on.
The space released in the Clocktower will be used for bringing together Council services and support offered by voluntary, community and faith sector partners - the Council will share more about these plans in the near future.
Despite these clear facts, Inside Croydon and Labour Councillors are colluding to present the relocation as a threat to CALAT. That is deliberately misleading.
They are attempting to turn a straightforward move between two Council buildings into a story about cuts, when there are no cuts to funding or jobs associated with the relocation. This is political scaremongering, and it is deeply irresponsible to cause unnecessary anxiety among staff and learners.
They are entitled to criticise the Council’s decisions, but that criticism should be based on the facts. Staff and learners should not be frightened by claims that are simply untrue.
Learners affected by the relocation will be contacted directly with information about the new location and arrangements for their courses.
Moving classes from one CALAT centre to another is not a cut. The funding remains in place, the courses will continue and no jobs are being lost because of this move.
Executive Mayor Jason Perry said:
“I want to be completely clear: CALAT is not being cut. Its funding is not being removed and no jobs are at risk because of this move.
“Strand House is already a CALAT facility and has more than enough space. The Clocktower classes and administrative functions are moving from one Council building to another established CALAT centre. That is a sensible logistical decision, not the closure of a service.
“The space released in the Clocktower will be used for bringing together Council services and support offered by voluntary, community and faith sector partners. It will bring important support services together in one accessible location.
“Our priority is to make adult-learning provision sustainable for the long term. Using the buildings we already have more intelligently, whilst maintaining external funding, courses and jobs, is an important part of achieving that.”
