Council and East Devon District Council would like us to accept that it is all over, regarding Rolle College.

Council and East Devon District Council would like us to accept that it is all over, regarding Rolle College.

Certainly, it will be if we do not sustain and strengthen the unity of the town and turn it quickly into the positive action agreed at the special meeting at the Town Hall on November 9.

The town council is giving a tremendous lead, fully supported by the Exmouth community organisations (ECO). There is unprecedented determination to ensure Rolle is handed on to the community college, so our young people and adults seeking new training opportunities will not have to travel away from Exmouth.

We want to work in partnership with the county council, but this will only happen if they will discuss the options with us and listen to our ideas.

We are taking two steps immediately. The first is to lodge a joint complaint from the town council and ECO to the Local Government Ombudsman about the poor processes, particularly lack of consultation and inadequate evidence. We are doing this with some reluctance, but are sure it is necessary for the sake of democracy and for Exmouth to have a proper say in future.

The second is to put together a new business plan. This will set out exactly what the Rolle project offers, the anticipated number of students from Exmouth and the surrounding area, what the staffing will be (in the order of 60 new jobs), what opportunities there will be for use by the community and other organisations and how it will be financed.

If you have ideas on this please write to the Journal or to Roy Pryke c/o Town Clerk, Town Hall, Exmouth EX8 1AW.

Also, there is still the possibility the issue will be debated at the next meeting of the county council on December 10, which is open to the public.

So please concentrate the minds of the key decision makers by writing (again?) to Councillors John Hart and Christine Channon at County Hall, Exeter EX2 4QH, copied, if you wish, to our local County Councillors Bernard Hughes, Brenda Taylor and Eileen Wragg, to give your views.

Roy Pryke,

On behalf of: Exmouth Citizens' Forum, Exmouth Civic Society, Exmouth Community Association and Transition

Town Exmouth.