Dear Editor,

Just what is Lancashire County Council Education department doing in spending large amounts of money on maintaining and securing properties that it has closed, often in the face of public opposition?

How much did it cost to demolish Westbank College facility after leaving closed, un-used, derelict and finally a burnt wreck with the only one option to demolish it?

In Ormskirk town there is an even a sadder case. Ormskirk College, Hants Lane, which was based in the old historic Brandreth Hospital building, is following the usual fate, closed, un-used, derelict with the only option but to demolish.

Lancashire County Council had had decades, yes decades to successfully use and develop a solution to the benefit of the local community. In service to the community it has removed much appreciated services further away, spent large amounts of taxpayer’s money given to private companies to provide security management and also on maintenance.

Within the Westbank Glenburn complex there is the purpose-built Phoenix Theatre, the only one in the whole of West Lancs Borough and that is scheduled for demolition.

It would be interesting if the exact expenditure could be extrapolated from the budgets for over the past 5 or 10 years so the whole enormity of the lack of care can be seen; it feels as if this has been rubber stamped yearly and lost in the greater scheme of things.

Could not these buildings with excellent disabled access and substantial plumbing be used as temporary accommodation and use a scheme such as ‘Live-in-Guardians'?

Education is described as an enlightening experience.

Yours sincerely,

Debbie Reardon