Tower Arts campaigners gain apology (From Hampshire Chronicle)

Tower Arts campaigners gain apology

12:07pm Thursday 22nd November 2007

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A SENIOR county councillor has said she apologises "unreservedly" if she misled campaigners trying to save the Tower Arts Centre in Winchester.

At a meeting of Tory-controlled Hampshire County Council on today (November 22) Cllr Margaret Snaith, executive member for recreation and heritage, said she did not mean to mislead anybody over the centre's future.

Cllr Snaith came under fire for apparently denying at a public meeting last month that a statement she made in July that arts provision would be handed over to Kings' School was true.

At the meeting on Thursday, Lib-Dem member Cllr Phrynette Dickens, asked her what the truth was.

Cllr Snaith said: "If I did deny making this statement during the public meeting then I apologise unreservedly."

She added that she might have become "confused" under the "heated atmosphere" of the meeting and that she did not have the July statement to hand that evening.

Cllr Snaith added: "I certainly would never have set out to mislead anybody.

"On July 5 the statement that went out to the press was correct and it was the position at that time."

The leader of the county council, Cllr Ken Thornber, will decide whether to hand over the centre to Kings' School on December 7, but campaigners fear that would kill off the programme of evening music and comedy.

They are asking for a stay of execution to allow for more funding options, such as working with the University of Winchester, to be explored.

But Cllr Thornber delivered a bleak message at the meeting, before which campaigners gathered outside to try to make their point for the final time.

The leader said cuts had to be made to offset the multi-million pound shortfall in the adult social care budget and that was "non-negotiable".

He said: "Arts centres as such are not a statutory duty of this county council. It's almost impossible to tell whether government funds us for arts centres at all.

"We have to care for the young, we have to care for the adults, we have to care for our environment, we have to care for our recreation.

"We're not funded sufficiently for all of those activities. I have to ask the people of Hampshire; what is your priority?'"

Before the meeting, campaigners demonstrated outside the building. The demonstration included the Sing Our Hearts Out Choir' and the university cast of A Christmas Carol', who performed parts of their production.

Campaigner, Alistair Marsden, said: "It is really the last chance. The people of Winchester are very much against this transfer, the county councillors from the city, the city councillors, the two parliamentary candidates, the university, they're all against the transfer.

"We're asking the county to reconsider this proposal."

The group presented a 1,200 strong petition to the council and an e-petition on the Downing Street website boasted 1,242 protestors by its November 18 deadline.

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