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From The Socialist newspaper, 30 August 2017
Community and artists campaign to save Todmorden College
Todmorden Community College (Click to enlarge)
Peter Robson, Bradford Socialist Party and community-based artist
The town of Todmorden, nestling in the south Pennines on the border between Lancashire and Yorkshire, has had a community college since the 1950s.
In 2016 Calderdale Labour council announced the complete cessation of funding for the building and therefore a death sentence on a community asset that has trained and educated working class people in this town for years.
But the local authority is 'sitting' on assets of nearly £100 million. If this college ceases to exist, the nearest further education colleges will be Burnley nine miles away, Rochdale ten miles away and Halifax 12 miles away.
The community is also enraged as Aldi has applied to build a supermarket on the site.
Connected to this would be a children's centre and youth centre, provided by Aldi.
These companies know that in poorer towns they just have to suggest the potential for cash and jobs and councils cannot wait to get their noses in the trough. This also shows the further privatisation of once public services.
A campaign has been set up called Save Our College In Todmorden, which I am part of. I am also campaigning for the college to continue to be used as an artistic hub.
We will continue to fight for this essential service in a town that has some of the highest levels of deprivation.
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In The Socialist 30 August 2017:
Socialist Party news and analysis
School spend is behind eastern Europe
May's lies about foreign students exposed
Landlord licensing under threat - fight back
Corbyn confirms £1bn for the arts
What we think
Reject Starmer's Single Market u-turn
Workplace news and analysis
Barts health workers' strike: pay up Serco!
Ford workers vote for action - the fight is on
Bron Afon housing workers step up strike
Unite takes legal action against Argos
International socialist news and analysis
China: debt crisis, state repression and the prospects for workers' struggle
Hong Kong: mass demonstration against repression
Socialist Party reports and campaigns
Chatsworth workers and patients fight to save ward
Campaigners fight second Yorkshire Women's Aid closure in two years
Community and artists campaign to save Todmorden College
Orgreave campaign calls Halloween rally
Socialist readers' comments and reviews
Should you be furious about 'furious cycling'?
Catchy folk rock with a socialist edge
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