People deserve to know more

Cllr Whitehouse makes no convincing case for the harsh decision to evict the Spring Playgroup, while group supervisor Jackie obviously makes the best of a very unfortunate situation.

Cllr Whitehouse makes much of the economic factors. Of course the Kenilworth Centre is a public building, and the trustees of the charity have a responsibility to ensure its financial viability, but that surely is only one aspect to be considered. While I’m at it, though, are we to assume that every potential tenant is to be submitted to the same financial criteria? Are all (including the Playgroup and the new tenant Weave Recycle) being asked to pay the same level of rent? If so, as the Centre’s accounts are presumably open to public scrutiny, can we be told what percentage rent increase has been demanded? On what basis was the increase calculated – by a professional valuation, or by a finger in the wind? What protection do tenants have against unfair increases? And are we to be assured that on the basis of all this the centre will be fully financially viable, or that some form of subsidy from public money will still be needed?

The Kenilworth Centre opened with brave hopes. Its website seems inaccessible at the time of writing, but another quotes it thus: “We provide a community facility for over 800 users per week, from 6 months old to 90. We not only cater for local community groups but also local businesses”. And yet an excellent community resource, that has been invaluable to so many families for several years, is ejected on apparently purely financial grounds. I think the people of Kenilworth deserve to know more about the way decisions are made in relation to this “community facility”.