Stubbington Study Centre fate to be decided later
More than 20,000 have signed a petition opposing the centre's closure
The future of Stubbington Study Centre will be decided later (Tuesday 18th) at a crunch public meeting.
Hampshire County Council revealed plans to turn the “unique” Stubbington Study Centre into a children’s home for some of the country’s most vulnerable children. It also said plenty of other outdoor activity centres are used by Hampshire’s schools.
The controversial proposal has united residents from all parts of Hampshire County, from Portsmouth to the New Forest and Basingstoke, as they joined rallying calls to save the centre from closure.
Protests, petitions, hundreds of letters, and even a website surged to try and raise awareness of the plan, gather signatures against it, and save the “beloved” centre that has been seeing residents grow for decades.
Thousands have already said “no” to the plans, but the final decision will be made on Tuesday (March 18) at a public Hampshire County Council meeting.
The county council officers have made it clear in their report that they recommend the closure of the centre and pave the way to secure the new children’s home to replace the one in Swanick, which is almost 30 years old and needs significant investment to bring it up to the “most modern standards”.
Taking the decision would release £90 million from the Department of Education. However, this money would only be available if the council makes a decision before the deadline, March 31, a date that the DfE said is a “line in the sand”; otherwise, the funding “will be lost”.
It would also mean the centre’s closure on September 1, 2025.
Schoolchildren play key role in shock move
In his role as a scrutiny panel, the selection committee discussed the plan.
In a “heart-moving” debate, all cross-party members expressed their own experiences at the centre. For some, it was a firsthand experience; for others, it was an experience shared by their children or grandchildren.
After also hearing from schoolchildren, speaking passionately about why the centre should remain open, the panel unanimously agreed to recommend to cabinet members that Stubbington be kept open, as “it is what residents are asking of us”.
The council leader, Nick Adams-King, and his cabinet colleagues are set to make the final decision on Tuesday. Nothing is yet decided, but cabinet has all the pieces of the puzzle on the table.
Taking into consideration all the comments made by residents, the petitions, the letters, the select committee recommendation, the officers’ report and the recommendation, they will make the final decision.
The county council will webcast the meeting. Residents are expected to attend D-day in Winchester this Tuesday, which could become a victory or a failure for them.
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