CENTRAL SUSSEX COLLEGE

18th December 2017

Statement from Sir Nicholas Soames MP about the future of the former Central Sussex College site in Haywards Heath

Last Friday, 15th December, saw a further multi-agency meeting take place in Haywards Heath to discuss the future of post-16 education in Mid Sussex, following the closure of Central Sussex College.

The meeting was attended by Sir Nicholas Soames MP, the Department for Education, West Sussex County Council, Mid Sussex District Council and the Coast to Capital Local Enterprise Partnership.

Following the meeting in October, further work on education proposals had been carried out by West Sussex County Council, which was presented. Mid Sussex District Council also presented ideas for how community use of the site could be established. Officials from the Department for Education gave helpful feedback and outlined some of the issues which would need to be addressed, none of which were a surprise to those present.

The meeting was positive and, at Sir Nicholas Soames' suggestion, it was agreed by all that a formal, detailed proposal will now be developed and submitted to the Department for Education for consideration.

Sir Nicholas Soames MP said: “This was another positive meeting and I am pleased that it was agreed that we should put together a formal, detailed proposal for the restoration of post-16 education in Haywards Heath. This work will take some time but it is unthinkable that the Mid Sussex  area should not have high quality sixth form education for young people".

Further information will be made public as soon as it is possible to do so.

DISSOLUTION OF PARLIAMENT

Parliament has been dissolved until after the General Election on 12th December and there are now no MPs. This website is for reference of my work when I was a Member of Parliament.

I am not seeking re-election.