Campaigner says Derbyshire County Council’s closure of five Adult Education Centres is ‘devastating’

A Derbyshire protester who has been part of a campaign which attracted over 700 petition signatures to save a learning hub says a council decision to withdraw services from the centre and four others is ‘devastating’.

Derbyshire County Council recently announced that Adult Education Services are no longer to be run from five centres in Derbyshire, including Derbyshire Eco Centre, near Wirksworth, which has been at the heart of a campaign, as well as Ashbourne Adult Education Centre, Long Eaton’s Community House, Matlock’s The Ritz and the Shirebrook Adult Education Centre.

The Reform UK-controlled council says the decision was made due to rapid changes to ‘grant conditions’ and reduced funding from the Government no longer supporting courses run from the centres as well as the council’s need to sustain remaining Adult Education Services.

Campaigner Roger Jackson said: “We have just focused on really trying to do something about the Eco Centre so there is a group that has got together to put proposals to the council about the future of the Eco Centre and we are working on that in a practical way.

“Obviously, it’s devastating for a lot of people who have been using the Adult Education Centres for a lot of years and benefiting greatly from it but we are just trying to be practical about it in terms of the Eco Centre which is what quite a few of others came together around as well as the other centres. It’s devastating that it’s closures.”

The council’s Derbyshire Eco Centre, on Porter Lane, in Matlock, was launched to provide environmental ‘sustainability learning’ but campaigners suspected the building’s closure was a ‘fait accompli’ after the council previously revealed no staff or courses would be present at the hub from the end of July.

Subsequently, defiant campaigners descended on Derbyshire County Council’s County Hall in July in a bid to to keep the much-valued learning hub open and Cllr Stephen Reed told them the authority was having to consider the centre’s future due to changes in Government funding.

Many have expressed strong opposition to the withdrawal of services from the Eco Centre and to cuts that may affect other Adult Education Centres after a public meeting was organised by concerned Wirksworth Town Councillors and the Grassroots Wirksworth group which attracted 75 people including learners, residents and other organisations.

Campaigners also attracted 707 signatures with an online petition which was presented to Derbyshire County Council urging them to keep the Derbyshire Eco Centre building open and up-and-running. 

Mr Jackson argued that Derbyshire Eco Centre was an important hub for sustainability education in the county, the country, and even internationally, providing a wide range of courses in rural skills, creative subjects and personal development and it was also one of only four centres in the UK providing accredited courses in dry stone walling.

He pointed out that Adult Education Centres provide important skill-based learning and other courses for communities that can lead to better employment as well as educational support for vulnerable people which cannot afford to be lost.

Mr Jackson had urged the council to provide a credible plan for the future of the Eco Centre and its unique provision because affected communities need to be assured that their local educational needs will be met in coming years.

One student, Jeremy Knight, revealed how despite suffering from type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and speech difficulties he had attended the ‘supportive and helpful’ Eco Centre to study Countryside Skills and yoga classes.

Leslie Freeborn, who was part of a pottery club at the centre, also told how the centre helped users through ‘thick and thin’ and it would be very sad if her fellow members cannot meet up anymore.

She said: “We’re very disappointed in the decision that has been made to close the Adult Education Centres and it seems very unfair that they were going to discuss the closures and have meetings and do this in an open way but they have done it behind closed doors without consultation.

“We had hoped that something could be worked out with some sort of community group taking it over but they don’t even seem to want to discuss or engage with people to discuss that option.”

Derbyshire County Cllr Stephen Reed, Cabinet Member for Business Services, had acknowledged before the council’s decision that there needed to be better communication with concerned residents after Mr Jackson had called for a public consultation.

However, the council’s decision to no longer run Adult Education Services from the five buildings followed a Government announcement that the Department for Education is looking to apply funding cuts and changes for providers to adult skills fund allocations for the 2025-26 academic year.

Cllr Jack Bradley, (pictured right - credit: DCC) Cabinet Member for SEND and Education, said: “I have taken a decision to declare five properties that the Derbyshire Adult Community Education Service use surplus to the service’s requirements.

He added: “Unfortunately the funding we have from the Government does not support the courses that we run from these venues so the service no longer needs the buildings.”

Cllr Bradley explained the council’s property team will consider what can now be done with the buildings before any further decisions with options including selling those which are owned or leasing them to other organisations.

He added: “We have been liaising with the existing community groups and other users of these buildings so we understand their needs and the potential options for them and we will continue to keep them updated.

“Not running any courses from these five buildings future proofs the whole adult education service, puts us in a similar position to other councils, and importantly makes sure that we can afford to run the Adult Education Service within the money we receive from the Government.”

Cllr Bradley said the Adult Education Service will seek Cabinet agreement in the autumn to consult with all stakeholders on a full review of Adult Education Services and in the meantime the council will continue to offer a wide range of courses from the remaining ten Adult Education Centres.

He also confirmed that the council is not making any staff redundant because those who have been based in the affected buildings will work out of our other centres.

The East Midlands branch of the union UNISON, which represents public services staff,  has also criticised the council’s decision to close the five Adult Education Centres which it also says was made without a public consultation.

Emma Roberts, UNISON East Midlands regional head of Local Government, said: “Adult education gives people the chance to learn new skills, gain qualifications and improve their lives.

“Taking away local centres risks denying some of the most disadvantaged a vital second chance of education and opportunities to find work, progress in their careers or simply build confidence.

“Derbyshire has a proud tradition of lifelong learning. Decisions like this, taken behind closed doors with no consultation, undermine that history and send the wrong message about the value of education.”

Wirksworth Town Council was also asked for a statement but at the time of publication the parish council had not yet responded.