14.8.06: Councillor Barker should resign as College Governor
Everyone knows that City Councillor Ian Barker is a leading promoter of the unloved and unfunded Heysham M6 Link Northern route, but few are aware that he is also a governor of Lancaster and Morecambe College. Lancaster and Morecambe College stands in the path of the controversial dual carriageway plan, and if the huge road were built, it would have a devastating impact on the campus, students and staff.
The raised road embankment would cut right across college land close to the buildings. The College, a centre for sporting excellence, would lose 1.3 hectares of playing fields, and lose 180 car parking spaces. The proximity of the HGV road would also cause noise, vibration, light and airborne pollution to the detriment of all in the vicinity. Two teaching blocks would become unusable. Student and public perception of the College would plummet.
Not surprisingly the college is a major objector to the scheme and has retained a leading national law firm to defend its interests. They have produced a long list of concerns highlighting the damage to the college. The County Council have only managed a couple of concessions in response: an underpass to allow college sports students to pass beneath the massive embankment to access the remaining playing fields, and some ‘noise fencing’.
Everyone can see that the road is a potential disaster for this important educational resource, everyone that is except Councillor Barker. He has welcomed the changes to the scheme. “They will make it a better and more acceptable scheme. As a Governor, I am very pleased with the modifications they have made there so that the College can access its playing fields directly.”
Councillor Barker has used his position as governor to talk down the impact of the scheme. This scheme that Councillor Barker so ardently supports is nothing short of a catastrophe for the campus, students and staff. We believe that as governor he has a duty to act in the College's best interests.
Councillor Barker has a serious conflict of interest: college or road? So he must consider his position. Given his comments we doubt that he will back down from promoting the controversial road, and so he should resign his position as governor of the college. Students in Lancaster and Morecambe deserve better.
TSLM