A popular and successful stage school claims it is being forced out of its Dawley home by the local council.
Great Dawley Parish Council wants to regain control of Dawley Town Hall and open it up for community use. But bosses of Telford Stage School, who have used the venue for almost a decade, are furious. They claim that if community plans get the go-ahead, they will be forced to quit the hall and find new premises.
Lee and Ash Baldwin took over the Town Hall in 2002 and with a team of volunteers brought the empty building back to life at their own expense.
Lee Baldwin told the Journal: “Dawley Town Hall has been run for more than eight years as a successful community centre by volunteers with no paid staff.
“The Town Hall changed from being run-down and losing money to a well maintained, functional building.
“During this period it has received no help, advice or funding from Telford and Wrekin Council, nor any councillors especially the local parish councillors who have their own offices in Dawley High Street less than five minutes walk away. “The parish councillors have snubbed events at Dawley Town Hall despite being regularly invited.
“Therefore I find it surprising that now they have suddenly taken an interest in a project that has been running successfully for years.”
The pair met with Telford & Wrekin Council last Thursday and say they were told they will ‘probably have to find alternative premises’ by the summer.
“We feel shocked, saddened and disappointed that seemingly Telford and Wrekin Council and the local councillors lack any consideration for anyone but themselves.”
But Councillor Helen Williams said: “We are not getting rid of Telford Stage
School but they are the only people who use it.
“We want to make better use of the town hall. It could be used for anything: for baby clubs, for the unemployed, anything. There is nothing stopping us using it during the day.”
Councillor Eric Carter, cabinet member for housing, regeneration and prosperity, said: “The council together with the local ward members want to bring the hall back to being a community facility.
“However, we are more than happy for the stage school to continue to use the building and are working with them to develop plans.
“For the future, we are looking to broaden the use of the building to ensure it reaches its maximum potential.” The future of the town hall will be discussed at an extraordinary meeting of Great Dawley Parish Council at 6pm on Monday. TSS classes in Wellington, Newport and Trench are unaffected.