Give us our money!

A HASTINGS based college who sold off a Rye institution has been accused of breaking it’s promise to re-invest the proceeds in new educational facilities for Rye.

By The Newsroom

Published 3rd Jan 2014, 11:00 BST

Sussex South Coast College, formerly Hastings College, bought the Lion Street Further Education Centre from East Sussex County Council for a token £1 on the understanding that it used the facility to provide adult education services in Rye.

But the College wanted to sell off the site for luxury flats. When this failed to gain planning permission they sold it to the Fletcher Group and St Mary’s Church for an estimated quarter of a million pounds.

Now the College denies promising to re-invest the money back into Rye despite former Principal Sue Middlehurst announcing it to a packed Rye Town Annual Meeting in 2010.

Furious Rye councillors are demanding the College honours its earlier pledge and are asking townsfolk to support the cause.

Turn to page 3 for the full story.