Tennis project killed off after cash row

A meeting of Rother's Overview and Scrutiny Committee on Wednesday night backed a cabinet decision to take "no further action" on the scheme.

High School headteacher Mike Conn said the decision has left him "devastated".

Councillors agreed they could not risk 500,000 of Rother's money amid fears of financial safeguards.

The cabinet decision had been called in for scrutiny after it was asserted they made their decision based on 'insufficient information.'

Councillors had received further submissions from the High School in order to clarify their position.

The project would have seen Rother provide money from its capital fund to match 500,000 from the school and an anonymous backer, plus 360,000 from the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA).

Due to the "financially sensitive" nature of the discussion a large part of the meeting was held in confidential session.

As part of the initial debate, Cllr Peter Fairhurst said: "It grieves me enormously to have to reject this scheme. I don't believe the governors have any right to commit funding that is there to educate our children. I don't believe they have the right to submit a scheme which, if the figures are right, cannot possibly succeed."

Cllr Sam Souster said: "I think the county council should put its money forward. We know it has financial constraints, but so does this council."

Mr Conn said yesterday he was at a loss to understand the decision.

"I am dismayed and I just don't know why this has happened. That's it. Finished.

"I have got to release the money given to us by the LTA and inform the sponsor that Rother District Council has backed down.

"Unless we have a miracle and someone can come up with half-a-million, that's it.

"All of the questions they wanted answered I believe I answered.

"If they wanted consideration and guarantees they could have sent it back to cabinet to look at again after this - they could still have decided to take no further action if they wanted."

Mr Conn said: "There was no debate, the decision was made before they walked in. If they wanted more information it was there, in front of them, to hand.

"I am absolutely devastated that a project which was so much focused on facilities for young people in Bexhill and Rother can be rejected.

"The worst scenario is that we would have had a 1.3m tennis centre and that cost to Rother would have been a quarter-of-a-million.

"Here is a chance to have a facility which will benefit the whole community and they turn it down.

"They had the opportunity and where was the determination to take it forward?"