As a the local MP I was not consulted in any way on the decision to asset strip a cultural, educational and business asset in Newport in order to enrich Cardiff.
I was fully consulted on the relatively far less important matter of the choice of the university's new title. I disagreed with it strongly as demeaning with an old fashioned image. But I was NOT consulted on the decision to merge the universities in the first place. It's only trivial matters that the new university set-up consults on. But when I protested about the pilfering of Newport's finest education institution I was told the decision had already been made. When I insisted on a meeting to discuss this, I was fobbed off with a minor PR person and denied a chance to speak to management.
They appear to have done it again and denied me a chance of being consulted. When I am, I will explain that the university should declare how much money they will make from selling Newport's family silver. It is likely to be many £millions. This is all about grasping centralising institutional greed not educational expansion. That capital receipt from the sale of land must all be invested in Newport. It's Newport's century-long education tradition that is being destroyed. It's our local jobs generated by students' presence here that will be gifted to Cardiff for their aggrandisement. It's the jobs of our local people that have will disappear. As an elected representative of the people of Caerleon and all of Newport I am angry that the university has denied me a voice on all these damaging decisions. I will do all in my power to challenge this planning application. Although I have been denied a voice by the university, I have other platforms to speak up on behalf of Newport.
I am informed that they have a legal obligation to consult the local MP. This has not been done. I believe, that the planning application should now be withdrawn.
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