I am pleased that The Shuttle has set up an opinion survey about a local cinema. When many of us believed that there was an alternative site for a cinema I supported the application for listing of the Piano Building hoping that it might house a Carpet Museum. The situation changed when it became clear that the Crossley Park site was not viable. Then the Piano Building achieved listed status despite the failure of previous applications.

I am told that because of the method of construction of the Piano Building, it is impossible to convert it into a modern cinema. I also understand that the cost of renovation for any purpose would be at least twice its market value and that it is unlikely that any developer would consider this as a justifiable investment.

I regret that no one has yet located another practicable site for a cinema and as the owners and developers of Weavers Wharf have the money available to build a six screen cinema, my own view now is that the Piano Building site offers us the only realistic chance of a cinema in the near future. This would require withdrawal of the listing and then demolition of the building, a course of action that will have many opponents.

Mr Dave Seddon, the new Headteacher at Baxter College started this term and having met him with Mr Alan Gilhooley and other members of the hardworking and dedicated staff, I was delighted to hear of their plans and optimism for the future of the College. Crucially Mr Seddon is aiming for small classes and his arrival gives the College a full leadership team that has other exciting plans for the future. I wish them well in their efforts to improve the results the school enables its students to achieve. I believe that the team under Mr Seddon’s leadership will point their young people towards Bryce Courtenay’s inspirational dream quoted in the College’s action plan:-

• "Dare your genius to walk the wildest unknown way.
• Go where you have never been before.
• Dream up a destination a path to follow a wildest unknown way…
• Dream the impossible dream and start walking towards it."

It was stimulating to meet well over 100 members of the Wyre Forest Prostate Cancer Support Group at their quarterly meeting last week. This active group founded and supported most importantly by David Baxter-Smith and Mary Symons, aims to help prostate cancer patients and their families but their social and fund-raising events allow them to support other related charities and they presented £1000 to representatives of the Snowdrop Foundation at the meeting.

Back at Westminster, Government Whips face another struggle to quell a potential revolt over Foundation Hospitals. It is a very exciting time!

R.T.