The UK's most up-to-date social housing and public sector news website
The public are still flocking to have their say on the future of the Sevenoaks Playhouse building as the consultation enters its final stages.
As the final week approaches, the public response shows no sign of slowing down with nearly 2,200 people having taken part in the consultation, which ends on Thursday 31 August.
By the end of Tuesday (22 August) around 1,750 people had visited the foyer of the Playhouse building to fill in questionnaires, whilst another 425 people have completed the online questionnaire available on the Council’s website, www.sevenoaks.gov.uk/playhouse.
The extra date added to the schedule on Saturday 19 August proved especially popular with 115 people visiting the Playhouse to fill in questionnaires and make their views known.
Cllr Felicity Broomby, the Council’s Cabinet member with responsibility for the arts, says: "I would urge anyone who hasn’t had their say on the future of the Playhouse building and the provision of arts in the town to get down to the Playhouse, or fill out a form on the Council’s website, as soon as possible. There are still a few more days left to have your say and it is important to us that we hear from as many people as possible.”
Sevenoaks District Council began a month long consultation in the foyer of the Playhouse building on 2 August, after being handed back possession of the cinema and theatre complex on Friday 28 July.
The consultation is running Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm, throughout August (except on Bank Holiday Monday 28 August).
As part of this consultation, residents have the chance to say if the District needs a theatre and cinema and if so, what types of production or films should be shown. Residents can complete the questionnaire in the Playhouse foyer. There is also an opportunity to say what facilities the complex should have and what would encourage people to use it more often.
The findings from the consultation will be used when the Council plans to carry out a procurement process to get a permanent organisation to run the complex. It is hoped that a long-term solution will be in place early in the New Year.
For further information visit www.sevenoaks.gov.uk/playhouse or e-mail playhouse.survey@sevenoaks.gov.uk
END
Press release issued August 22nd 2006
