Nusrat Ghani, the Conservative MP for Sussex Weald, held a community meeting between the Defence Minister and the Crowborough Army and Air Cadets (Friday 16th January) to ensure that the MOD temporary alternative sites are suitable for their exercises and parades.
The meeting brought together nearly 100 local representatives including Cadets themselves, their parents, volunteers and army and air force leaders, to hear directly from Defence Minister Louise Sandher-Jones MP about the assessment and viability of the alternative sites.
At the meeting, Ms Ghani queried the Minister on how does the MOD assess the suitability of an alternative sites to suit the Cadets’ training needs; and how has the MOD assessed difficulties in terms of accessibility, limited transport provision and access to special equipment such as air flight simulators.
The Minister confirmed that alternative sites have been secured and further sites are under exploration to ensure both the army and air cadet leaders are satisfied with the venues. The meeting was attended by Royal Air Force Cadet leaders, Army Cadet leaders, neighbouring MP Mims Davies and Crowborough Town Mayor who were all in agreement that any temporary solution needed to be as versatile as the Crowborough Training Camp.
Further good news was shared, that the Cadet membership numbers have actually increased since the profile of the cadets has been raised. This is most welcome, as the Cadets offer superb experiences, training and life long friendships. Many of the Crowborough Cadets go on to serve in the Armed Forces or Public Service.
Nusrat Ghani said: “The home of the Crowborough Cadets is the Crowborough Training Camp on the Ashdown Forest. They have been denied access to their home site by the Home Office.
It is the most heavily used training camp in the South East. Pre Covid it had an extraordinary 150,000 training days a year. Recently it has had around 6,000 girls and boys training annually - all disrupted without any consideration to our local community. The site is also used by Fire Authorities, police and other public service agencies across the South East. Clear evidence that this site is not an empty army barracks, but a functioning and much used and loved training camp.
I am furious that the powers that be have already disrupted local cadets without a thought to their needs and we are put in this undesirable situation by the Home Office’s decision to potentially house asylum seekers at the Crowborough Training Camp. Nobody stepped in to fight for the Cadets to find a solution when the Home Office originally suggested that the Cadets could continue operating from the site after it would accommodate 600 male asylum seekers. I found this wholly unacceptable, raised strong objections to any such idea, and doubled down on the MOD to find an alternative sites urgently. I’m not doing this because I want the Cadets out of the Training Camp, I’m doing this because nobody else stood up for the Cadets and the local community, and they need a place to train and Parade. This is yet another problem that should have been resolved by the Wealden District Council as soon as they began talks with the Home Office on adapting the site for Asylum Seekers. Or even raising legal objections on behalf of the Cadets and their families. But alas, no.
I did my job and campaigned relentlessly to speak up for the Crowborough community, and I’m pleased that the MOD have found alternative temporary sites. My job was to ensure that this sites are acceptable to the Cadets, and I have done as I promised – worked with the MOD and secured a meeting with the Cadets and their families, leaders and volunteers to ensure that their voices are heard. I am grateful to everyone who joined me to represent the Cadets and Crowborough and helped me hold the MOD to account. We need to resolve concerns around equipment and travel costs and I will continue to work with the community and MOD to get them sorted.
My goal is for the Crowborough Cadets to return to the Training Camp, which is their home. I continue doing what I can to prevent or delay the Home Office to move asylum seekers to the site and pressing them on sharing any evidence that the site is safe, legal and compliant.
Wealden District Council Leaders have still not met with myself or my neighbouring MPs, nor have they raised legal objections to the Home Office’s decision. I have done everything I can to encourage them to take legal action and convey the strength of feeling that this is what the community wants them to do.
The fact that the Home Office’s decision was delayed before Christmas shows that our campaign is working and I will continue to hold both the Home Office and Wealden District Council to account.”
