Brutally. Shut the one that makes less business sense.
Fully apprecaite the people aspect but we are living in a world where there isnt enough resource both financially and people wise to maintain both in that example, so i would merge the 2.
Also in HIOW we have an example where a Sqn in a less affluencial area has had to temporarily shut and parade at another unit, and approx 80% of the cadets are attending.
Main cause in our locality has been the loss of accommodation, and a real shortage of places units can share with other groups.
Merge them, keeping the one in the difficult to access area.
There might be a small knock to overall numbers when considering both units previous figures, but the dedicated ones will keep going to the new site and are more likely to have the ability to do so from a financial perspective.
It would also be beneficial from a social mixing viewpoint.
My experience with Westbury is limited I admit, But my short white-fleet trips to and fro the train station convinced me the village is half tree and a third round-about
The RAFAC is in danger of becoming a middle class organisation. Locally to me, over the last 30 years the units in smaller working class mining communities have closed. These areas are colloquially known as the valleys are socially deprived working class communities hit hard by the loss ofu the mines and associated industries. Units have only survived in the larger towns or where there is greater affluence. As for public transport in the evenings. Only in the cities. Having 30 cars outside of a squadron picking up cadets is the usual.
Happened in Liverpool with the RAFAC, but the ACF have stayed there.
Tbh, this is how the ATC was viewed over 2 decades ago when I joined. The ACF for the council estates and the ATC for the middle classes.
In the south Wales coal area is which is essentially the Valleys, there used to have a strong representation. In 3WW to the west, and 1WW in the east, there has been a drift to the coast for industry and employment with little replacing the coal industry. Professional people move the the coast or agricultural areas of south Wales and lower paid people or those in social housing remain in the valley communities with little support or opportunities for employment or social activities, high levels of social exclusion. Before we left the EU, they were objective one communities, some of the poorest communities in Europe
Ynysybwl, Mountain Ash, Treorchy, Seven Sisters, Brynamman, Cross Hands, Mid Gwendraith (Pontyates), Maesteg, Aberkenfig, Machen are all coal mining communities that have lost their units.
Take a look at how our expenses, staff recruitment/selection process etc work and it only confirms this point.
Not in my part of the world…