‘Predictable’ college funding crisis attacked

THE Government should be ashamed of its handling of the bungled college building programmes according to the Tories.

Plans to redevelop both Oldham Sixth Form College and Oldham College were hit when the Government announced cuts in funding last month.

Skills Secretary John Denham was challenged over the Building Colleges for the Future programme (BCF) which saw projects at 144 further education colleges in England halted last year as funding ran out.

Mr Denham said at Commons question time that an extra £300 million announced in last week’s Budget will enable a “limited number” of projects to start soon.

The collapse of the multi–billion pound college building programme was “predictable and probably avoidable” an independent report concluded.

Sir Andrew Foster, who was asked by the Government to investigate the delays, laid much of the blame at the door of the Learning and Skills Council (LSC).

Mr Denham said: “I’m grateful to Sir Andrew Foster for setting out so clearly how, despite record investment in capital programmes, the LSC capital programme came to be over–committed.

“In the Budget we announced an additional £300 million of spending for the current spending review. This will enable a limited number of projects to start soon.”

Tory spokesman David Evennett said: “The Foster report into the Government’s mismanagement of the BCF programme states that the crisis was both predictable and probably avoidable.

“Colleges across the country are suffering at the present time and so many plans have had to be suspended.”

He said concerns were raised in February, 2008, and Mr Denham’s department was represented at subsequent meetings when the issue was flagged up.

Mr Evennett asked Mr Denham: “As your officials knew about the impending crisis, why didn’t you do something about this sooner and aren’t you ashamed of the shambles surrounding this programme?”

Mr Denham said the Foster Report showed there were “missed opportunities” within the LSC to resolve the issue.