College revamp plans in tatters

A KICK in the teeth! That’s the reaction to the bombshell news that Oldham College’s £80 million redevelopment is not going ahead.

It is among more than 160 colleges which have missed out after the collapse of the Government’s multi-billion pound rebuilding scheme.

The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) froze the programme in December because it ran out of money.

Now only 13 colleges in England — and just four in the North-West — have been given the go-ahead for projects totalling £300 million.

Oldham Sixth Form College’s plans for a £20million regional science centre have also been hit, but from the start it has also been pursuing the money from another funding pot.

The massive overhaul of the 40-year-old Oldham College, rated as outstanding, was originally given the green light in April, 2008, and was due to start this month.

It included replacing seven buildings with six new blocks, a new sports hall and gym, a construction training centre, a corporate training centre, a hair and beauty salon and hi-tech classrooms.

The Grange Arts Centre — also used by outside theatre groups — would have been refurbished.

The college will now have to wait until 2011 to find out if it will get any money and council leader Howard Sykes said: “I think that’s a kick in the teeth for one of the North-West’s best performing colleges.

“The LSC has cocked up both its capital programme and its revenue programme. Someone needs taking out and shooting.

“If that had been local government we would have had resignations and rightly so.

“It is not just Oldham College. Other colleges also had plans. It’s a blow and we need now to look and see how else we can do this.”

Funding went to colleges where rebuilding would have the biggest boost to students, employers, communities and regeneration.

Oldham College said it would continue to push its educational and regeneration case.

Principal Kath Thomas said: “Obviously we are disappointed, but I am personally committed in bringing a new college campus to Oldham.”

Oldham Sixth Form College principal Nick Brown added: “I am very sorry for Oldham College, but we weren’t expecting anything out of this pot.”