Martin presses minister over Star College (Cheltenham Liberal Democrats)

Cheltenham Liberal Democrats <info@cheltlibdems.org.uk>

Martin presses minister over Star College

April 30, 2009 12:05 PM

Cheltenham MP Martin Horwood has again pressed education ministers over the future of National Star College's ambitious plans to transform their Ullenwood campus. This is ahead of a meeting with minister Sion Simon next week arranged by Martin for the college, some of whose students also live in the Overton Road residence in Cheltenham. Martin has also invited Cotswolds MP Geoffrey Clifton-Brown to join the meeting.

A national crisis has developed amongst further education colleges after the Learning and Skills Council found they had committed to far more capital projects than they had funds to provide. National Star College was one of many colleges who suddenly found critical funding was now at risk.

Martin thanked ministers for agreeing to meet him and the college but pressed them to treat National Star College as a particularly urgent case. He commented: 'It will be very serious for the college if this funding doesn't materialise. The transformation of the campus is already underway, other funders have already committed money and the completion of the project for the college to make proper provision for some of the most seriously disabled students in the country.'