Sarah To Take College Cash Fight To Minister

11.01.13am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 26th May 2009

Local MP Sarah Teather will make the case for Brent

Local Liberal Democrat Brent East MP Sarah Teather has secured a meeting with Further Education Minister Siôn Simon to discuss the government cash bungle that robbed Brent's North West London College of promised funding.

Last year the college were allocated money to revamp old buildings. But after the government pledged money to more colleges than they could actually afford, the college were told that cash was being withdrawn, forcing the suspension of all building work. They had already spent £4.2million on hiring contractors and moving into temporary accommodation.

The government have now caved in to pressure and announced that "a limited number of the most urgent schemes" will be bailed out. Sarah will meet with the Minister to press for Brent's local college, which is part of Brent Council's regeneration plans for the area in the run up to the 2012 Olympics, should be prioritised.

Local Liberal Democrat MP for Brent East Sarah Teather said:

"It's absolutely outrageous that our local college was promised cash only to have it swiped away again at the last minute. The Labour government should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves for playing fast and loose with college cash in such a tough economic climate.

"Even though more money has been brought forward, we know that some colleges will still be left out in the cold. Brent has a cast iron case to top the list for funding, and I look forward to making this case forcefully when I meet the Minister in June."

Related Link:

Liberal Democrat Early Day Motion on college funding.