By Vivienne Russell
22 June 2010
Colleges throughout England are set to benefit from a share of a £50m fund for building and renovation projects.
Of this funding, £30m will be divided into ‘renewal grants’ of approximately £225,000 for 150 colleges. The remaining £20m will form an Enhanced Renewal Grant fund and colleges are being encouraged to bid for top-up funding of up to £1m from this.
Colleges will be expected to raise further private investment, significantly increasing their project’s size, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills said.
Further education minister John Hayes said many colleges were still ‘reeling’ from the problems that dogged last year’s Learning and Skills Council’s capital investment programme. The programme was oversubscribed, resulting in funds being withheld from some approved projects after building work had begun.
‘We want to make sure as many colleges as possible can benefit from this additional funding,’ Hayes said.
‘The £50m we are investing will make a real difference to college campuses throughout England.’
Under the terms of the scheme, outlined today, colleges wishing to bid cannot have received more than £5m of funding for building projects in the past. The bid should also demonstrate that the building work can be completed by September 2011.
Skills Funding Agency chief executive Geoff Russell said: ‘During the current economic climate, when efficiency savings are having to be made across the public sector, we are pleased to be able to offer colleges the opportunity to take advantage of the extra funding.
‘This investment is an indication of the crucial role that further education colleges have to play in not only educating our young people and adults but in helping rebuild our communities and contribute to economic growth.’
Julian Gravatt, assistant chief executive of the Association of Colleges, said: ‘Today’s announcement on new capital investment is a welcome one, particularly in the current economic climate. The £50m is a helpful extra contribution for many colleges after the Learning and Skills Council’s capital debacle.’ But he added: ‘It remains the case that most of the funding for future capital development will have to come from colleges themselves.’
Norman Crowther, national officer for post-16 education at the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, said: ‘While it is good that FE colleges have the opportunity to bid for building project funding, granting the Enhanced Renewal Grant on the basis of a college generating private finance and significant value will tend to favour the largest colleges.
‘This will increase the disparity between large and small colleges and ignores KPMG’s recent report warning of fragmentation in the sector.’
22 June 2010
Colleges throughout England are set to benefit from a share of a £50m fund for building and renovation projects.
Of this funding, £30m will be divided into ‘renewal grants’ of approximately £225,000 for 150 colleges. The remaining £20m will form an Enhanced Renewal Grant fund and colleges are being encouraged to bid for top-up funding of up to £1m from this.
Colleges will be expected to raise further private investment, significantly increasing their project’s size, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills said.
Further education minister John Hayes said many colleges were still ‘reeling’ from the problems that dogged last year’s Learning and Skills Council’s capital investment programme. The programme was oversubscribed, resulting in funds being withheld from some approved projects after building work had begun.
‘We want to make sure as many colleges as possible can benefit from this additional funding,’ Hayes said.
‘The £50m we are investing will make a real difference to college campuses throughout England.’
Under the terms of the scheme, outlined today, colleges wishing to bid cannot have received more than £5m of funding for building projects in the past. The bid should also demonstrate that the building work can be completed by September 2011.
Skills Funding Agency chief executive Geoff Russell said: ‘During the current economic climate, when efficiency savings are having to be made across the public sector, we are pleased to be able to offer colleges the opportunity to take advantage of the extra funding.
‘This investment is an indication of the crucial role that further education colleges have to play in not only educating our young people and adults but in helping rebuild our communities and contribute to economic growth.’
Julian Gravatt, assistant chief executive of the Association of Colleges, said: ‘Today’s announcement on new capital investment is a welcome one, particularly in the current economic climate. The £50m is a helpful extra contribution for many colleges after the Learning and Skills Council’s capital debacle.’ But he added: ‘It remains the case that most of the funding for future capital development will have to come from colleges themselves.’
Norman Crowther, national officer for post-16 education at the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, said: ‘While it is good that FE colleges have the opportunity to bid for building project funding, granting the Enhanced Renewal Grant on the basis of a college generating private finance and significant value will tend to favour the largest colleges.
‘This will increase the disparity between large and small colleges and ignores KPMG’s recent report warning of fragmentation in the sector.’
