has anyone written to Gordon Brown or the Learning and Skills Council to push the case for the new building to be funded? I was glad to see the Barnsley MPs pushing the issue and Jeff Ennis brought it up at PMQs. But the more people that contact those making the decision the better. Hopefully they will recognise that Barnsley needs the college and will put the funding our way rather than elsewhere. Otherwise another disaster for Barnsley.
Apparently, they're putting it on hold for six months which will allow them to put the contract back up to tender. They recon they can get the building done for £5mil less with the downturn in the building trade etc. In any case, the building isn't really needed - It's to house the admin staff, not pupil / classrooms. Which they have more than enough space for in existing buildings. Waste of taxpayers money building a new one.
RE: Banks have had the dosh (maybe not yet) what I heard was that there are 6 colleges across the country that will be funded. After that we don't know what the new funding arrangments will be. The decision as to which places will recieve the funding will be made in the next few weeks. It is important that Barnsley is one of the 6 that will recieve the funding.
that is not true. Capacity at the college has been greatly reduced over the last few years. If that kind of teaching capacity is ever to be established again then the building is needed. The college has been down sized and down scaled due to a series of disasters, including the fraud allegedly committed by the former executives. The new building and facilities are needed. Thank goodness you are not representing Barnsley.
