CHESTERFIELD COLLEGE LEFT IN LIMBO AS MINISTER REFUSES TO ANSWER A SINGLE QUESTION

Paul Holmes, Liberal Democrat MP for Chesterfield stood up for Chesterfield College during a Parliamentary Debate on fiasco of the Building Colleges for the Future programme today.

During the debate he said:

"In Autumn 2007, Chesterfield College put in a bid to the Learning and Skills Council for a £37 million pound partial redevelopment.

"In 2008, the Learning and Skills Council Area Director told the college they were not being ambitious enough and would be left behind other local colleges such as West Notts who were going for a complete new build

"As a result in autumn 2008 the college put forward a bid for a complete redevelopment costing £107 million

"But suddenly all College building projects across England have been put in limbo. West Notts college which has already spent £7.5million was due to start building last Monday although this has been stopped. Chesterfield College does not know if it will get a single penny."

Speaking after the debate Paul said:

"This is an absolute shambles. The LSC nationally encouraged over a 100 colleges to 'be ambitious' and bid for more and more money. But this Government Quango was out of control and its Chief Executive had to resign this week because the money simply is not there.

"The Government can not avoid blame. They failed to monitor what the LSC was doing with Billions of taxpayers money.

"Chesterfield College has an excellent reputation and always scores highly when inspected. But its buildings range from old Victorian through to 1960's facilities which are worse for wear now. As I saw in a recent tour of the premises modern redevelopment is badly needed.

"The Government must act now to provide money for this much needed building work, work which would immediately employ local construction workers and help to counter the effects of the recession.

"The Ministers response was a disgrace. In a twelve minute speech he answered not one of the points raised by members from across the country during the hour and a half's debate.

"Someone has to take responsibility and sort out this shambles. The Minister is clearly not the person to do it. So who is?