Education body blamed as Harrow College plans flop (From Harrow Times)

Education body blamed as Harrow College plans flop

10:26am Saturday 27th June 2009

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HOPES for a multi-million pound rebuild of Harrow College have been dashed as it misses out on funding.

The college is a victim of a funding fiasco at government quango the Learning and Skills Council, which promised too much cash to colleges and then could not deliver it.

It was announced yesterday that Harrow College's bid to amalgamate its two site in a new building in Lowland Road will not be funded.

Just 13 out of 160 colleges who applied were given money, and even their grants will be significantly lower than first expected following a series of blunders by the LSC.

The news will be a devastating blow to the college, which has already invested time and money in gaining planning permission for the project while anticipating funding.

Kevin Brennan MP, Minister for Further Education, Skills, Apprenticeships and Consumer Affairs, made the official announcement yesterday to the House of Commons.

He said projects were judged in terms of education and skills impact, contribution to the local economy and regeneration, funding from outside sources, the current condition of the estate, and value for money.

Mr Brennan admitted mistakes had been made by the LSC but said: “There is now new leadership to the organisation and measures in place to ensure that there will be no repeat of those mistakes as the programme moves forward.”

Harrow College should be able to recoup money spent on the bid, and will be offered help by the LSC to look at other ways of improving its campuses.

It can reapply for money in 2011, but there is no guarantee more money will be available.

The collapse of the Harrow College rebuild will cast serious doubt on Harrow Council's ambitions to build a new civic centre in the town centre.

Council chiefs had agreed with the college to buy a piece of land from them when the rebuild went ahead. It is not clear what the future now holds for the council's project.

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