Jonathan Djanogly, Member of Parliament for the Huntingdon constituency has met with Sion Simon MP, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Further Education along with Anne Constantine (Principal) and Alan Barnish (Chair of Governors) of Huntingdonshire Regional College to discuss the current funding situation regarding the College's plans for a new site/campus in Hinchingbrooke.
Mr Djanogly said: 'I have long supported the College's plans for a much needed upgrade. Anne Constantine and the Governors of the College have a vision to create a first-class college for the benefit of the young people and the community at large in Huntingdonshire and the surrounding area. Great progress has been made in recent years and we must recognise the dedication of the College's staff and students. We now need to build on their successes and press ahead with the new build which the College both needs and deserves'.
'I was extremely disappointed following our meeting with the minister. The Government has let the College down. There are two problems here - prioritisation and timing. The College has spent considerable time and money preparing for the future yet the minister could not provide the certainty that the college requires to move forward'.
We need more of an indication from the Government about when we can start this project. The Government do not appreciate that the College's current sites will need significant investment if they are to be used for another five or ten years. The overall cost to the taxpayer could therefore be considerably higher if the College's redevelopment is subject to unnecessary delay'.
'I am deeply concerned with the shambolic way the Government have dealt with the much needed investment in our Further Education College. They have failed to manage the whole situation. The young people of Huntingdonshire deserve better and I will continue to do all I can to support the College and its plans for a new site'. "