TORY councillors are attacking a Government decision to slash funding for Blackburn college students - and hope to get Labour support.

Conservative councillor John Williams will put forward a motion to tonight's full Blackburn with Darwen Council meeting condemning a cut in the access fund which tops up grants for students in further education.

A report to the council's education and training committee in August said Blackburn College and St Mary's College had been told their access grants would be "considerably lower than had been expected".

The council had set a limit of £200 per student to make up its part of a £462 grant for eligible 16 plus students.

Council chiefs applied to the government for access fund money to make up the maintenance grant shortfall, asking for £262 per student.

A total of £160,000 had already been cut from the council's education spending allocation to form the fund.

But the lower than expected grant means students will only be allocated £130 each, less than half the figure set by the authority in conjunction with the colleges. Coun Williams' motion reads: "This council is appalled that the level of access grants being awarded to eligible students applying to Blackburn College and St Mary's College is less than half of the expected amount.

"Despite the Government's promotion of post-16 education, students will only receive £130 from the access fund, less than half the amount provided under former arrangements.

"The council resolves to express its disappointment and deep dissatisfaction to the Department for Education and Employment."

Coun Williams added: "The amount we required was agreed at £263 per student, but the Government has only come up with £130.

"This is more than a 50 per cent shortfall for our students and this underfunding exists throughout Lancashire. Students will be forced to make up this shortfall themselves.

"Tony Blair has promised to focus on education, education, education, but is not delivering adequate funding and we need to show our downright condemnation of this decision."

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