COLLEGES across East Lancashire have been told how much money they can expect to receive over the next year.

The Further Education Funding Council is distributing a total of £2.9 billion to institutions across the country.

After consultation, the FEFC has also agreed to allocate £40,000 for capital purposes to each college.

The council says it has had to ration funds this year after colleges collectively applied for more than £650 million - almost double the £334 million it had available.

FEFC chief executive, William Stubbs, said: "The council has done its utmost to keep to the minimum the efficiency savings which colleges will have to make and to distribute them fairly."

The following colleges are expected to receive the following, although the exact amount has yet to be finalised;

Accrington and Rossendale, £8,119,346, down 4.3 per cent on the previous year.

Blackburn, £15,202,197, up 1.3 per cent.

Burnley, £5,874,893, up 0.7 per cent.

Nelson and Colne, £5,570,443, up 1.2 per cent.

St Mary's, Blackburn, £2,240,418, up 0.3 per cent.

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