Plans for a new private college in the heart of Nottingham have provoked anger among local MPs and managers of a neighbouring college, who say it makes nonsense of any idea of planning.
Nottingham Community College is to open in the premises of a local school, bought from the county council for Pounds 500,000.
Managers of the new institution insist they will be expanding into training for disadvantated groups, not trespassing on the “A-level” territory of neighbouring colleges.
But staff and managers at the People’s College, its closest neighbour, said the community college would be recruiting the very students which the Kennedy report on widening participation, says existing colleges should enrol.
As a private concern, the new college would not have Further Education Funding Council cash, nor be accountable to the local community, or be required to publish results.
