New Labour funding to contribute to Blackpool and the Fylde College’s bright future
Blackpool and the Fylde College is to receive over £2.6 million to provide major upgrades as part of Labour’s commitment to repair and maintain colleges across England.
This means-tested funding is part of the government's commitment to unlock opportunity and drive growth through education. The funds have been allocated by the FE College Conditions Allocations (FECCA), introduced by Labour last year to help colleges fix and maintain their buildings, with £307 million to be distributed nationwide this year.
This step is crucial to achieving the Prime Minister’s target to get two-thirds of young people to be taking a gold standard apprenticeship or heading to university by the age of 25. Blackpool is key to achieving this goal, with just 23 per cent of our town's population currently holding a level 4 qualification or above, there is a significant scope for improvement and opportunity to raise educational attainment across Blackpool.
Blackpool and the Fylde College is an anchor for education across the Fylde Coast as our largest education provider, this funding is essential in increasing access and driving up standards at the institution.
During my visit to the college’s Institute of Technology in January, I saw first-hand the importance of world-class facilities to provide opportunities for learners to acquire the skills industries require and its potential to contribute to prosperity in the area. I am proud of the improvements being made to the standard of education across Blackpool and I will continue to advocate for opportunities in our town.
This funding is only one part of the college's progression, with a new state-of-the-art 115,000 sq. ft campus as part of the regeneration of Talbot Gateway set to welcome students in September 2027. The College’s goals are clear; to be a home to knowledge exchange, entrepreneurial activity, external events and research partnerships - and it will attract learners and employers from across the UK.
Given that £1.7 billion has been committed by Labour to modernise college buildings by 2030, the future of the quality of higher education in Blackpool is bright, and this is a vital step towards working together to build a better Blackpool.
