STUDENTS have been assured their education will not be affected, despite funding cuts to the town’s two colleges.

New College and Swindon College both face tougher financial times next year after the announcement of national funding cuts in further education of about six per cent.

New College has announced that the six per cent cut will leave them having to save £1m in next year’s budget but both colleges have assured students that their education is the number one priority.

New College principal Graham Taylor said: “Because we are in such a strong position financially at present there will not be any impact on students or staff at the college.

“We will have to look to make savings in what I call the paper clip budget so things that don’t have an impact on the service we provide.

“The big question is where we find the money from but the bottom line is students and staff won’t be affected.

“We will not let public funding cuts compromise our high quality and learners’ success.”

Amanda Burnside, the director of service to students at Swindon College, said: “The cuts are impacting on all colleges nationwide and we are no different at the moment.

“The students are our absolute priority in all of this and we are doing our best to minimise the impact and the last thing we will do is affect the students.

“We can’t say there is not going to be an impact on the staff – we just don’t know yet.

“Everybody is under the same pressure to produce the same results with less resources and we want to keep our success rates which have been so good.”

But New College has announced there will have to be an increase in the cost of adult education fees.

Adult fees, for anyone over the age of 19, will rise because the government is slashing funding.

Their fees will rise on average by 14 per cent from a low base but 16-18 education is still free in England so young learners will not have to pay tuition fees.

Free courses will still be on offer for active job seekers and Mr Taylor has said that they will find ways of supporting low-income customers.

“There will be an impact on adult learners because the tax payer won’t be paying as much so they will have to find a bit more money,” he said.

“We don’t know the impact this will have on people attending the courses because in this country we expect health and education to be free but we hope the high service we provide will keep people coming back.”