University of Cumbria to press ahead with key schemes
Last updated at 13:17, Tuesday, 24 November 2009
UNIVERSITY of Cumbria chiefs have agreed to push ahead with a series of smaller key schemes to ensure growth continues.
Its directors have agreed to continue with the £14m redevelopment of the Sands Centre, the possible creation of an arts centre in Carlisle and a series of business start-up units.
The board met yesterday to discuss revising its business plan.
The impact of the current financial situation and a cap on student numbers means Cumbria’s fledgling university can not expand as initially planned.
The members also approved two important legal agreements that support the university and its long-term plans. They were: the agreement with the North West Development Agency which could release up to £26.7m over the next 10 years to ensure the university can deliver its revised business plan.
The university will also put in £3.5m into the Furness College revamp in Barrow, which began last week.
It is more than a year since the original plan was approved by the university’s board. University bosses have admitted that academic and financial performance targets in the first two years of operation have not been met for a variety of reasons, particularly the economy and a loss of government funding.
A cap on student numbers means the university can not justify the same level of investment that it originally planned at this point.
The university board will put forward its updated business plan for submission to the Higher Education Funding Council for England and the NWDA by the end of February.
Vice-chancellor Professor Peter McCaffery said: “While we would ultimately like to develop at the original rate of expansion, there are no guarantees on when funding will be available.
“We are therefore looking at a number of key significant projects that will bring genuine added value to the city and university alike over a phased period of time including the sands centre development, a possible arts theatre and even business incubation units.”
The University can’t go ahead with its plans for a £70m campus at Caldew Riverside in Carlisle, but Professor McCaffery wants to see how it can work with other organisations to have a presence there in the short term.
It was revealed last week that the university has a £8.4m trading deficit.
First published at 11:19, Tuesday, 24 November 2009
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk
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UNBELIEVABLE! They are in debt, rewriting porly conceived and overyly ambitious business plans after an orgy of 'jobs for the boys and girls' followed by 'massive cuts'! We DON'T want or need another pool, just clean up the ones we have and spend a small amount restoring the gem of a Victorian pool complex in James Street. Build a small but cost effective theatre on Warwick road near to the transport links and stop thinking that Carlisle is a 'City of Culture' - it is a city surrounded by Agriculture!
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Closing down the Ambleside Campus when students are settled and midway through their degrees is NOT the answer. You have messed up your fianances, why should we suffer?
Posted by V ANGRY on 2 December 2009 at 11:37