BOLTON Institute chief Mollie Temple has called on the Government to end months of speculation and finally decide whether the college will be awarded university status.

She is asking that the decision is made before the General Election, due to take place this year.

The final decision rests with the Privy Council chaired by Margaret Beckett which has yet to speak about the issue.

Rumours suggest that Bolton has been earmarked for rejection, but surely, as Ms Temple says, the Institute would like to know its fate soon.

Bolton South East MP Dr Brian Iddon supports her claim, and he is right when he says the Institute has done all it can to make its case.

The town has been left playing the waiting game for months and one can only assume that if the decision is not made before the General Election, then there will be yet another delay.

The right decision will raise the town's profile considerably and boost any possible future attempts to become a city.

Businesses, the council and the town's politicians have all supported the campaign for university status. The BEN has even drawn up a petition from the town's public in support . . . but still we hear nothing.

If the decision has been made, then put us all out of our misery. If a decision has yet to be made, then we must ask, why the delay?

Surely the Institute, and the town, deserves to be treated with a little more respect and consideration, and to finally be told its fate after all this time.