BOLTON College will put the town’s needs at the heart of what it does, according to new principal Marie Gilluley.

Mrs Gilluley has taken over from Carol Bannerman, who retired on health grounds after achieving her ambition to give students in Bolton “world class” study facilities.

Now her successor is aiming to ensure the college, from its new multi-million pound campus, is best placed to meet the needs of students, whatever their ages, and promote economic growth in Bolton. The 53-year-old motherof- two said: “The college will continue to strengthen links and know the needs of our stakeholders — the young people, adults, employers in the town.”

Mrs Gilluley said the college played a vital part in promoting economic growth by ensuring businesses and students had the necessary skills.

Mrs Gilluley, who lives in Stockport, said: “In Bolton there is a real shared purpose by the university, the council and the college and there is a partnershipworking approach. I have felt that very strongly.”

She will continue to develop links with businesses and organisations to create a mutual beneficial partnership, where employees can learn while young people are able to embark on high-level apprenticeships — a scheme backed by the Government and for which funding has been increased.

An engineer by profession, Mrs Gilluley decided to give further education a try as she was already training people in her field of work.

She started as a lecturer at The Manchester College and ended up staying for 25 years, moving up the ranks, before going for the top post at Bolton College.

She said: “I saw the difference further education made to people, it makes an amazing difference.

“Like engineering, further education is always changing and evolving.”

Mrs Gilluley said that like the rest of the public sector, the college was facing funding cuts.

But she said: “Further education has faced cuts in funding year-on-year. The people who work in this sector are very creative, adaptive and innovative.”