BOLTON Sixth Form College's boss has given examples of how the 'severe financial pressure' it faces impacts on its work.

Last week town MP Yasmin Qureshi asked departing Prime Minister Thereas May to boost the funding it receves per student by £760.

College principal Stuart Merrills said: "Even the most efficient colleges such as Bolton's will soon cease to be financially viable without an increase in the funding rate.

"Sustained underinvestment in sixth form education is having a negative impact on the education of students and the financial health of schools and colleges.

"Here the clearest impacts are seen in the curriculum offer where some lower recruiting courses have now been withdrawn - such as A level French, German, Fashion and Textiles, Dance, Classical Civilisation and even Electronics, alongside a reduction in student support services, extra-curricular activities and the provision of broader opportunities for personal development and skills.

"Cuts to the curriculum and student support services have been exacerbated by reductions in extra-curricular activities such as sport, music, drama, and educational visits. This has obvious implications for social mobility.

"Raising the rate per student would protect smaller subject areas such as Art, Music, Politics and Drama at Bolton Sixth Form College, subjects that are being dropped nationwide because of funding pressures and potentially reinstate some courses it previously. It would also allow the introduction of courses that are currently too prohibitively expensive to offer and the provision of the most relevant technologies in IT, Media, Sport, Music Production and Digital Technologies. It would allow the college to provide the diverse range of non-qualification and support activities that students require. The outcomes would be significant:"

Cllr Martyn Cox, chair of the college;s governors said: "It is wrong to suggest the college is in financial trouble. It is very well-managed."

Bolton South-East MP Ms Qureshi said: "My question was about what more this excellent college could do with proper government funding."