A CAMPAIGN to secure better funding for two Bolton colleges has been launched in the House of Commons after they were found to receive £500 less per student than sixth formers in schools.

Bolton MPs Dr Brian Iddon and David Crausby have signed an early day motion to try to ensure that a portion of £228 million of planned investment is channelled into colleges in the North-west.

They are angry that Bolton Sixth Form College and Bolton Community College, which cater for students of the same age, each receive £500 less government funding per student than sixth forms attached to secondary schools. Bolton Sixth Form College Principal Roy Whittle blasted the comparative underfunding as "unacceptable" and "unfair." But Mr Whittle said the college still had to strive to provide the same level of sixth form education - and results - as their better funded secondary school counterparts.

He said: "It is just unfair. It has been acknowledged that it is unfair, the government has tried to narrow the gap but the differences are still significant."

The college, which has its main campus at Smithills Dean Road, also has extra overheads to pay which school sixth forms do not. School sixth forms rely on local education authorities to fulfil a number of duties for them but as the college is not part of the local education authority, it must perform all tasks itself.

The funding gap was first created in 1993 when sixth form colleges were given the same status as further education colleges.

Since then the further education sector has received progressively less funding than schools.

Bolton Sixth Form College has regularly met with Dr Brian Iddon to discuss the situation and the national Sixth Form Colleges Forum has lobbied ministers. Dr Iddon, Bolton South-east MP, and Mr Crausby, Bolton North MP, have joined with the Association of Colleges to campaign for a £228 million investment into North-west colleges, from this year's Comprehensive Spending Review.

Dr Iddon said: "The further education sector has suffered in recent years. At Bolton Sixth Form College, I don't believe they are given as much funding as secondary schools with sixth formers."

Mr Crausby said: "I think its very important that we do put money into our further education."