THE organisation in charge of the soon to be closed Malvern Hills College has been accused of dragging its feet over a possible sale.

WCG, who announced last year that they would be closing the college in 2021, have reportedly been approached by a benefactor wishing to keep the college open.

The Malvern Hills College Student Group said it has been made aware by the SOS Task Force that a means of purchasing the college has been secured, but with negotiations still ongoing it is currently unable to reveal the source of this funding.

Gemma Wiseman, from the group, said: “It is deeply frustrating that Warwickshire College Group is dragging its heels on what I understand is an excellent offer.

"It is common knowledge that a covenant exists which specifies that the site has to remain as a Further Education College and our students desperately want to be able to resume their studies there in September.

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“Everyone’s mental health has suffered enough during the past year of Covid and arts provision at all levels is more important than it ever was.

"It would be a tragedy if this opportunity to save it were to fail and the building sold for some other purpose."

In response to the group, WCG spokesman said: “Closing any part of our activity is always a last resort and we would not have reached this decision without assessing all the consequences, and in a perfect world it would not happen.

“Malvern Hills College has been financially supported by the rest of the Group for some time – but sadly the pandemic has added financial pressures alongside the existing longstanding under-funding issues that have existed for colleges.

“The College is predominantly adult leisure learning and the number of Government funded further education students has been falling, with less than 100 students from Worcestershire and surrounding counties attending the college for many years.

“However, we are not ceasing provision within the town.

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"WCG will continue to offer provision at Malvern Hills Science Park, with vocational further education for young people and adults which is highly relevant to the economic needs of the area.

“We have always said that we want to engage in constructive dialogue with anyone who is genuinely interested in the future of Malvern Hills College and its courses.

"We continue to talk with Cllr Beverley Nielsen of the Task Force to provide information about the college and its operations, but must stress that we have not yet received any formal offers for the site.

“In accordance with the legal requirements placed on any College Corporation, we have to work with independent advisors to support the sale of the site and we are currently undertaking the necessary steps – so are far from dragging our feet.

"As a publicly-funded body we have an obligation to ensure a fair value is achieved and hence due process is necessary in these situations.”

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West Worcestershire MP Harriett Baldwin has been working with local stakeholders to identify a potential purchaser for the site on Albert Road North.

She said: “I have been really heartened by the way the community has mobilised to try and find way to preserve teaching at this historic site.

“Everyone locally can see how important it is that we expand provision for skills locally at this time and I have spoken to the Minister, the local councils, Local Enterprise Partnership, other local education leaders and written to the Warwickshire College principal to urge her to support the local solution that has emerged.

“There has been teaching on the Albert Road North site for many decades.

"I’m going to keep working closely with the community and potential supporters to get to a solution that will benefit local people and hopefully many generations to come.”