Three colleges and sixth forms across Stockport will be given a funding boost totalling £2.5 million.

The Trafford and Stockport College Group - which operates Marple Sixth Form, Stockport College, Cheadle College and Trafford College - has been given the grant as part of a government funding programme aimed at modernising college buildings across England.

A total of £56m has been allocated to other colleges across the North West.

Announcing the funding, the Department for Education said it will go towards repairing 'leaky roofs, broken windows and dilapidated buildings'.

The government has said the funding is part of their goal of getting two-thirds of young people to a gold standard apprenticeship, higher training or university by the age of 25.

Government skills Minister Jacqui Smith said: "Further education colleges are at the heart of our mission to grow the economy and train the next generation of skilled workers under our Plan for Change.

"But the college estate we inherited is simply not fit for purpose. Today's funding addresses these issues, allowing colleges to focus on what they do best: breaking down barriers to opportunity and inspiring the workforce of the future."

However, David Hughes, chief executive of the Association of Colleges, while welcoming the funding, said it was "clearly not enough to restore the funding lost since 2010".

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"It's even more worrying that there is yet again no change to the adult funding rate which has been fixed for 14 years now", Mr Hughes added.

"The rate is ridiculously low and it makes it increasingly likely that colleges will be turning away adults who want to learn skills in high demand in the labour market because they simply cannot recruit and retain teaching staff to deliver the learning needed at the pay they can afford.

"If the government wants to achieve its missions and ambitions for economic growth and fairness, additional, sustainable investment across all post-16 education must be provided in the spring spending review."

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