Angus and Mearns candidate Sanjay Samani has welcomed the major concessions to this year’s Scottish Budget secured by Liberal Democrat MSPs which will help Aberdeen, Angus and Dundee Colleges.

Concessions made to the Liberal Democrats include:

• Additional funding for FE bursaries of £15 million, spread across 2010-2011-12 to provide additional student support for current student numbers.
• Additional funding of £8 million in 2011-12 that would support an additional 1,200 college places and associated student support.
• 1,500 additional Modern Apprenticeships, including 500 places for the renewables sector, at a cost of £2 million
• 2,000 additional flexible training opportunities

Sanjay commented,

“40,000 students across Scoltand were going to have their budgets slashed by the SNP Government, but this has been reversed thanks to the Lib Dems working hard for you at Holyrood.”

“This is a better budget than the SNP presented in November.  It is better for young people in the Mearns wanting the skills they need to find jobs, helping our local economy.  It is  better for colleges in Angus, Dundee and Aberdeen, that will be able to provide more opportunities.   And it is better for Angus and Mearns businesses that will be able to take on more apprentices.”

“It is also great to hear that the National Union of Students support what we have done.”

Commenting Liam Burns, President of NUS Scotland, said:

“This is great news and testament to the hard work of thousands of college students across Scotland and the Scottish Liberal Democrats. Students across colleges and universities have mobilised fantastically well, with over 32,000 letters and emails sent to MSPs on this issue.

“To win £15m college bursaries, and £8m for college places, in a budget which is being cut is a fantastic result.  We hope this will now end the yearly ritual of college bursaries running out and end the threat of cuts to 40,000 of our poorest students.”