Principal George Bright with students at the sit-in 16270/1ADULT students who are unhappy at plans to force them to pay upfront for their courses at Devizes College, held a sit-in on Friday.

The students who are on the popular upholstery and art courses made their feelings known to Wiltshire College principal George Bright, who has blamed the Government for cutting back on funding.

Lucy Newcombe, 30 a marketing manager from Calne, cannot afford to pay her course fee upfront and said she will not be able to continue in September.

She said: "I have two small children and I pay for full-time child care for them which means I don't have enough extra to pay the £192 for the upholstery course."

Previously students paid the course fees a term at a time.

The course fees are going up by ten per cent. Pensioners already receive a 20 per cent discount.

Mr Bright said the college was facing a financial crisis due to a cut in funding from the Government.

He said: "The Government has cut the funding to support adult education provision for Wiltshire College by £500,000. They are funding 2,000 fewer people on vocational courses.

"I do accept that for some individuals paying upfront will be difficult but the reality is we can no longer afford to offer the flexibility we have done in the past.

"The Learning and Skills Council which funds us has changed the way it pays colleges. It is reducing the amount it pays us between January and March. Rather than have a positive bank balance this year we have an overdraft facility of £1.5million."

Mr Bright said the Government was prioritising funding for young people and for adults lacking basic skills.

Nancy Aiston, tutor of painting courses at the college, said: "My courses were full this year but people sign up for a term at a time because they don't know if they will like it. I fear that people will not sign up if they have to pay the fee all at once."

Margaret Toomey, 66, of Market Lavington, will have to find just under £400 for the fees.

She said: "If the Government would like to pay me my pension so I get it advance then I can pay the course fees.

A petition can be signed online at www.ipetitions.com/campaigns/fair_funding