Metro Mayor urged to lobby for new college in Dudley

West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker is being urged to lobby the government for cash to build a new construction college.

Labour’s leader in Dudley, Cllr Adam Aston, has written to Mr Parker asking for his help to secure a slice of a £100m funding pie for ten new regional technical colleges.

Cllr Aston wants one of the new colleges for Dudley and he hopes the mayor will write to the Secretary of State for Education, Bridget Phillipson, recommending the borough as a preferred location for a college.

In his letter to the mayor, Cllr Aston said: “Dudley has a proud industrial heritage. The Black Country built Britain. But over consecutive governments and local administrations, our communities have been let down.”

Mr Parker said: “Dudley has played a huge role in building Britain’s industrial past and it should have a big part to play in our future.

“Construction skills are essential – not just for meeting the country’s housing needs but for creating good jobs for local people.

“I welcome Adam’s letter and his ambition for Dudley.

“I’ve already met with him to discuss how we can work together to make the strongest case possible to government, and I’m currently talking with the Secretary of State for Education about how the West Midlands can benefit from these new Construction and Technical Excellence Colleges.”

The investment from Westminster is part of Sir Keir Starmer’s plan to build 1.5m new homes in Britain by 2029 and train 60,000 new construction workers.

Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson said: “We are being held back by the large scale skills shortages in the construction sector which is a major barrier to the delivery of the growth mission.”

Cllr Aston said: “My dad worked in the construction industry all his life and was proud to build homes for local families, I’m passionate to see Dudley benefit from the injection of cash in one of our local colleges to establish it as a regional centre of excellence for construction with local young people building the homes of the future across the West Midlands”.

“This investment puts FE colleges at the forefront of tackling Britain’s housing shortage and Dudley should be leading the way.”