Colleges caught up in last year’s Learning & Skills Council fiasco have been handed an extra £50 million ahead of today’s budget.

The LSC wrongly approved billions of pounds worth of college projects without funds being in place.

Dozens of colleges were affected by the £3 billion debacle last spring and many architects on a framework set up by the LSC blamed the episode for having to lay off staff.

In the end, the scheme was partially bailed out by the previous government, which announced £300 million in emergency funding under last year’s Budget.

But just 13 schemes, out of more than 200 which applied, were handed money.

Now colleges have been told they can bid for up to £1 million each to kickstart stalled projects – in the hope this will attract private finance to complete major schemes.

In all, 20 colleges will be able to get the full £1 million with a further 150 colleges receiving about £225,000 each.

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