STAFF from Cricklade College in Andover travelled to Westminster to lobby Government for changes in the way the further education sector is funded.

Cricklade was one of 50 colleges taking part in the Colleges at the Heart of business event, which called for red tape which restricts colleges from offering adult training demanded by industry and business, to be removed.

The Government wants to halve the number of workers without basic qualifications by 2010, but the Association of Colleges (AoC) has warned this will fail, leaving the UK with a massive skills gap, unless changes are made.

Current funding limits the number of extra adult students colleges can take to just two per cent.

In areas like Andover, where 25 per cent of people have a basic skills need, this can have a major impact.

Cricklade's representatives told MPs and officials of the schemes they have already set up with employers to tackle the demand - despite the funding restrictions.

HR managers Tony Alcock, of Vitacress, and Ged Houghton, of Thomson Publishing Services, explained how the Cricklade training courses had enabled them to identify the training needs within their workforce.

Barry Langfield, Cricklade's director of adult and community learning, was given the opportunity to highlight the college's basic skills awareness campaign after being chosen to speak on stage.

He said: "The national average for areas with low levels of numeracy and literacy is one in five.

"But two council wards in Andover have a one in three need.

"By and large, Andover is regarded as a prosperous town with less than one per cent unemployment, but many of the jobs are low paid and don't require high skills, so the real issues of the area are masked.

"By getting employers to recognise they have some responsibility to train their workforce to a recognised industrial standard, we have been able to offer basic skills awareness training to supervisors and managers. Our pilot scheme has been well received and we are out to engage with more employers, but it's a big problem to tackle."

David Gibson, AoC chief executive, said: "Colleges need to be given the freedom to compete against private trainers on a national level.

"We need to dispel the Government's rhetoric and make it clear that colleges do perform when it comes to delivering training and qualifications."

Mr Langfield added: "Our future plan, where basic skills are concerned, is to build on the success that our initial campaign has generated. We have a target to engage 80 employers and make them aware that their business could be more prosperous if they could recognise and address basic needs in their workplace.

"But the need in the area and from employers is not just basic skills.

"We need to highlight the needless and frustrating red tape and dated funding systems that hinder our partnership with the local business community."