THE college group in charge of the soon to be closed Malvern Hills College has responded after a protest on its grounds.

WCG plans to close down the college this summer after a review found it was not financially viable, and a spokesman responded to concerns raised by protestors.

They said: “In our response to Harriett Baldwin MP’s letter we have explained that since Malvern Hills College joined WCG we have worked hard to improve its poor financial performance, but against a backdrop of enormous further education funding reductions, coupled with demographic factors at the college, this has not been possible.

“We have tried to preserve the college's education provision and have subsidised its provision with funding provided for other colleges in our group, but eventually the current educational landscape meant we were left with no option but to close the site.

READ MORE: Protest on the day Malvern Hills College is set to close

“The Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) has conducted a review of grant funded 16 to 19-year-old provision and has concluded there is no need for a college site in Malvern.

"If MHACC Ltd, which has made an offer to buy the site, can make the site viable, providing adult unfunded provision, the college will be happy to support them in this endeavour, as long as agreement of sale can be reached on workable terms.

“MHACC is a newly formed company, set up by local residents in April, and is currently dormant with no assets or funding.

"The college needs assurances that the company has the funds to both buy the site and has working capital to cover the college running costs and protect staff transferred.

"Thus far this assurance is not evident.

“We have also noted concerns raised regarding the covenant on the site.

"The covenant requires a functional need for a further education college in Malvern, which the ESFA has now confirmed is not the case, and of course MHACC Ltd is not an FE College Corporation by definition.

“We have asked Malvern Hills District Council to formally acknowledge this, as the covenant requires and that WCG has therefore fulfilled its obligations under the covenant.

“The position has been clearly communicated to both Malvern Hills District Council and MHACC Ltd and we await the results of their deliberations.

“The college announced its decision to cease operations at Malvern Hills College in November 2020 and maintains its aim of determining the future of the site by August 2021, despite many delays beyond the college’s control to date.”