STUDENTS have been left in limbo because a cash-strapped college could not pay for their exams.

Bosses at City College Brighton and Hove revealed they have been struggling to pay the bodies responsible for awarding its students qualifications.

The latest revelation comes as the Government’s Further Education Commissioner is set to visit the centre this week to monitor their financial recovery plan.

Two students studying on an electrical course through the City & Guilds exam board told The Argus they were unable to sit exams in December.

One student, who did not want to be named, said: “We did take the exam but it was five or six weeks late. We didn’t get a letter or email, our tutor just apologised.

“As a student paying for the course, I was not happy along with the rest of my class. If I was thinking of applying to go there in September 2015, I’d think again.”

Another student, an adult learner, said: “The college has become a farce over the past 18 months. Exams are postponed because the college hasn’t the money to pay the exam board.

“My lecturer went to the shops to buy paper to be used for an assignment out of his own pocket because they had run out.”

The new revelation comes a day after principal and chief executive Lynn Thackway stepped down because of a family illness.

On Monday, The Argus exclusively revealed the college had run into cash-flow problems and, as a result, had failed to pay its suppliers on time.

Documents seen by this newspaper suggest the total amount owed could be as high as tens of thousands of pounds.

Commenting on the exam cancellations, a spokesman for City College said: “Among several thousand students who sit exams at City College each year, unfortunately, in some instances, exams have been delayed while payment issues were being resolved with awarding bodies.

“The college can give absolute assurance that no exam has been cancelled without a replacement date being scheduled.”

A spokeswoman for City and Guilds said: “We are aware that some individuals have seen their assessments delayed and we are working with the college to resolve matters as quickly as possible.

“Our priority is around our learners and ensuring that any impact on them is kept to a minimum.”

Following her departure, Mrs Thackway, in a statement to staff, said: “I want to be clear that this is in no way any reflection on the college.”

Last April, The Argus said the college was falling behind with suppliers while looking to make £1.5 million in cuts.

Last summer, the college axed almost 50 full-time staff posts as it looked to balance its books.

The college could not say if its £79 million redevelopment had been put on hold in light of its financial situation, reiterating it was “still finalising some aspects of the project”.

Commenting on the upcoming visit of the Government’s Further Education Commissioner, a college spokesman said: “The visit is part of the usual monitoring of colleges with a recovery plan in place and we are one of a number of colleges on the commissioning team’s list.”