Brighton and Hove to suffer if uni fees rise, report claims (From The Argus)
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Brighton and Hove to suffer if uni fees rise, report claims
2:40pm Friday 6th May 2011 in News By Emily-Ann Elliott
University cities could see their economies hit by plans to nearly triple tuition fees, a study has suggested.
The report by economic group Centre for Cities said places such as Brighton and Hove need to plan ahead for the impact on businesses if fewer students come to the city to study because of higher costs.
Brighton and Hove has the eighth highest level of undergraduate spending in the country - £324.5 million a year, or 5.3% of the city's economy.
University officials said they remained confident they would attract the same number of students in the future - despite increasing their fees to £9,000 a year.
TheInsider says...
8:01pm Fri 6 May 11
More than 30,000 studets live in properties in Brighton which were once family homes in the city.
Families spend more per head than single people as between the ages of 25 and 45 people make their biggest investments ie white goods, cars, carpets, homes etc.
Also, students in these properties do not pay council tax which leaves the council with an annual shortfall from properties which still require servicing.
If this report were about a one-horse regional town, I would accept it, but Brighton will be able to fill the gap comfortably as demand for family homes is way above the number available.
Also if the students were living in college accommodation and not impacting on the availability of family homes the report may be true.
Five per cent would easily be replaced by working families payng tax, paying NI and council tax.
Sadly the universities' inability to produce work-ready students in areas of work where jobs are available has acutally cost this city far more in unemployment and homelessness.
The colleges need to stop whining and modernise.