CAMPAIGNERS fear an increase in tuition fees will deter youngsters from studying at the University of Central Lancashire’s (UCLan) Burnley campus.

UCLan’s Vice Chancellor Dr Malcom McVicar told a meeting of 500 academics and administrators that tuition fees at the university were likely to increase to around £8,000 a year.

He told the lecture UCLan was set to lose up to 90 per cent of its public funding within four years.

But he also warned that the university could lose a further £30 million, which represents 15 per cent of its income, if it fixed fees at the Government recommended £6,000 a year.

And the planned increase in fees was part of an attempt to make up the shortfall.

Dr McVicar said he feared higher fees would lead to fewer people enrolling on courses.

And his concerns were echoed by Coun Julie Cooper, Labour leader in Burnley.

She said: “To see doors closing in so many young people’s faces makes me so angry.

“It won’t be an issue for young people from rich or well-to-do families, but it will hit the most deprived families – and there are a lot of them in Burnley – the hardest.”

But Gordon Birtwistle, MP for Burnley, said the cuts were necessary and that deprived families would be given the required support.

He said: “We are paying out £123 million in interest, which equates to the cost of one primary school, every hour.

“We can’t continue to give away money that we could use to build primary schools. So yes, Dr McVicar is well aware of the situation we are in and he will have to cut his cloth accordingly.” And he explained the support available to deprived families.

He said: “For deprived families, the Government will pay the first year fee.

“If the university wants to charge more than £6,000 the university will have to cover the cost of the second year.

“So if it’s a three year course the student from that deprived family will only pay for one year – the last one.”