Gift could end annual college grants of £2.2m

Principals at two private colleges say they may be able to stop receiving an annual government grant after receiving the offer of a large financial gift.

Elizabeth College and The Ladies' College said the offer from a philanthropist involved changing how they were funded and would allow both colleges to give up their annual States grant, which is worth about £2.2m.

They said it would also allow bursaries at both schools and support an island-wide "legacy programme".

To accept the donation both colleges need to be independent charities. Elizabeth College is already one while The Ladies' College is governed by a 1962 law, which the States would need to change to allow it to be one.

Daniele Harford-Fox, principal of The Ladies' College, said it was a "once in a generation gift" that could benefit the whole island.

"Working with partners, The Ladies' College hopes to build an AI and Innovation Hub that could be a centre for research, workshops and events for everyone in the community," she said.

"We hope this will help in equipping islanders for the future and support Guernsey's positioning as a leader in innovation."

Jenny Palmer, Elizabeth College principal, said both schools had a "simple ambition" of providing young people in Guernsey with the best, well-rounded education.

She said: "This gift would also enable us to look at how we can further develop partnerships to extend and share opportunities.

"For example, through sport, the performing and creative arts and to extend our Gate House Gallery artist development programme, as well as securing the future of both colleges for generations to come."

The colleges said the grant of £2.2m was about 2% of the Committee for Education, Sport & Culture's budget and was more than double the 1% saving the committee had been asked to find.

The States of Guernsey committed to cutting 1% of savings as part of the government work plan.

Paul Montague, President of the Committee for Education, Sport & Culture, said anything which would allow the schools to operate successfully without taxpayer funding "is clearly to be welcomed".

"The committee only became aware of this incredibly generous philanthropic offer very recently, so we have not had an opportunity to look at this in detail and examine all the implications," he added.

"There is now much work to be done to progress this further, which we will now do in collaboration with the two colleges."

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