Councillors to support fight over tuition fees

The cross-party decision followed a protest by students who marched from Sheffield University to the town hall for Wednesday's council meeting in order to protest against the coalition Government's decision to raise the cap on tuition fees to 9,000.

The students were also angry with the apparent U-turn by Sheffield Hallam MP and deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, who pledged before the election not to support any rise in fees beyond the current 3,290 a year.

Josh Forstenzer, president of Sheffield University students' union, said: "This is an utter betrayal. Students and their families put their faith in the Liberal Democrats in May but were completely deceived.

"The proposal that universities could charge anywhere between 6,000 and 9,000 is outrageous. It will create a two tier system where elite universities, like ours, will charge the full 9,000 and will again become the domain of the rich."

"Access to higher education must be based on the ability to learn and in no way on the ability to pay."

Coun Paul Scriven, Liberal Democrat leader of Sheffield Council, said: "I'm delighted that we're achieved cross-party support behind this cause, putting the interests of Sheffield people before that of party politics.

"Sheffield has thousands of students and families with young people wanting to go into higher education and we want to stand up for their interests.

"It is important that local Lib Dems stand up for the interests of Sheffield people, even if it means disagreeing with a Government which contains members of our own party.

"I look forward to working with all parties to oppose any rise in fees."