Troubled college to appoint another leader

George Trow will be the fourth principal in as many years at Doncaster College. He will join from Rotherham's College of Arts and Technology, where he is also principal.

Doncaster College has been at the centre of controversy on several occasions, beginning with the decision to develop a new building called the Hub at a cost of 65m.

Courses moved to the new waterfront building from the college's former town centre base in September 2006 and the move was hailed as a positive step by senior staff.

But a series of problems followed, including the dismissal of principal David Gates after an extended absence and a row over the costs of the Hub and other financial issues.

Rowland Foote then took over in December 2007 but he left last year after being suspended over complaints about his plans for the future.

Mr Foote was replaced by an interim principal, John Taylor, who had the job of "establishing a robust foundation" which would allow the college to move forward.

Yesterday, Mr Trow acknowledged that college governors and staff had been through "difficult times" but said he was "really pleased" to be taking on his new job.

He added: "The staff commitment to students' lives and their support has been evident in the past years and I am looking forward to working with this very professional team to secure the future of the college.

"The residents of Doncaster rely on the college to raise aspirations and enable them to be successful, this will be our continued focus.

"We will also continue our commitment to all of the students who come to the college for high-quality higher education, working with employers to meet their needs in a fast changing employment market."

Mr Trow joined the Rotherham college in 2002 as deputy principal and was appointed principal in 2005. He was credited with wiping out a 2.2m deficit.

He was born in Yorkshire, studied at Scarborough Technical College and said he had worked in further education since he was 26 "at every possible grade from lecturer to principal".

Welcoming Mr Trow's appointment, the chairman of college governors Rob Wilmot said: "George has a strong track record from his time at Rotherham, not just in effecting significant change but also in his role in its growth and performance.

"George has a good understanding of the key challenges ahead of Doncaster College and a good understanding of the needs of the region."

Interim principal Mr Taylor, who was in charge at Sheffield College from 2000 to 2008 will leave the college when Mr Trow takes over after drawing up a detailed "recovery plan for Doncaster.

He said: "George has an impressive record of success in further education in South Yorkshire. He is a knowledgeable and accomplished leader who understands the particular challenges of the county.

"The foundation for Doncaster College's recovery plan was to restructure the organisation in order to make the savings and business efficiencies necessary to secure a full recovery and, vitally, the future of the college.

"That project has been successfully completed and, under George Trow's leadership, Doncaster College is in a position to grow and become an efficient and sustainable institution offering a great student experience."

Mr Trow has recently been awarded a Fellowship of City and Guilds for his services to further and higher education and is also a fellow of the Institute of Leadership and Management.

Doncaster College has around 30,000 students and employs more than 1,100 staff at the both the Hub site and at the University Centre, which is at High Melton between Doncaster and Rotherham.

Late last year it was one of four Yorkshire colleges hit by strike action staged by lecturers union the UCU along with Rotherham College, Leeds College of Art and Design and Askham Bryan, York.