A DUDLEY Councillor is urging Dudley Council education leaders to re-think their views for a university in the town as he believes it would "transform Dudley".

St Thomas's councillor Shaukat Ali is backing the campaign, spearheaded by Dudley North MP Ian Austin, for a university campus in the town.

Cllr Ali, said: "I whole-heartedly support the university as it would be a fantastic opportunity to transform Dudley's educational prospects.

"Dudley is currently in the process of receiving £200 million government funding for the Building Schools for the Future programme, which will see every secondary school in the borough being rebuilt or refurbished.

"The borough will also benefit from £11 million to bring our primary schools up to scratch.

"Dudley needs a university. Imagine what this would do to the town centre.

"It would create hundreds more jobs and bring thousands of students into the town. This will all help towards regenerating the town centre.

However Liz Walker, cabinet member for children's services, recently told the News she thought there was no need for a campus in Dudley as there are adequate services provided for students in nearby Wolverhampton and Birmingham.

Cllr Ali said: "The Dudley borough needs to provide an educational system for the 21st century so I was surprised to read councillor Walker's comments about the university.

"I hope she has a re-think on this and changes her mind.

"We are talking about cross party work here.

"We need to think of the greater good of Dudley rather than politically.

"We should all be working together on this. "

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