STUDENT leaders' have called for urgent action after serious questions were raised over the running of the board that controls further education in Scotland's largest city.

The Scottish Funding Council (SFC) launched an outspoken attack on the Glasgow Colleges Regional Board, saying it was "far from ready" to take over the administration of £80 million for Glasgow's three colleges. It should have taken over managing the budget this year.

However, the SFC said the board, which is under the control of former First Minister Henry McLeish, had not made sufficient progress and called for its own official to be parachuted into the organisation.

Gordon Maloney, president of the National Union of Students Scotland, said it was "incredibly worrying" that fundamental questions over the running of regional college boards, which under a Scottish Government overhaul are also tasked with setting strategic direction of further education in their areas, were being raised.

He said: "Regionalisation promised bigger, stronger and more efficient colleges, with improvements for students. Stories like these will lead many people to question just how well that's operating in practice, and the costs that come with it.

"There's significant pressures on colleges to continue delivering improved outcomes, and a real crisis in college student support, which should be our main priority. [This] calls into question whether the big issues are getting the attention they deserve. Colleges and their boards need to get their priorities in order and have a serious think about where their efforts, and money, are best spent."

He added: "The Glasgow board seriously needs to do all it can to ensure that student experience and support is being protected and improved, and what the perception among students will be at this time. It's clear that someone needs to act urgently to get the trust of students back, and Glasgow back to being a strong college region that delivers huge benefits for its students and wider community."

A board spokesman has said that that significant progress had been made and raised concerns about the actions of the SFC, saying its claims were "inaccurate and distorted".

Scottish Conservative young people spokeswoman Liz Smith said there were serious issues to be resolved. The MSP added: "Public confidence in the management of the college is being undermined and so it is vital that there is full transparency as soon as possible."

Mr McLeish has been questioned over his expenses as chair of the board.

He over-claimed his expenses by £140 last year, after he claimed for car travel when he had actually travelled by train on three occasions. He subsequently submitted a revised claim of £555, after the original £695 was queried by the SFC.

He resigned as First Minister in 2001 following a "muddle" over expenses at his constituency office in Glenrothes.

A spokesman for the board said the over-claim had been down to an administrative mistake, and was resolved to the satisfaction of all involved.