BOSSES behind Ipswich's newest college have today defended their choice of name for the state of the art project.

BOSSES behind Ipswich's newest college have today defended their choice of name for the state of the art project.

Late last month it was revealed that the SWISS Centre - the sixth form college currently under construction in Scrivener Drive - will be called Suffolk One.

The name was a controversial choice for some because it made no mention of Ipswich - even though the majority of its students will come from the town.

And it also looks suspiciously like the One Suffolk banner being used by the county to promote its vision in the battle over the future of local government in the region - a vision strongly opposed by councillors from Ipswich.

Andrew Cann, Liberal Democrat leader on the borough, said: “It's going to be a local sixth form designed for the local area and it needs a name to reflect that.

“It's going to be a great project that will do wonders for education in that part of town but the young people need a facility and a name to be proud of.”

The �65m centre - funded by the Learning and Skills Council - will open in September 2010 and will provide learning for more than 2,000 16 to 19-year-olds mainly from South West Ipswich and South Suffolk.

Today bosses defended the choice - saying they wanted a name that included everyone, not just those pupils living in the town.

A spokesman for Suffolk County Council said that pupils at many of the schools in the SWISS partnership were asked to come with ideas and evaluate the suggested names.

“There was a group of 60 young people who were specifically asked to comment and vote for either of the two finally shortlisted names, Spring and One, and there was 95per cent support for One,” he said.

“The governors met last week to finally unanimously approve the name.

“I understand that though there were some reservations about having such a radically different name for the centre but these were overcome by two principal arguments.

“Firstly that what the centre will offer to young people is very different and secondly that all the young people consulted and involved in choosing the name and designing how it might be used were very enthusiastic about One.

“Having a name that appealed clearly to most young people as offering something very new, forward-looking and prepared to take a new, radical direction was absolutely vital to its success.”