BOSSES at a new sixth form college in Ipswich today claimed youngsters were firmly involved in the decision to call the state-of-the-art facility 'Suffolk One'.

BOSSES at a new sixth form college in Ipswich today claimed youngsters were firmly involved in the decision to call the state-of-the-art facility 'Suffolk One'.

But they have that admitted the shortlist of two names - the other being Suffolk Spring - was devised by researchers and college staff.

Children from feeder schools were then asked to vote on which they preferred, with 95 per cent picking the eventual winner.

However, the name has sparked controversy, with one politician claiming the centre requires a title of which students can be proud.

The college, under construction in Scrivener Drive, was originally going to be called the SWISS Centre - an acronym of South West Ipswich and South Suffolk.

Andrew Cann, Liberal Democrat leader on the borough council, 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.”

However, Suffolk County Council described Suffolk One as an “exciting new name” which “symbolises the massive range of new opportunities available in one place”.

A council spokesman added: “Our advisers researched the views of young people to clearly establish their aspirations, views and expectations of the new centre and how this might be encapsulated in a name.

“Following the research phase, the findings were developed by staff in our project team, and colleagues from the SWISS partnership that oversee the project development.

“After a lot of work and taking into account the ideas and views of many young people, the advisers agreed with us a shortlist of two names.

“Sixty young people from across the partnership schools were involved in a workshop and voted 95pc in favour of Suffolk One. The governors then agreed unanimously that Suffolk One should be the name for the new centre.

“This is an extremely imaginative, innovative and exciting project. Suffolk One will drive this initiative forward, promoting a new and different approach to the provision of courses and activities.”

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.

Do you like the name “Suffolk One”? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk