WEST College Scotland bosses have snubbed calls to bring back the James Watt name to honour Greenock's most famous son.

The Tele told last week how a petition had been set up by a local campaign group to return the Greenock campus to its original name.

James Watt College was a fixture in the town for 100 years before the name disappeared as part of a merger with Clydebank and Reid Kerr.

In the year which marks the 200th anniversary of the death of one of the world's most famous engineers local people hoped to persuade WCS bosses on a name change to mark the milestone.

But their pleas have been ignored, after the Tele pressed the case with management.

A college spokesman said: "The college has no plans to change the names of any of our campuses.”

The anniversary of James Watt is being celebrated in Inverclyde and all over the world.

Glasgow University and Birmingham University are leading the way, with the West Midlands city still retaining a James Watt College.

When asked by the Tele what they were doing, West College Scotland announced plans to introduce a James Watt award for an Inverclyde based student.

The college spokesman added: "We are delighted to confirm that we will award a James Watt bicentenary prize to an Inverclyde-based student who has excelled in science, technology, engineering and maths.

"This will be presented at our autumn graduation ceremony in Greenock Town Hall."

The petition launched by the Save Our College Greenock campaign, supported by EIS branch secretary Mark Gillan, has also highlighted a catalogue of concerns about the future of the Greenock campus.

Campaigners have demanded more autonomy for the Greenock campus and funding to fully modernise the current estates for the long term.

The group want to see a greater influence from Inverclyde on the board and are calling for an independent review into declining student numbers in Greenock.

In a statement West College Scotland said: "Nobody should doubt our commitment to Inverclyde.

"If a small number of people have concerns, they know they can bring them to the principal and her team.”