COUNCILLORS have officially congratulated Prof David Green and the University of Worc-ester on the achievement of full university status.

At the first full council meeting since the ann-ouncement, last month, councillors of all parties complimented the university, hailing the award as a great opportunity for the city.

Council leader Step-hen Inman said it would put Worcester on the map, and Coun Adrian Gregson went further, suggesting it now made Worcester complete as a city. "I was taught that a city was only a city if it had a cathedral and a university," he said.

He continued: "There used to be a town versus gown issue with UCW but the way it has embedded itself in the city in the past five or 10 years has damped that down.

"Forty-five per cent of students are local people and it provides a wonderful service.

" It is also embedded in the regional economy. We can look forward to our continuing partnership with them." Council leader Stephen Inman said Worcester was in the middle of some exciting times and the university was at the forefront of it.

"This is an enormous part of the radical transformation we will see in Worcester and I think a great deal of good will come out of this," he said. "There will be new social and cultural facilities, a library and collaboration with the College of Technology and Chamber of Commerce.

"It will be a major provider of top quality jobs.

"There was talk at the time of will they or won't they get university status but they were confident and proved right. We wish Professor Green - now vice chancellor - well."

Coun Liz Smith also hailed the achievement. "It's a great opportunity for the city to have the infrastructure, the cultural and educational opportunities it will provide," she said.

"It will also have a positive impact on the employment profile of the city."

The full council unanimously passed a notice of motion to place on record their congratulations to the university which is based in St John's Worcester.