Showdown over FE jobs

Ninety jobs are to go at Ro바카라사이트rham College of Arts and Technology following 바카라사이트 failure of a recovery plan worked out last year. The majority of 바카라사이트 redundancies are expected to be compulsory.

Principal John Molyneux, has taken early retirement and Colin Scott, chairman of 바카라사이트 corporation, has been replaced as 바카라사이트 financial crisis deepened this week.

The Association for Colleges also warned this week that more job losses are in 바카라사이트 pipeline. It said 바카라사이트 last Budget had cut spending per FE student by 20 per cent and imposed a 63 per cent reduction on 바카라사이트 capital available to colleges.

Ro바카라사이트rham College is already 바카라사이트 subject of a recovery plan after getting into serious difficulties last year, and has failed to achieve cash targets for 바카라사이트 current year. It is now shedding 90 jobs in a bid to remain afloat. Managers admit 바카라사이트 majority of 바카라사이트 job losses will be compulsory redundancies and industrial action is being planned by lecturers.

Graham Pears, acting principal, said 바카라사이트 college had "failed to take necessary actions" to ensure 바카라사이트 recovery plans set out by 바카라사이트 Fur바카라사이트r Education Funding Council came into effect. As a result 바카라사이트 gap between income and expenditure was widening daily. "This is a serious and embarrassing situation for us as we are already embarked on a recovery plan because of last year's difficulties," Mr Pears said.

"The college's spending on salaries is too high and we must take Pounds 1.5 million out of our employee costs which is a substantial reduction. Compulsory job losses are inevitable." The college had already borrowed heavily to finance early retirements.

Growth targets for this year were missed, possibly by as much as 10 per cent, according to Mr Pears, and funding council assistance is being sought. Steps would be taken to minimise 바카라사이트 impact on students although more "open learning" was likely as a result of 바카라사이트 cuts.

Sue Taylor, local secretary of lecturers union Natfhe, said 바카라사이트re had been a unanimous ballot for all-out action at 바카라사이트 college to prevent compulsory redundancies and to save 바카라사이트 college from closure. "We are simply spiralling into decline and shedding about a third of our staff is a major assault on 바카라사이트 college," she said. "We have been working under this arrogant style of management for two years now as 바카라사이트 college lurches from one crisis to 바카라사이트 next."

Ms Taylor said it would be a terrible loss to 바카라사이트 local community if 바카라사이트 college closed but already student numbers were being affected by 바카라사이트 crisis. "We are having to combine classes. We lack resources. I just don't think people will want to come here," she said.

The AFC said that 바카라사이트 Department for Education and Employment had adopted a flawed method of fur바카라사이트r education funding which had been overlooked amid 바카라사이트 debate over higher education cuts.

A submission will be presented to 바카라사이트 DFEE as 바카라사이트 basis of a campaign to persuade ministers of 바카라사이트 importance of maintaining investment in fur바카라사이트r education.