City College courses streamlined in bid to save £1.2m
COURSES at City College Plymouth are being streamlined as part of about £1.2million budget cuts.
College bosses said some courses — including in the art, sport, leisure and construction departments — are either being 'streamlined' or completely axed.
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Plymouth-City-College
The college announced earlier in the month that up to 53 jobs are 'at risk' — with 25 posts expected to be axed — due to the budget cuts.
Bosses revealed the redundancies are being made because of Government public sector cuts.
The college, which employs 850 full-time staff, said the redundancies would be made shortly as it prepared to undergo the cut in funding from its annual budget of £33 million.
The college said it faces 'a sizeable cut in adult learner and other funding streams'.
Courses affected will include ones in the art, sport, leisure, business, construction, engineering, ICT, counselling and care departments. It is not yet known exactly how they will be 'streamlined'.
Small parts of the hospitality catering and beauty therapy courses will also be affected by the cuts.
A college spokesman said: "All staff and students affected have been notified. In the small occurrence of a course being cancelled, students have been referred to a different learning provider."
Counselling courses at the college have been cut, said bosses, 'because the funding bodies no longer consider it as a priority programme'.
A spokesman said: "Unfortunately, we are unable to fund it. However, we did this in the knowledge that there are other providers in the locale, so the provision for the area is not lost."
The spokesman also said the allocations for courses for people over 19 years of age have also been 'heavily cut'.
The spokesman said: "Like all further education colleges up and down the country, City College Plymouth has suffered a significant funding cut to its adult education budget. Reports suggest an average cut of 16 per cent."
The spokesman said the 'changes are happening now and will unfortunately affect adult learners this year'.
Nicola Cove, deputy principal at City College Plymouth, said: "At a time when colleges are helping Britain beat the recession we have been faced with the grim reality of having to cut courses for adults.
"It has not been an easy time for City College Plymouth and we have had to make some incredibly difficult decisions.
"It is with deep regret that we have had to cut a number of courses.
"It is a sad state of affairs but even with the best will in the world, we will not be able to enrol and teach the same number of students."
Comment — Page 10
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by ShakesHeadinDisbelief, Paignton
Sunday, August 01 2010, 4:27PM
“Thank you, Amanda for restoring my faith in CCP students - you are obviously dissapointed, but not taking the ME, ME, ME approach of other students who have commented here. I wish you all the luck in finding and alternative.
It may be worth looking on the worktrain website (just google it), you may be lucky enough to find another local provider who can help you.”
by amanda, plymouth
Sunday, August 01 2010, 8:45AM
“I was going onto a level 2 cake decorating course this year and was really looking forward to it had to find out myself that it was not going to be very dissapointed havent been told of any other plaaces and hope my teacher has not lost her job she was brilliant and feel sorry for all those who might lose there jobs even though with todays finances its whats got to be done not whats wanted to be done .”
by ShakesHeadinDisbelief, Paignton
Friday, July 30 2010, 9:29AM
“anon, england, if you read the article, the college has a funding income of £33 MILLION pounds a year. This takes someone with the right skills and experience to deliver this effectively. Do you really think they would get the right calibre of applicant for the post if they advertised it at National Minimum Wage? Get real!
Fiona, Plymouth - in earlier posts, you showed your ignorance of FE Funding, in your most recent, you show your ignorance of the benefits system. You really should do your research before firing off wild accusations. Also, I did not accuse you of being on a counselling course (and therefore the menopausal comment was not directed at you).
It is only since the budget and final figures have been calculated and passed down to the college from the Skills Funding Agency (in the last couple of weeks), that the college have been able to make decisions.
Perhaps they put those they considered the less likely to succeed on the reserve course? If that is the case, that must really grate with you - to think that some of the people in receipt of benefits are doing better than you.
You have twice made it very clear about which courses you are NOT doing, but have kept quiet about the course you are doing. could it be because the course you are doing will add very little to society?”
by Fiona, Plymouth
Friday, July 30 2010, 5:51AM
“@shakeshead I AM NOT DOING A COUNSELLING COURSE and NOT menopausal, you may have experience in this field BUT when you are in a class of 20 and only 2 are paying students and the rest only pay for course materials,( usually £10 ) I do not call that reduced fees I call that not paying anything and those that didn't were there purely to appease the JSA, although how they can do a full time course and still be available for work is beyond me.
If the college knew this was definately going to happen they should NOT have allocated me a place in the first place,to then send a letter telling me I have now been put on a reserve list is why I'm mad”
by anon, england
Friday, July 30 2010, 12:00AM
“principal on £120.000 a year. member of staff made redundent was on £90.000 a year, internal news letter circulated about 2 months ago advertising for the same position with a salery of £95.000 + relocation fees. makes you wonder. i do fully expect the herald to wipe this post as they dont like anything on here thats too close to the truth”