HMS Raleigh could lose 1,500 logistics students
HMS RALEIGH could lose up to 1,500 students from its Torpoint base when its logistics school moves to Hampshire.
The move, announced by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) last month, will see the Defence Maritime Logistics School move to a new purpose-built facility in Worthy Down, near Winchester.
The school currently provides training to the chefs, stewards, supply chain specialists, writers and officers who make up the Royal Navy's logistics branch. The MoD said all of the service personnel would be relocated as part of "routine military business".
A spokeswoman for HMS Raleigh, said: "Numbers in the Defence Maritime Logistics School fluctuate as per the needs of the service, but the school can provide training for up to 1,500 students each year.
2 courses £9.95 or 3 courses £12.95 available lunch time Tuesday to Sunday and Monday to Sunday evenings 5-7pm.
Contact: 01752 421903
Valid until: Monday, September 30 2013
"These include Royal Navy, Royal Fleet Auxiliary personnel and members of the Royal Naval Reserve."
The spokeswoman added that instructor numbers could also vary but said there are normally between 50 and 60 Royal Navy staff and 16 civilian posts filled by staff employed by a contractor.
Despite the large-scale move, the MoD insisted the base would not close.
Deputy Mayor of Torpoint, Mike Pearn MBE, said: "That's the good side. But to lose over a thousand people, it has a knock on effect on the town – their families often come down, use bed and breakfasts here, so it will have an effect.
"It will make a vast hole in the number of people going through Torpoint, which is sad really."
The move is expected to happen late in 2018 when students will by then be training at a tri-service facility in Winchester. The MoD said neither the military personnel or any civil servants would lose their jobs as a result.
In late 2010 The Herald reported that HMS Raleigh faced a "temporary restriction" on the number of recruits they took on. The decision meant fewer passing-out ceremonies were held during the following months.
Cllr Pearn added: "With the logistics school moving out we want to know if something will be moving in.
"We've heard the possibility of the Commandos coming in, which will make up for losing the logistics school."
The new site will bring together the majority of logistics and personnel administration training for the Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force.
A spokesperson from the Ministry of Defence added: "The service personnel will be relocated as routine military business.
"The 16 civilians are all contractors within the Fleet Outsourced Activities Project (Training) contract.
"It will be up to the contractor to reallocate their resources.
"No civil servants will be affected by this proposed move."
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