Struggling Lancashire college to axe 41 jobs
A struggling college in Lancashire is planning to cut 41 jobs – according to the unions.
The University and College Union said Blackburn College is about to make the posts redundant.
A spokesperson for the union said: “Plans to axe another 41 posts at Blackburn College would be a disaster for staff and students.
“Our members will oppose any plans for compulsory redundancies and we urge the college to extend the consultation on its proposals.”
The announcement comes just a few months after a series of job losses in the summer.
Blackburn College said proposals will result in the loss of some jobs – around three per cent of its full-time equivalent staffing levels.
However, the union said its members will oppose any plans for compulsory redundancies.
Regional official Martyn Moss said: “Only four months on from a badly-handled redundancy exercise that left Blackburn College under-resourced and struggling to function effectively, the college has announced plans that put another 155 staff at risk of redundancy in the run up to Christmas.
“At a time when staff and students should be focused on teaching and learning, the college is again looking to squeeze its overworked teaching staff to cover up a lack of leadership from a changing management team.
“Blackburn College needs to recognise that staff are already at breaking point. Further cuts would be a disaster for staff and students, and only serve to increase already unmanageable workloads.”
Graham Towse, interim principal and chief executive at Blackburn College said a consultation process has been launched on and will run until Thursday, January 10.
He added: “Blackburn College, like all education and training providers, is under increasing financial pressure to operate in a more efficient manner with a focus upon delivering outcomes linked to income.
“We will do all we can to prevent any compulsory redundancies and as part of the consultation process will be introducing a voluntary severance scheme, available to staff affected.
“The college is committed to working collaboratively and constructively with trade union representatives and staff.”
“We are confident that with the right measures we will create a sustainable platform for the future to focus on improving our quality and standards whilst continuing to transform the lives and life chances for our students.”
Blackburn College dropped to ‘requires improvement’ in an Ofsted report published in May 2017.
At the time, leaders and managers at the college were found to not have “a sufficient oversight of the progress that students make on their courses” and “too few” students achieve the grades and “develop the skills to their full potential”.
