UP TO 30 jobs look set to be axed at Weymouth College as it faces funding cuts totalling £1million.

Shocked staff were told yesterday afternoon that the college has to make ‘tough’ decisions and balance the loss of seven per cent of its income budget.

A six per cent reduction of staffing is being proposed and a 30-day consultation process with staff and teaching unions is set to begin today, the Dorset Echo can exclusively reveal.

College vice-principal Paul Lonsdale said: “I must emphasise that this is not just Weymouth College, other colleges in the area are facing proportionally similar reductions to ourselves.

“Every college and every school with a sixth form in the area will be facing funding cuts and will have to make difficult decisions about staffing.

“We are being forced to make tough choices and we know this is hard on staff, but we are doing all we can to minimise the impact on everyone, staff and students.”

Bosses say courses will not be affected and that savings already made will help to meet the shortfall.

The college currently employs 473 staff and the expected losses will be in support roles, not direct teaching posts.

It is hoped that by working with staff and unions, the college can explore ways to save jobs using job-share, reduced hours and redeployment of roles.

Mr Lonsdale added: “The 30-day consultation is now starting and we’re hoping that period gives both ourselves, staff and unions the chance to reflect on things and whether other opportunities are available to make the kind of savings we need to make.

“We will be informing all members of staff who are at risk over the next couple of days.

“They will then have individual interviews with managers to talk about their options and other job roles available for them to apply for. Obviously there are fewer jobs than people at risk but we’ll also support them with training for new roles at the college or to support them for looking outside the college.”

Principal Sue Moore said the college would continue to give learners the best opportunity possible.

She added: “We have already made a very difficult decision regarding the ceasing of AS-levels at the college.

“Vocational curriculum will be our focus in the future and I am pleased to say that we will be looking to expand the breadth of what we offer in the coming years to support the emerging local and regional skills demands while maintaining our existing breadth of curriculum. What we offer to students will stay the same in terms of their courses.

“Students who need individual support will continue to receive it.

“We are very proud of the level of support we offer.”

Final decisions about job losses will be made at the end of the consultation period in June.

• ARE YOU AFFECTED BY THE CUTS? CALL THE ECHO NEWSDESK ON 01305 830999

Funding blow

THE job loss announcement follows the college’s announcement that it would cease to provide A-levels due to low numbers of student enrolments.

Principal Sue Moore said: “The board agonised over that decision but we believe that we could no longer provide the right quality of learning experience for the number of students enrolling and the funding we were able to claim for such a small cohort.”

Vice Principal Paul Lonsdale said the £1m drop in income related to various factors. This includes a shortfall of 82 learners from the colleges 16 to 18-year-old target which had lost about £500,000-worth of activity, a reduction of Additional Learner Support (ALS) funding of £75,000, Young Apprenticeship income reductions of around £60,000 and Higher Education reductions of £120,000.