87 jobs axed at West Notts college

The announcement comes after the college said in March that it needed to save £2.7 million, due to falling student numbers and a change in apprenticeship funding.

On May 24, the college, which has campuses in Kirby and Sutton, had a consultation with staff who were at risk of being made redundant.

Following the consultation, it was announced that 87 staff members will leave the college through redundancy, with 66 of those taking voluntary redundancy.

145 members of staff at risk of redundancy have retained their jobs, through voluntarily reducing their hours or moving into other roles.

College principal Dame Asha Khemka, who earns £262,000 including benefits, said: “The scale of redundancies is unprecedented for this college. Unfortunately, changes in Government policy on apprenticeship funding and delivery methods, coupled with us having fewer 16-18 year-old students as a result of the demographic downturn, created a situation nobody wanted.

“Job losses are always a last resort and I am sorry we have had to lose dedicated and hard-working staff. I’m indebted to them for their service and wish them all the very best for the future.

“While this has been a very unsettling time across the organisation, by tackling these difficult issues now the college will remain a vibrant and active member of the community. We have many strengths and will continue to be a significant local employer that delivers excellent education and skills training that makes a tangible difference to people’s lives.

“The immediate focus is on supporting students through their exams and assessments over the coming weeks, continuing to provide high-quality work-related training to individuals and employers, and preparing to welcome new and returning students in September.

There has been a fall in its students aged 16-18, with about 500 fewer learners than five years ago.