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Central Sussex College to cut 80 posts
Central Sussex College is to cut 80 posts across its five campuses creating a saving of around £2.5million on the staffing bill.
A statement released by the college said: “Funding for Further Education colleges nationally has been reviewed several times in the light of the austerity measures following the government’s Comprehensive Spending Review.
“As with most public services there is an expectation that we will do ‘more for less.’ ie to educate more students for less funding. The financial position of Further Education colleges nationally is, therefore, more difficult now than ever before and most certainly more than at any time in the last decade.
“Central Sussex College reported a deficit position in its end of year accounts for the academic year 2011/12, and its projection for the academic year 12/13 is for a further deficit position. In addition, for the forthcoming academic year, 13/14, the College has £1.4M less government funding allocated for educating a greater number of students.”
The college has campuses in Horsham, East Grinstead, Crawley, Burgess Hill and Haywards Heath.
The Haywards Heath campus has recently just undergone a £30million refurbishment, which was unveiled this week.
A spokesperson said: “The College’s Sixth Form Haywards Heath campus redevelopment was a victim of the sudden cessation of capital funding from the Learning and Skills Council.
“The campus was 50 per cent complete when funding was stopped. The shortfall in funds for this project meant that not only did the college have to secure multi-million pound mortgages to complete the redevelopment, but also it has had to manage a three-year delay in the completion of new build and the associated planned increase in learner numbers.”
It also cited the under-performance against target for student recruitment numbers.
Sarah Wright, principal of Central Sussex College said: “It is very disappointing that the college is in this position. Colleges must maintain financial viability if they are to continue to operate and Central Sussex College, along with many other colleges, has been left with no alternative but to cut costs in line with cuts to funding. As with other colleges, staffing is by far the biggest budget expenditure and, therefore, there is no option but to act swiftly and decisively to reduce staffing and ensure a balanced budget is achieved whilst protecting frontline services to students and employers.”
A Middy reporter was given a tour of the new building in Turners Mill Road campus in Haywards Heath, all the photos will be in next week’s paper (Thursday, March 7).
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Weather for Haywards Heath
Friday 24 May 2013
Today
Light showers
Temperature: 5 C to 11 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: West
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 6 C to 16 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: North
