College facing further jobs axe

By Ted Jeory

A COLLEGE is proposing to axe six teachers in the final phase of its major restructuring programme.

Braintree College is consulting with unions about the possible redundancies in areas where bosses feel there is either over or inappropriate staffing.

It is understood staff may go from its IT, French and Spanish, sciences and motor vehicle support departments.

The college has been undergoing a review of staffing and teaching policy in an effort to meet its aim to be “at the heart of its community”.

Long renowned for its arts subjects, the college is now putting more emphasis on its business development activities, working closely with commercial organisations.

In the first phase of the two stage restructuring process, 29 new posts were created in October last year, but 33 were chopped.

Jacquie Watts, college principal, has now told its 332 staff that while up to 11 new posts will be created - as well as about 25 temporary project jobs - but six could be lost.

“In some areas, there are still clearly too few posts to respond to growing student needs and expectations,” she said.

“In other areas, there are more posts than we absolutely need, or they are the wrong type or level of posts for the challenges and opportunities ahead.

“The college needs to grow to respond to the needs of its local community, but in order to do this we need to achieve efficiency gains in other areas.”

The principal added: “The changes we are proposing will affect some individual staff very personally and this is not a thing to be taken lightly.

“We want to work with staff and unions to reduce the impact on individual staff as best we can and avoid redundancies if at all possible.”

Staff and their recognised unions have until May 16 to comment on the proposals and come up with viable alternatives to take the college forward strategically and financially.

ted.jeory@eadt.co.uk