By James CalnanA UNION secretary has said were still “very unhappy” over the restructuring of a college - despite better news about job losses.Four jobs instead of the seven originally under threat will be lost at Braintree College under the restructuring, with management saying they hoped to avoid redundancies if possible.

By James Calnan

A UNION secretary has said were still “very unhappy” over the restructuring of a college - despite better news about job losses.

Four jobs instead of the seven originally under threat will be lost at Braintree College under the restructuring, with management saying they hoped to avoid redundancies if possible.

Following a substantial budget shortfall earlier this year, staff did not get a pay increase and it was decided a restructuring programme was necessary to make the college more efficient.

The original plan was to create 24 new jobs, but lose 31 existing ones. Staff and unions were consulted to draw up a new strategic plan and as a result 29 jobs will be created, but 33 current jobs phased out - a net loss of four.

But David Brierley, branch secretary of the university and college lecturers' union NATFHE, said: “There are a lot of people who are still very unhappy about the situation.

“A large proportion of those leaving are academic, whereas many of the new jobs are administrative, so it is likely that more than four of the current staff will lose their jobs without volunteering to do so.

“The current management inherited a poor financial situation and I agree that changes are required, but they could impose them gradually over the next three or four years instead of introducing them all at once.

“Most of those who lose their jobs will only get what is effectively the statutory minimum redundancy payments rather than a more income-based payment and this could be avoided.”

Jacquie Watts, Braintree College principal, said: “Staff have been very professional in their response to the restructuring consultation.

“No-one has said that we should not restructure or that the proposed structure, as a whole, is not right for the college.”

She added: “We remain committed to developing college activities in line with local community need.

“Our new structure, together with our new strategic plan, will enable us to take the college forward whilst continuing to put our students at the centre of all we do.”