Stafford College set to axe 16 jobs

More than a dozen staff could be axed at Stafford College, which today announced proposals to plug a £750,000 black hole.

Bosses have started consultations with unions to discuss redundancies.

They have vowed no more than 3.7 per cent of its 454-strong workforce would lose their jobs - around 16 employees.

Voluntary redundancy is now being offered to reduce the number of compulsory job losses.

The college has blamed its three quarter of a million pound budget gap on 'under recruitment of students'.

Principal Ian Clinton said: "The college is making every effort to reduce the impact of any redundancies and we have already reduced the shortfall significantly through effective business planning.

"We will ensure any decisions that are made regarding staffing has minimal impact on our students and our priority is to build on the improvements noted and highlighted by both Ofsted and the FE commissioner during recent visits."

Earlier this month it emerged that bosses were in talks about a possible merger with Newcastle-under-Lyme College in a bid to turn around its fortunes.

Ofsted rated Stafford College 'Inadequate' in March which the current management put down to failings under the previous leadership regime.