60 SERC jobs at risk over funding

60 SERC jobs at risk over funding

6 December 2023

UP to 60 full and part-time South Eastern Regional College staff are facing redundancy due to a budget shortfall.

The College has seven campuses including those in Downpatrick, Ballynahinch and Newcastle.

it emerged last week that the further education establishment’s estimated budget pressure into 24/25 is almost £7.1m with fears that the only way the financial pressure can be addressed is by reducing staff numbers.

Across its seven bases, the college employs 833 permanent staff and 156 part-time lecturers, with the redundancy process expected to be completed between March and June 2024.

In a letter to staff, college principal and chief executive Ken Webb, outlined that full-time staff could be offered a redundancy package of one month’s gross basic salary for every full year of continuous service up to a maximum of 21 months, subject to approval.

“The college anticipates that these proposed redundancies will be achieved entirely through volunteers and does not envisage any requirement for compulsory redundancy,” he said.

“I appreciate this is unwelcome news and whilst perhaps not unexpected, may be unsettling for you. At this stage, we remain fully committed to protecting our front-line delivery wherever possible and working with staff representatives to ensure that all reasonable steps are taken to reduce the number of staff to be made redundant.”

The Further Education sector is facing recurrent pressures totalling £35m for 2023/24 and comprises £29m pressures and £6m to cover outstanding 2023/24 teaching and non-teaching staff pay settlements.

The Department for the Economy, which is responsible for further education, faces an overall budget shortfall of £55m this financial year.