EXCLUSIVE: More job cuts at Hull College - after £50m Government bailout

CHALLENGING TIMES: Hull College. Picture by Neil Homes Photography

By Rick Lyon

Hull College is facing more job losses under another restructure because of a funding shortfall, The Hull Story can reveal.

Staff at the college, which received a Government bailout of more than £50m in 2018, have been informed of proposals to reduce the cost of “the management structure, support services and all other non-teaching roles”.

Requests for voluntary redundancy will be considered and some staff will be redeployed into vacant positions elsewhere at the college.

In addition to the job losses, the college is assessing the efficiency of its campus facilities and focusing more on remote working and learning for students, according to an email sent to staff.

In the email, Tony Lewin, interim principal and chief executive, said: “I would like to make you aware of some proposed changes to the College accommodation and staffing structure. We have spent the last few months working with colleagues across the College to set the budget for 2020/21. In doing this, our focus has remained on providing the best possible learning experience for our learners, now and in the future.

“During the process we have been assessing how the College operates with the intention of improving our effectiveness. We have reviewed how we use the buildings on the campus and how we might make improvements. We have also considered the level of income we are expecting to generate and where we are currently spending that income, challenging if we are getting value for money and using the funds in the best interests of our learners.

“The campus is a significant cost to the College and many of our buildings are old and in need of substantial improvements. We also believe that the current use of the facilities and number of buildings could be improved to the benefit of our learners and to be more cost effective.

“We also realise that there are lessons to be learnt from the experience of Covid-19 in how we teach and work. Most notably asking if we could and should do more remote working and learning as part of a longer-term plan.

“Following on from the review we will be making some changes to the working locations for some teams and learners before and during term 1. The changes are predominantly driven by providing a better location or experience for learners and in some cases the change is part of a cost efficiency, such as reduced utility costs. Details of any accommodation changes are to be discussed and shared with the teams as we listen to feedback.

“During the budget setting process we have also identified that the reduction in income in 2019/20 in areas such as HE [higher education], means we currently have a higher staff cost than a college of this size can afford and sustain. Fortunately, we are carrying a reasonable number of posts which have not been filled and we will use them to go some way towards reducing the staff costs. We have also reduced the amount of subcontracted work so that we can deliver more ourselves.

“In addition to not replacing some vacancies from the structure we have looked at proposals for reducing the costs of our management structure, support services and all other non-teaching roles. This is to minimise any impact of the quality of our learners’ experience. Teaching roles are reviewed annually as part of the curriculum planning and process and therefore changes to the number of teaching posts would happen naturally as part of this cycle. Any changes to teaching roles and/or hours would be due to the reduction in courses.”

Mr Lewin took up the position of interim principal and chief executive on July 1. The temporary position had been held by Derek O’Toole following the departure of permanent principal and chief executive, Michelle Swithenbank.

Ms Swithenbank previously led the ‘Fresh Start’ programme of more than 300 job cuts, overseen by the FE Commissioner as part of the Government bailout. Her departure was announced in December, during an investigation into practices at the college.

Dafydd Williams, chair of governors, said that “no impropriety on the part of Michelle” had been found by a review of operational arrangements.

This announcement is the latest blow to staff at the college, who are now facing another period of uncertainty.

One member of staff, who asked not to be named, said: “It’s like we’re in a washing machine – we keep going round and round and always end up in the same place. Two years down the line from the last round of cuts, it seems as though we are having to go through it again.”

In his 696-word email to staff, sent last week, Mr Lewin acknowledged the announcement would be a surprise to many and that it would be an “emotional” time for those affected.

He said: “I appreciate that for some colleagues the need to make changes may be unexpected.

“However, those who have worked in education for a while know that for educational organisations, such as ours, we constantly have to adjust and adapt to the changes in external demands if we are to provide the best opportunities to our learners. For individuals not affected by the proposed changes, I ask that you are sensitive to the changes and challenges that your colleagues may be facing.

“We will always try to reduce the impact on colleagues by looking at redeployment into any vacant posts or consider requests for voluntary redundancies. If you are uncertain if any proposed changes affect you, please speak to your line manager.”

The Hull Story made numerous attempts to contact the college for comment, but did not receive a response.