£800,000 cut in adult education funding at Kirklees College

Mar 12 2010 by Joanne Douglas, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

KIRKLEES College has had £800,000 slashed from its budget.

The money it receives for adult education classes has been reduced by 10%, which translates into a reduction of £800,000 in funding for this year.

The college is 80% Government-funded and it is feared that many evening classes will be axed in September.

Kirklees College disclosed the financial situation after a tip-off to the Examiner.

The person, who asked not to be named, said the sweeping cuts would result in adults, who want to study subjects such as computing or a second language, missing out.

They said: “New proposals could see centres for evening classes closing as pernicious requirements are put into place.”

Chris Sadler, Kirklees College Principal, would not reveal where the cuts would be made but said: “It is unclear how these changes will impact on our college but we are working hard to minimise the effect on the students and communities we represent.

“However, nationally these cuts will have an impact, not only on the students and the communities colleges serve so well, but also on the government’s own ambitions for further and higher education.

“Any suggestion that colleges can keep the same number of adult students by simply expanding the number of fee-paying places ignores the current economic climate and people’s ability to pay.”

A spokesman for the College, which has bases in Huddersfield and Dewsbury, said they would fight to make the government aware of the likely impact of the changes.