THOUSANDS of adults in Kirklees will no longer have access to community learning.

Kirklees College’s newly-released part-time adult education prospectus has slashed the number of venues in Huddersfield’s districts and villages.

And language courses, which have been popular in previous years, have disappeared completely. The only subject listed in the languages section is English for speakers of other languages (ESOL).

The college has seen funding cut and has insisted the courses must pay their way.

But the new prospectus has received an angry response from people involved in both teaching and attending part-time courses.

The following centres were all used for classes last year, but play no part in this year’s timetable: Slaithwaite Town Hall, Huddersfield New College, the Irish Centre, St Patrick’s Catholic Centre and Rawthorpe Adult Education Centre.

These cuts are in addition to the withdrawal of all classes in villages such as Almondbury and Shelley over the last few years. Most Huddersfield courses will now be held at the college’s New North Road premises.

In North Kirklees, most classes will be held on the Batley and Dewsbury main campuses.

After a public outcry, Holmfirth Adult Education Centre has survived for two days a week. On Tuesdays and Wednesdays, a range of arts and crafts and pottery classes will be held.

One consequence of the cuts is that there are now no part-time courses at all run by the college in the Colne Valley. Residents will have to travel to Huddersfield town centre or Holmfirth to attend classes.

The prospectus, which was mailed to 155,000 houses in Kirklees for the first time in an effort to involve the community, has disappointed many involved in part-time adult education.

One teacher said that the course list had been “decimated”. The teacher added: “It is a very rushed prospectus and we have received no information or consultation.”

Liz Heywood, of Scholes, is a well-respected figure in education and art circles. She has taught English and theatre for most of her working life and still teaches part-time at New College She is also involved in the Holmfirth Art Festival.

She said: “I feel disappointed and angry. The withdrawal of these services is appalling and it does nothing but harm to these communities where there are no other options available.”

Liz, who attends classes herself, added: “If you cut courses and put prices up, it is a self-fulfilling prophecy. This has been completely financially driven.

“Adult education, both formal and informal, is absolutely central to the wellbeing of any community and people should be able to access courses and at a reasonable price.”