"Devastating" job cuts lead to three days of strikes at college as anger boils over at financial blackhole

The University and College Union and the National Education Union have joined forces and will strike outside the college’s three campuses - South Downs, Havant and Alton - on June 13, 18 and 19 against the cuts and to call for better financial management of the college. The college has expressed disappointment at the timing of the strikes with students taking exams, and said it has been consulting with unions and affected staff.

The planned strike action comes after The Department for Education intervened in the management of the college, issuing a Financial Notice to Improve and demanding additional oversight from the Further Education Commissioner (FEC).

Unions have expressed anger that the college appears to have pinned its financial health on the sale of land at the South Downs campus for housing which has now been delayed, with planning permission for a scheme still not yet granted.

The unions say members oppose the redundancies of 70 full-time equivalent roles - around 100 individuals - to ease serious cash flow pressures relating to the property strategy which they say has been repeatedly delayed over the past ten years. They said it was originally expected the sale of the land would be completed in early 2022, and the unions have told The News that the college has advised its staff that even if this sale were completed it would not resolve the underlying financial operational issues.

Unions say a Health Check report from the Further Education Commissioner published in February identified that the financial pressures were so extreme that the college was in danger of running out of cash this year, meaning they will have insufficient funds to cover the redundancy payments they are proposing, which will cost in excess £1 million.

It claims the college intends to borrow part of next year’s funding from the Department for Education to meet these redundancy costs and other pressing commitments.

As previously reported by The News, HSDC’s principal and chief executive Mike Gaston has announced his retirement this week after working at the college for a decade, and will remain in post during a transition period before leaving at the start of next year.

This follows confirmation that HSDC had a Financial Health grade of “Inadequate” for the year that ended July 2024, after previously being forecast to be in surplus in June 2024. In October it was discovered that the college was actually in deficit, due to “the late identification of expenditure”, and their financial health score was downgraded from “Requires Improvement”). The FEC report noted this updated position came “as something of a shock to the college governors.”

NEU Regional Secretary Phil Clarke said: “It is clear that the college is in a dire financial situation, but our members are in no doubt it is the college leadership who are responsible for the appalling impact on frontline jobs and student provision. The lack of oversight and accounting is truly damning.

“To have pursued a property strategy that has now left the college unable to meet its own costs is nothing short of an outrage. Scores of our and the UCU’s members are at risk of losing their jobs and the college cannot even afford to make the redundancy payments it is proposing without additional funding from the DfE. Other than cutting jobs, their solution is to get an advance on next year’s funding which is just kicking the can down the road.

“Our members are taking strike action to save jobs, as far as they can, and to ensure that redundancy terms are fair. They are also fighting to protect the working conditions of those who will remain employed next year and beyond, whose workload will undoubtedly increase with bigger class sizes and fewer staff.

“They are calling on the DfE to hold their employer to account for bringing the college to this position and demand ongoing transparency with the college’s finances. They demand that staff have a voice in the future of the College when strategic decisions are made so that this type of ruinous decision making will never be repeated.”

 College management has offered talks with UCU and NEU next week about how the strike can be avoided and the trade dispute resolved.

UCU general secretary Dr Jo Grady said: “UCU and NEU members will be on picket lines this month because the savings management is trying to achieve would result in devastating job cuts and learning and support provision being slashed. It is hard to imagine how the college can continue to function, and students can continue to thrive with such severe cuts.

“HSDC is a college which has had outstanding teaching and learning, but staff and students have been let down by poor leadership and catastrophic failures in financial management. We now urgently need financial stability. The executive leadership team and board of governors must change course and work with the recognised unions to find a solution that protects provision and the college’s future.’

In a statement HSDC said that a large number of staff placed at risk are choosing to take redundancy, and expressed disappointment that the strikes coincide with exam dates at the college.

The statement said: “HSDC respects the right of staff to strike but is disappointed that planned action coincides with exams and taster sessions, potentially disrupting students at a key stage in their education. We remain committed to minimising this impact, ensuring exam support and providing alternative arrangements for affected students.

“The proposals affect around 70 full-time equivalent roles (approximately 100 individuals), representing 12.5 per cent of our workforce. Our extended consultation process with local trade unions has resulted in most staffing reductions occurring voluntarily, with only about 30 FTE roles still under review.

“Whilst we understand staff concerns, the college must ensure resources are aligned with operational needs. We urge all parties to consider the long-term effects of strike action and remain committed to open and constructive dialogue to support both staff and students.”