Calendar An icon of a desk calendar. Cancel An icon of a circle with a diagonal line across. Caret An icon of a block arrow pointing to the right. Email An icon of a paper envelope. Facebook An icon of the Facebook "f" mark. Google An icon of the Google "G" mark. Linked In An icon of the Linked In "in" mark. Logout An icon representing logout. Profile An icon that resembles human head and shoulders. Telephone An icon of a traditional telephone receiver. Tick An icon of a tick mark. Is Public An icon of a human eye and eyelashes. Is Not Public An icon of a human eye and eyelashes with a diagonal line through it. Pause Icon A two-lined pause icon for stopping interactions. Quote Mark A opening quote mark. Quote Mark A closing quote mark. Arrow An icon of an arrow. Folder An icon of a paper folder. Breaking An icon of an exclamation mark on a circular background. Camera An icon of a digital camera. Caret An icon of a caret arrow. Clock An icon of a clock face. Close An icon of the an X shape. Close Icon An icon used to represent where to interact to collapse or dismiss a component Comment An icon of a speech bubble. Comments An icon of a speech bubble, denoting user comments. Comments An icon of a speech bubble, denoting user comments. Ellipsis An icon of 3 horizontal dots. Envelope An icon of a paper envelope. Facebook An icon of a facebook f logo. Camera An icon of a digital camera. Home An icon of a house. Instagram An icon of the Instagram logo. LinkedIn An icon of the LinkedIn logo. Magnifying Glass An icon of a magnifying glass. Search Icon A magnifying glass icon that is used to represent the function of searching. Menu An icon of 3 horizontal lines. Hamburger Menu Icon An icon used to represent a collapsed menu. Next An icon of an arrow pointing to the right. Notice An explanation mark centred inside a circle. Previous An icon of an arrow pointing to the left. Rating An icon of a star. Tag An icon of a tag. Twitter An icon of the Twitter logo. Video Camera An icon of a video camera shape. Speech Bubble Icon A icon displaying a speech bubble WhatsApp An icon of the WhatsApp logo. Information An icon of an information logo. Plus A mathematical 'plus' symbol. Duration An icon indicating Time. Success Tick An icon of a green tick. Success Tick Timeout An icon of a greyed out success tick. Loading Spinner An icon of a loading spinner. Facebook Messenger An icon of the facebook messenger app logo. Facebook An icon of a facebook f logo. Facebook Messenger An icon of the Twitter app logo. LinkedIn An icon of the LinkedIn logo. WhatsApp Messenger An icon of the Whatsapp messenger app logo. Email An icon of an mail envelope. Copy link A decentered black square over a white square.

Could UHI Moray closure threat impact £100m region deal?

Problems at the Elgin college could be discussed at Holyrood this week.

There are concerns over the future of UHI Moray following a raft of redundancies at the college. Image: Jason Hedges/DC Thomson
There are concerns over the future of UHI Moray following a raft of redundancies at the college. Image: Jason Hedges/DC Thomson

There are fears financial troubles at UHI Moray will push the college into insolvency.

And if that happens the Elgin college will be unable to meet its commitments to the £100 million Moray Growth Deal.

Concerns have been raised by Elgin North Labour councillor Sandy Keith.

UHI Moray has said it is consulting with unions on a recovery plan for the college.

Reputational damage incalculable

But that includes getting rid of 25 lecturers and 20 support staff.

And money to fund a voluntary redundancy scheme still has to be agreed by the Scottish Funding Council.

The Beechtree training restaurant at the Moray Street campus is expected to close and the BS (Hons) Fine Art degree is being shelved.

Also the college is axing some Stem subject courses previously offered to senior pupils at Moray schools.

Labour councillor for Elgin North Sandy Keith.

Mr Keith has raised the issues with Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills Jenny Gilruth, as well as Labour MSP Pam Duncan-Glancy.

Mr Keith said: “If the college doesn’t get the money from the Scottish Funding Council the word being used is insolvency. So closure.

£100m funding cut for colleges and universities

“This has to be avoided at all costs.

“Cuts to courses and staffing in an already low waged economy will be damaging.

“And the impacts upon students and their families will be considerable.”

A spokesperson for UHI Moray said: “We have a forecast operational deficit which we are continuing to work to reduce via the financial recovery plan.

“This deficit is a direct result of real term reduction in government funding, reduction in HE (Higher Education) enrolments and inflationary costs for staffing and non-staffing all of which are being experienced by the wider college sector in Scotland.”

The Sottish Government is cutting funding to colleges and universities by £100 million in the current financial year.

Mr Keith said UHI Moray was an “integral member” of the Moray Growth Deal board, that is looking to improve the local economy with £100 million of investment.

But he is worried problems mean it will not be able to fulfil its commitments to the deal.

College closure must be ‘avoided at all costs’

Projects the college is involved with include a business hub and an aerospace advanced technology and innovation campus.

Mr Keith said: “If UHI Moray went bust the reputational damage will be incalculable.

“UHI Moray should be playing its part in the Moray Growth Deal and helping to transform the Moray economy into the future.

“If not there is a risk parts of the plan will not be achieved and Moray will not see its promised transformation.

“I am concerned that there may be insufficient capacity to deliver the transformational growth deal.”

Mr Keith has also raised his concerns with the chairman of the college’s board of management Jamie Wilson.

Lecturers’ union EIS FILA has already passed a vote of no confidence in the senior leadership team at UHI Moray.

They say no proper consultations have been held with them over proposed cuts to jobs and courses.

Job losses

And the union is raising a formal dispute with them which will be heard at a meeting of the board of management this week.

Students studying the fine are degree are facing a two years pause in their studies.

And with UCAS applications closed it will be difficult for them to find another course for the next academic year.

Advanced highers in chemistry and biology have been cut from the curriculum offered to senior school pupils.

And three foundation apprenticeships in engineering, hospitality and food and drink are also being axed.

Conversation