THE number of jobs under threat at St Helens and Knowsley Community College has been increased to 85, with the institute to launch an urgent review of its curriculum, the Star has learned.

An initial letter which has been sent to union representatives by chief executive of the College Group Dr Jette Burford dated January 23 had initially informed them of a consultation on up to 50 potential redundancies, looking to save £1.8m.

However, a fresh correspondence dated February 21 has revealed that up to 85 positions could be axed by July 31.

St Helens and Knowsley colleges formally merged on December 12 last year, trading as the SK College Group.

The letter states the college's financial plans, including saving associated with the initial redundancy proposals "were not deemed sufficient to ensure good financial health for 2018/19 and 2019/20".

It adds the increased number of proposed redundancies would create a total saving of £2.85m which is anticipated will "meet the necessary financial savings" by the ESFA and Transaction Unit.

Of the proposed redundancies, 46 will be from academic staff, 30 from business support areas and nine from management positions.

The letter adds that given the increased number of redundancies "there will almost certainly be a reduction in the number of academic faculties which necessitates an urgent review of the curriculum".

The College Group proposes to look at 'pools' of staff "who work in areas where work is likely to cease or diminish and where savings can be achieved".

Individual consultation with people whose jobs are at risk will be conducted and the college says "appropriate steps to seek to avoid their dismissal" will be taken including "consideration of redeployment opportunities".

A voluntary redundancy scheme was opened until February 28.

Unions have vowed to fight against any compulsory redundancies, with the University and College Union (UCU) says it will also raise questions of why redundancies are coming so soon after the merger.

Dr Jette Burford, CEO of SK College Group said: “The past eighteen months have been unprecedented in the history of both Knowsley Community College and St Helens College, as both organisations prepared for merger.

"Originally planned to be complete by March 2017, the merger was delayed until December 2017 due to external factors outside our control. 

"We now need to deliver the economies of scale that the merger identified. Like any other business, we need to adapt and respond to the needs of our customers, and as such we are currently reshaping our curriculum offering an innovative and broad curriculum, that is of the highest quality.

"Our commitment to quality is unrelenting and clearly evident, as recent Department for Education (DFE) league tables placed us as the best General Further Education (GFE) College on Merseyside for A Level student Progress. Our Vocational provision was recognised as the best GFE in Merseyside for applied general and technical level qualifications.

"Our Higher Education provision continues to go from strength to strength, as we are the highest ranking GFE College in the Liverpool City region and Cheshire for overall Student Satisfaction.

Our students are always our main priority, and they will not be adversely affected by any internal changes.”