A Scottish college has announced that it is considering closing one of three campuses in an effort to secure the “financial sustainability” of the institution.
Forth Valley College has confirmed that it is “exploring options” in relation to its Alloa Campus, with a final decision to be made at a Board of Management meeting on Friday 26 September.
GMB union, which represents some of the staff working at the college, said that the cuts are being pursued because the Scottish Government has "failed to properly invest in further education", a position that was also expressed by national body Colleges Scotland.
The college has more than 12,000 students and 600 staff across its campus locations, which also include Falkirk and Stirling.
The college stated that it expects to receive a flat-cash funding settlement, meaning that funding does not increase each year to reflect inflation. It has also seen class allocations cut by ten percent since 2023/24.
As a result of subsequent financial pressures, college staff carried out a review of the cost and efficiency of all campuses and decided that “a reduction in the College’s campus foot-print is required to support financial sustainability".
A number of options are being explored. The Alloa campus could be sold and leased back, but may also be completely sold off.
The college statement added that these changes were considered a year ago but a decision was delayed to ensure that “all options have been fully explored.” It also states that stakeholders, including the Scottish Government, have been engaged on the matter.
Kenny MacInnes, Principal of Forth Valley College, said: “It is with great regret that I have to announce that we are having to consider some significant changes regarding our three-campus estate and in particular our Alloa Campus. I want to emphasise that no final decisions have been made at this stage.
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“This follows months of dedicated effort, during which we have explored multiple possible options to secure a positive outcome.
“However, the College’s current financial position - driven by continued flat cash funding, rising staff and maintenance costs, and a reduction in credit delivery - has left us with no choice but to explore a range of options. These steps are being taken to safeguard the long-term financial sustainability of the entire College.
“My Senior Management Team and I are fully committed to finding the best possible way forward in what is an incredibly difficult situation.
“We are considering options and working with our Board of Management and partners to ensure we take the correct decision with regard to the future of the Alloa Campus and its future form.
“We fully understand how unsettling this news will be - particularly the uncertainty for staff and students based at Alloa and for the wider local community in Clackmannanshire. Please be assured that we are here to listen, to answer any questions, and to provide support to anyone who needs it.
“We also recognise the impact on the people of Alloa and Clackmannanshire. The College remains committed to serving the local community and will continue to explore every opportunity to maintain and deliver high-quality education and training in the area.”
Commenting on behalf of the GMB union, Keir Greenaway, senior organiser in the public sector, said that staff had been “locked out of the discussion” around the cuts, which he said are being pursued due to “the failure of the Scottish Government to properly invest in further education".
He said: “The threatened closure of a valued college campus must sound the alarm over funding across further education.
“Every possible option must be considered but the college falsely suggests staff have been consulted prior to this announcement.
“It insists a decision will be taken within weeks but there has been no genuine consultation or serious engagement with staff and there won’t be until unions are invited to sit down for urgent and detailed talks with management.
“The executives making decisions with potentially huge consequences for students and staff must open op discussions and listen to workers’ concerns.
“Anything less than full involvement in this consultative process will be a slap in the face for a skilled and committed workforce plunged into uncertainty by this announcement.”
A spokesperson for Colleges Scotland said: “Real-terms government investment in colleges has fallen by 17% since 2021-22, during a period of soaring inflation, increasing staff costs and higher energy prices. This situation has led to many college leaders facing difficult, and often unpalatable, choices.
“Colleges Scotland has long called for sustainable and equitable investment into colleges so they can continue to act as Scotland's skills engines, lift people out of poverty, and remain as a strong anchors in our local communities.
“We need a step-change in the approach to college funding at the next Scottish Government Budget if we are to harness the power of colleges for the benefit of Scotland, and avoid losing opportunities for our people and places, now and in the future.”
A spokesperson for the EIS, Scotland's largest teaching union, called for guarantees over jobs and course availability:
“The EIS is very concerned with this proposal to remove FE college provision from Clackmannanshire by closing the Alloa Campus. If actioned, this will be a huge loss to the community, students and staff. The College needs to make guarantees that no staff will be made redundant and that teaching/training activity will not be cut.”
A Scottish Government spokesperson said:
“As colleges operate independently of Government, it is for them to decide on operational matters such as their campus footprint. However, in doing so, we expect them to take into account the needs of the people, region and communities they serve. Ministers have been in communication with the college, and would be happy to engage further on the challenges they are facing.
“In this year's allocations from the Scottish Funding Council all colleges received a 4.9% increase to support college maintenance in 2025-26 and Forth Valley College received a 2.3% uplift to the College's resource allocation, in recognition of the vital role colleges play in communities across Scotland.”
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