College to use fewer community venues to save money

Vice Principal John Spindler

Hopwood Hall College will stop using 17 community venues across the borough in part of a bid to save money.

The College has suffered a £3million cut to its income, around 20 per cent of its budget, and is now seeking efficiencies.

Many of the College’s adult courses are held in community venues across the borough, some of which charge the college for the use of their premises.

The College has reviewed the range of community venues used for its adult learning provision. This has included a study of equality impact measures and also holding focus groups with learners.

As a result of this review, 17 venues will no longer be used by the College.

Most of the venues which they will no longer be used charge the College for hire, whereas many other community venues do not.

However, the College is determined to have a presence in each township area and so the community venues that will still be used will be: Demesnes Community Centre, Derby Street Children’s Centre, Deeplish Community Centre, Littleborough Community Campus, Norden Primary School and Wardleworth Women’s Association.

This means that adults across the Borough will still have easy access to learning at both of the College’s main campuses and also at community venues located in their townships.

Vice Principal John Spindler said: “As a result of funding cuts the College has to reduce costs across all areas of expenditure.

“We are, therefore, reducing the number of community venues we use, but we are ensuring that we retain a number of centres across the Borough which will give learners the opportunity to access courses close to where they live.

“The College remains very committed to meeting the needs of learners and we were delighted with our recent excellent OFSTED inspection report which recognised the work we do and our clear strategy going forward.”